Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU announced his retirement from the Greek national team and generally from the top level competition.
His last action for the national team was at the ITTF World Championships in Halmstad. He also had farewell in Istres and in Hellenic Table Tennis Federation. He was present during the Board meeting in the building of the Hellenic Olympic Committee alongside his coach and teammates.
Τhe captain of runner-up team of European Championship 2013 and eight-time Greek champion in Men’s singles decided to put the weight on other very important areas of his life and explained he no longer have time to train adequately. He retires after 20 consecutive years in the men’s national team and has put his seal on the sport especially from the 2000s to the present.
“I’ve decided it three months ago. I discussed it with my colleagues in the office and with my family. I realised how much I missed my family. Constant journeys become hard for me. I made the difficult decision. It was great being the part of the national team for a years “ said PAPAGEORGIOU. He is a graduate engineer who has been working in the family business for years.
The mini-ceremony took place in the H.O.C. and in a thrilling atmosphere. There were nine H.T.T.F. Board of Directors members and athletes Panagiotis GIONIS Kallinikos KREANGA Tasos RINIOTIS Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS and the national coach Kostas VATSAKLIS.
“ I think it’s a good time to stop and do other things in my life” underlined PAPAGEORGIOU and received a warm applause.
Manolis KOLIMPADIS president of Hellenic Table Tennis Federation and general secretary of Hellenic Olympic Committee stressed: “The announcement of his decision to stop sounded like a thunderbolt in the sky. Despite the fact that everything has a beginning and an end I did not take it so seriously when it told us in Sweden. Kostas had an invaluable contribution to the sport. It is the decision of the athlete the scientist; the family man who is always respected. The Federation will face a big gap by losing great competitor and athlete.”.
President of the Hellenic Federation made a personal and symbolic gift to Kostas PAPAGEORGIOU. He had a festive picture on the board with both of them from Austria and the European Championship 2013 and wrote: «To the leader of our heart. Thank you for the many untold emotions you gave me». Immediately afterwards VATSAKLIS and the four athletes of the national team offered their own «Papa» a wonderful bouquet.
