Greek dies who helped Brazilian marathon runner in Olympics – 01/26/2023 – Sport

Known for having helped the marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima in the 2004 Athens Olympics, the Greek Polyvios Kossivas died last week, aged 71. The information was disclosed by the website of the COB (Olympic Committee of Brazil).

The Brazilian was leading the marathon that year until he was attacked by former Irish priest Cornelius Horan. Cordeiro de Lima lost the first position to the Italian Stefano Baldini.

Kossivas, who was watching the race, left the sidewalk, pulled Hoan and allowed the athlete to return to the race.

Cordeiro de Lima won the bronze medal.

“I received the news of the death of Polyvios Kossivas with deep regret. A person I never imagined meeting and ended up being part of my life with a noble attitude in the Olympic marathon in Athens, in 2004. He was the first to help me and quickly helped me. helped me get back to the race. I will be forever grateful”, wrote the former athlete on his Instagram account.

When the incident happened, nobody knew who the character was, a former basketball player, who helped the marathon runner. After unsuccessfully questioning the police and the Greek Ministry of Public Order, the Sheet published an ad in the newspaper “Goal News”, seeking the identity of the spectator. Kossivas replied. “Nobody looked for me. They only discovered me after the ad you created. Now, everyone wants to interview me”, says Kossivas at the time.

“When I saw Vanderlei getting close to where we were, I noticed that the crowd started to look to the other side of the street. It was the Irishman who had appeared like lightning to knock the athlete to the ground”, recalled the Greek, in the interview that granted to reporter Guilherme Roseguini at the time.

The report was published in the September 14, 2004 issue.

“I reacted immediately, without calculating the risks. I pushed the intruder away and saw Vanderlei fallen like a wounded bird. I started shouting ‘go, go’ to encourage him”, he reported. “The crowd beat him and shouted ‘what have you done?’ Only afterwards was he handcuffed and taken away by the police.”

At the invitation of COB, the Greek traveled to Brazil months after the Olympics, in 2004. He got to know Rio de Janeiro, visited samba schools and was honored at the Prêmio Brasil Olímpico.

“He was a simple, generous, loving and selfless man. He adored my mother [Ioulia] and me. He created me by giving me everything generously. He was a workaholic, tireless, never complaining. Woke up every day at 6am. He was respected by everyone”, wrote Smaragda Tsirka, daughter of Polyvios, in a message sent to COB.

“That moment [em que ajudou Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima], Polyvios Kossivas became a hero of the national Olympic sport, for an attitude that is remembered and revered until today in Brazil and in the world. COB regrets the death of Polyvios and would like to convey its deepest feelings to his family,” said the Committee’s president, Paulo Wanderley.