Galery

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Greece won its first three medals at this year's Paralympics in London. Athlete Aristidis Makrodimitris reached the third place and won a bronze medal in Men’s 100 m freestyle swimming, S2 category, with a time of 2:21:04. Dimitri Kokarev won the second place in the same discipline with the time of 2:16:46. China’s Yang Yang won the gold medal in the same discipline with the time of 2:03:71 and registered a new world record in the Paralympics with this time. Athlete Alexandra Dimoglou will bring a bronze medal in Women’s 400 m backstroke swimming, T13 category, with a time of 56:9. She is from Kavala and this is her fourth medal from the Paralympics.

The athletes in the boccia team had a strong presence at the games in London. The game has been specifically designed for people with cerebral palsy, but also with other disorders of the locomotor system. Its name comes from the Latin word for boss (boccia). Boccia is a game that requires precision and is played with a ball. It became one of the constant sports of the Paralympics in 1984 and was practiced in over 50 countries worldwide by 2008. The Greek boccia team won a victory over Belgium with 7-0 in the semi-finals this year and will compete for the gold with the team of Portugal. The Portuguese defeated the South Koreans with 4-3. Teams in pairs play this sport and the Greek athletes are George Polihronidis, Nikos Pananos and Eleni Cordelia (reserve).
 
Aris Pananos, who is the deputy head of the Greek team in London and the father of Nikos Pananos, said that the victory of boccia athletes was a big moment for Greece, but personally for him too. "Boccia has had a rise since 2003, when George Tsimas started it. There were 20 to 30 athletes then and they are over 150 at present. This means progress and quality of the sport. Winning these games is the reward for the hard work over the years." Pananos paid his tribute to coach George Tsimas, who has been tirelessly working with the Greek athletes. Aris Pananos was clear that boccia was on the rise and could bring many victories to the Greek athletes.

"The success belongs to the athletes. We played four very difficult games. We were well prepared. The athletes played with all their might, which demonstrated their preparation. Reaching the final is the result of heavy and long hours of training," the coach of the federation Geroge Tsimas said.