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NIKOS KAKLAMANAKIS:
The Cretan Olympic Champion
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During the summer of 1996 most of us had our
share of sitting up late watching on TV the successful performances of
the Greek Olympic Team in Atlanta. Never before did Greece bring back home
so many medals, particularly gold, break so many records, and achieve significant
distinctions in the World Olympics arena.
By far the «coolest» gold medal, which has
made Crete proud, was brought to Greece by Nikos Kaklamanakis, a wind-surfer
of Cretan descent.
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When
we met him, he was preparing to travel to Sydney, Australia, to start training
for the next Olympic Games. When we mentioned that we are from Crete, his
eyes sparkled and he recited the following stanza:
«I wish I were a hawk at Sfakia, an eagle
on mount Psiloritis, or even a wild goat in your ravines that I may enjoy
you for ever, Crete»
The rhymed stanza, known as mantinada, used
to be recited by Kaklamanakis' father, a native of Agios Vassilios, Rethymnon.
Nikos Kaklamanakis confided to STIGMES about
his love for the coastal village of Plakias and how he happened to break
the mast of his wind-surfing board in his first attempt.
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