‘Praise for Athletes’ at the OAC

Invited by the Municipality of Platanias, the former world record holder in javelin and now Member of the European Parliament, Ms. Sofia Sakorafa, visited the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC), in order to attend an event for the award of prizes to athletes distinguished for their performances in the year 2014.

On Saturday 13 June at the OAC, Ms. Sakorafa attended the event ‘Praise for Athletes’, during which she delivered a speech on the values of athleticism. The Mayor of Platanias, Ioannis Malandrakis, Polychronis Simantirakis, President of the legal person governed by public law of the Municipality of Platanias, and Mr. K. Zormpas, General Director of the OAC, delivered a small talk. Mr. Zormpas, making a short reference to the two significant words of the invitation ‘Athletes and Praise’ stressed that unilateral exercise of the body is often “bestial”, making the athlete physically, but not mentally, strong. For this reason, the Orthodox pastoral thinking concurs with the balance of body and spirit: ‘...as the athlete struggles and bares himself before the fight, so shall we struggle and bare ourselves as athletes before the fights.’ Mr. Zormpas, welcoming Ms. Sakorafa, offered her a digital copy of his book ‘The alphabet of the Olympic Games’, while he exclaimed towards all the athletes “Tinella Kallinike Kris”!

Ms. Sakorafa, evidently overwhelmed with being in Chania once again, warmly thanked them for the valuable gifts she received and, encouraging young athletes, she noted that they must not be attracted by awards, but rather follow the athletic challenges that will fill their hearts with joy.

About 80 athletes, but also veteran athletes and veteran sport agents coming from the Municipality of Platanias, were present at the event.