In the crowded, from students of all educational levels, hall of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports were awarded, from Olympic medallists, Paralympians and Champions, the school units that excelled for their participation in the Pan-Hellenic Cycling «Running for the SYN».
A total of 273 schools participated in this year's action, co-organized by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), the National Olympic Academy (NOC) and BeActiveHellas, adopting the common motto «I run for SYN» (CO-work - CO-understanding - CO-existence - CO-delphosis - SYNthesis).
The Panhellenic Cycling Race, which is a continuation of last year's «Run for EY» action, was implemented in the context of the European Sports Week #BEACTIVE (23-30 September 2024) and the Panhellenic Day of School Sports.
The Secretary General of Sports and Chairman of the National Coordinating Committee #BEACTIVE, George Mavrotas, welcomed the students, focusing on the messages they sent with their dynamic participation in the Panhellenic Cycling Race «I run for SYN»:
«The key message is to get more sport and exercise into schools, while passing on the values that sport stands for.
Congratulations to the 273 schools that participated in the Panhellenic School Race 2024 «Run for SYN» and of course to the unsung heroes behind these efforts, the teachers and parents.».
Then, Mr.Mavrotas, addressing the children, referred to his personal experience and what sport offered him:
«I would like to say a few words, not as Secretary General of Sport, but as a former athlete, to tell you what sport has given me.
Sport is not only for the body, sport is for the mind, it is for the heart, you learn things not like in school, because you read them, but because you live them and because you feel them. You learn to win and lose, you learn to fall down and get back up, you learn to set goals and try to achieve them. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don't, but you keep going. All these lessons are useful not only when we are young, they are useful for our whole life.
School and sport are not in competition, but complementary. School and sport must go hand in hand to take us far in life.
Today we are awarding the Scylla for «SYN» and in sport you learn to cooperate, to understand, to compete, to coexist. So I'm running for SYN, a three-letter intention but one that is very important because when it comes to the front it gives another power to words.
So if we put a little more SYN in our lives it will be better, our society will be better.»
Finally, he thanked the members of the Evaluation Committee of the awards, the NOC and the HOC, but also all the Greek Olympians, Paralympians and Champions, who, as he said, «are with us today and are always delighted to accept these invitations to award children and schools».
Present at the Award Ceremony were also the Secretary General of Higher Education, Nikos Papaioannou, the Secretary General of Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning, Olga Cafezopoulou, the Vice President of the National Olympic Academy, Elias Dalainas, the Secretary General, Dora Pallis, the Director and member of the #BEACTIVE Committee Denise Panagopoulou, who was also the coordinator of the ceremony and member Maria Papaioannou, from the Hellenic Olympic Committee the Secretary General Manolis Kolympadis, the Deputy Treasurer Thanasis Papageorgiou and the members of the Plenary Session Yannis Karras and Kostis Liarommatis, the President of the Hellenic Rowing Federation and Olympic Champion Vassilis Polymeros, the Vice-Regional Head of Sports of the Region of Attica and Olympian of Gymnastics, Vassiliki Millousi, the Secretary General of the Handball Federation of Greece, Kostas Stamatiadis, the General Director of Sports Support, Konstantinos Tsachalas, the General Director of Primary and Secondary Education Studies, Maria Dokou, the National Coordinator of the European program #BEACTIVE Dionysis Karakasis, representatives of sports bodies, officials of the Ministry of Sport, Mr.ά.
The Olympians who attended the event were:
Voula Kozoboli, President of ESOA (water polo), Voula Zygouri President of SEO (wrestling) and ambassador of #BeActiveHellas, George Tzelilis (weightlifting), Nikos Skiathitis (rowing), Giorgos Chalkidis (handball), Alexandros Albanos (handball), Neri Maday Niaguara (swimming), Maria Tsouri (water polo), Christina Kaltsa (rhythmic gymnastics), Eleftheria Ftouli (artistic swimming), Stergios Papachristos (rowing), Panagiotis Vassilopoulos (basketball), Panagiotis Giannakis (basketball), Kallinikos Kreanga (table tennis) and Paralympic champions Anna Denda (boccia) and Nasos Gavelas (athletics).
The school units that were distinguished for their participation in the categories of best video, photo, banner and motto in the Pan-Hellenic Cycle Race «Run for SYN», were awarded with sports equipment and the following prizes:
- 1ο prize: participation of the students in a «Press Conference» with Olympic athletes, which will take place at the building of the Hellenic Olympic Committee,
- 2ο prize: an informative visit/guided tour to the Olympic Sports Centre of Athens Olympic Stadium «Spyros Louis» and the Olympic Museum of Athens,
- 3ο prize: participation of the students in the «I love sports-Kid's athletics» program conducted by the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the National Olympic Academy, at the Panathenaic Stadium.
The schools that were distinguished:
VIDEO:
1η location: 1st Primary School of Alexandria and 7th & 10th Primary School of Halandri, 2η location: Primary School of Agioi Deca and Primary School of Stimagkas in Corinthia, 3η location: 1st Primary School of Didymoteicho, Primary School of Chora Andros
MOTO
1η location: High School - Agios Efstratios L.T, 2η location: Lygurio High School and Rhododafni Primary School, 3η location: Vytina Daily General Lyceum
PHOTO
1η location: Primary School of Agioi Deca, 2η location: 3rd Primary School of Sitia, Crete, 3η location: Primary School of Chrysochori
PANO
1η location: 7-seat primary school of Pontosimo, 2η location: Primary School of Agios Efstratios and Primary School of Stimagkas in Corinth, 3η location: Lyceum of Gennadeio School and 2nd Primary School of Sparta
All the schools (273) that took part in the «Run for SYN» School Relay will be sent a baton and a commemorative digital diploma of participation.
