On Friday, November 1, the school had the pleasure and honor of hosting Mr. Stelios Malakopoulos, World Track Champion and world record holder in the long jump for the T62 category, which includes athletes with double below-knee amputations. The event took place at Theater of the school’s Cultural and Sports Center.
Mr. Malakopoulos addressed 9th, 10th, and 11th grade Junior and Senior High School students as part of the three-day Career Orientation Program, sharing an inspiring message of resilience: «Whoever never gives up ultimately wins the most important battle». He spoke about the challenging moments he experienced following the accident that led to his amputation, his arduous recovery process, his love for sports, and his achievements at major events, including the European Paralympic Championship in Berlin (2018), the International Championship in Dubai (2019), the Paralympic Games in Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024), as well as his aspirations for the upcoming 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The audience was especially moved by his perspective on the accident, which he described as a «divine gift» and a «second chance» to achieve his goals in athletics. Following his speech, he answered numerous questions from students about his relationship with sports, his expectations and dreams, and his life both before and after the accident.
The students left the event with a valuable life lesson: to strive for their goals, no matter the challenges they may face.
The conversation with Mr. Malakopoulos was moderated by 11th grade students A. Kamalakidou, S. Kisoglou, M. – P. Klimatsida, S. Kouvelas, and A. Makedou.
