Interview with a Paralympics athlete

Interviewee: Andrea Georgiou (Basketball player)

•    In which sport are you practicing the most?
I’ m playing basketball since seven and I train with the special Olympic Cyprus team for seven year.
•    Why did you choose basketball?
Not a particular reason. I just try to play basketball once and I loved it! I created a lot of friends and basketball became a way of living for me!
•    Do you like practicing in the training centre?
Comparing the athletic centres and equipment in Cyprus with athletic centers and equipment of other countries I feel a little bit underestimated. Although I enjoy our training session.
•    What is your relationship with your team mates?
Very good! We have very close relation. I don’t have team mates I have brothers.
•    In How many competition did you participate so far.
European basketball tournament in Russian, 2002. World sport festival, Rodos, 2004. Ireland 2006.  World summer’s special Olympic Games in Athens, 2011. This year we will participate in the world winter special Olympic games in Korea.
•    What where your results?
In Ireland we achieved the second place, in Greece as well.
•    What was your best experience?
In Ireland. Not only because of the excellent organization but also for the beauties of the country.
•    What is your achievement by doing sports?
As I said before I create new targets and goals and I gain a lot of experience.
•    What are the most important skills for a basketball player?
I will talk for our team (special Olympic Cyprus basketball team) and I will say that the most important thing is the love and the devotion for the sport.  We are not the most skillful team but we are a team. All player are equal in our team.
•    What is your best memory of all this year?
Three years ago I had a bad injury during the practice. All my team mates were very supportive to me. I felt that I had a second family.
•    What is your advice for us, the kids?
Join sport because the benefits you will gain are crucial. Sports will help you to create good friends, to avoid dangerous habits and the most important you will realize that your very capable!! More than you can ever thing.
•    Thank you!

Authors:                   Odiseas Stavrou B1

                                Konstantinos Konstantinides, B4

Yakety Sax

Games from other cultures: A game from Georgia

No place for third between the two

Playground:  INDOOR - OUTDOOR

Development and Rules:

This game comes from Georgia using even number of students between 18-24. It requires fast reflexes and speed between the competitors but also gives a lot of joy to the players.

The student’s gather in pairs creating two concentric circles with a radius of one meter difference. Two students are back from the outer circle. The one is the hunter and the other one the hunted.

The game begins with the hunter running trying to touch the hunted. If he succeeds, then they change roles.

The student being chased has the right, exactly before he is touched by the hunter to enter the inner circle and sit in front of a couple. Then the student behind the outer circle becomes the chased one and he runs around the circle in order not to be touched by the hunter.  if he manages to sit in front of a couple who is standing then he wins

When the inner circle is completed with all participating students sitting, all of them stand up and continue playing again.

Try it and have fun! 

Author:  Leonides Christos  G 5

Pentathlon

There is an ancient story stating that the Pentathlon was born in Limnos, the first harbour of the Argonauts who were soldiers sailing with the Argo ship with a mission to bring the Chrisomallo Deras from Kolhida. According to the legend the island was inhabitant only by women who had killed their husbands and their sons. 

 

The women from Limnos after negotiation they accommodated the Argonauts on their island praising their dead soldiers and kings. During the burial ceremony they organized athletic games to honour their dead. The Argonauts contested in running using their soldier gear and receiving prices like valuable clothing. 

There is another version saying that the Aurgonauts contesters took part in a multiple game that was created from Pileas and included five basic activities: jumping, throwing copper, running, wrestling and throwing stick. The athletes were competing one on one. The winner was the person who won 3 out of five activities. Then the winner competed other winners until the final athlete beat everyone else. The winner was the Pentathlos that was considered by the ancient Greeks the athlete with the perfect shape/body.

Pentathlon was first introduced in the Olympic games in 708 b.c

Description of Pentathlon:

At the beginning the athletes were wearing a piece of clothing around their waste and later they were competing completely naked. The game with the name “armed soldier running” concerned men wearing helmet, periknimides and holding a shield.

The Running games acquired:

  A stadium of 200 meters
  A Straight line of 400 meters
  Dolihos (dromos antoxis 7-24 stadium distance)

Cyprus, November 7-11 2012 Video Clip