Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU who is forever celebrated nationally for ousting Sweden’s Jan-Ove WALDNER in the opening round of men’s singles event at the Liebherr 2003 World Championships in Paris (11-7 7-11 11-8 5-11 11-4 8-11 11-8) was elected President of the Hellenic Table Tennis Federation on Friday.
After an electronic vote in which 49 clubs took part the 11 members of the board of directors were elected. Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU took over the presidency and although he was the only candidate it is important that he met with universal acceptance from the representatives of all the clubs that voted.
The vote coincided with the day of his birth (42 years old) as he succeeded the 12.5 year long-serving president and former general secretary Manolis KOLIMBADIS who will now be the federation’s representative in the Hellenic Olympic Committee. The electorate has largely renewed the board of directors while the top Greek defender Panagiotis GIONIS was elected as an athlete representative. The term of the new administration will run to September 2024.
Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU has been a stalwart of the Greek national team. He made his World Championships debut in 1999 in Eindhoven and competed until announcing his retirement in 2018 following the Liebherr Team World Championships in Halmstad. He made a total of 18 World Championships appearances and was a most valued team member.
A high-point of his career was at the European Championships in 2013 in Schwechat where alongside Kalinikos KREANGA Panagiotis GIONIS and Anastasios RINIOTIS he won the men’s team silver medal was secured a best ever achievement for Greece.
Standing for office Konstantinos PAPAGEORGIOU has been highly motivated by Manolis KOLIMBADIS the incumbent President and seeks to work closely alongside both Panagiotis GIONIS and Kalinikos KREANGA in creating an exciting new era for Greek table tennis.
“I am very happy for the absolute acceptance which our member unions showed through the electoral process. I hope I am worthy of their trust. I will try with all my strength to justify their confidence. I know that the road will be difficult and an uphill task but if we face the future together we will survive and progress. I am not a hero but neither am I naรฏve and I know that my career as an athlete does not ensure my success in this position. However I am part of a strong group of people free from political affiliations party or fan affiliations ” said Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU.
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President of Board: Konstantinos Papageorgiou 46 votes
First Vice President: Evangelos TERPOS
Second Vice President: George LYGOURAS
General Secretary: Socrates PAPASAVOGLOU
Treasurer: Xanthi KIOUFI
Chairman of the Technical Committee: Panagiotis TZOVOLOS
Members: Vlasios GEORGIOU Maria MOIROU Ioannis KORDOUTIS Polyxeni STATHI Christos TASSIOS
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