Leonakis: “To support the efforts of the athletes”

The heart of wrestling “beats” in Sidirokastro from 4 to 7 May 2023 as the Balkan Championship U15-U17 Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling will be held. The event will take place at the Indoor Gymnasium of Sidirokastro, where more than 600 athletes from various Balkan countries will participate in the competitions organized by the Hellenic Wrestling Federation, the Municipality of Sintiki, the Serres District and the Kerkinis Wrestling Club.

At the press conference to the media, the President of the Hellenic Wrestling Federation, Stergios Leonakis, thanked both the Mayor of Sintiki, Fotis Domouhtsidis, and the Deputy Governor of Serres, Panagiotis Spyropoulos, who, as he said, without them nothing could be done, he also referred to the program of the games.

“From 2022 we started all the actions in order to host the games in our Prefecture and the Municipality of Sintiki and finally we succeeded. The arrival of the shipments will be completed on Thursday, May 4, and on Friday the weighing of the athletes, the qualifying matches and the raffles will take place. The official opening ceremony will take place at 17.00 on Saturday, May 6, 2023, while Serrai athletes with the Greek delegation also participate in the games. I call on all the people of Serraia to attend the games and support the efforts of the athletes”, said Stergios Leonakis.

The Mayor of Sintiki Fotis Domouchtsidis thanked both the Hellenic Wrestling Federation and its President Stergios Leonakis, as well as the Deputy Governor of Serres Panagiotis Spyropoulos for the perfect cooperation so far and noted: “It is with great honor and pleasure that the Municipality of Sintiki co-organizes and hosts the Balkans in Sidirokastro Wrestling matches. Six hundred (600) athletes along with their parents and their coaches will stay in our Municipality for four (4) days. The Municipality of Sintiki covers the accommodation of the 170 members of the Greek delegation, as this major sports event is a first-class opportunity to support the local economy and strengthen sports tourism in our region, which is a requirement for the Municipal Authority. I invite all our citizens, as well as the residents of the Prefecture of Serres, to attend the international games and to encourage the efforts of the participating athletes”.

For his part, the Deputy Governor of Serres Panagiotis Spyropoulos stated: “A great event, which will take place in the Municipality of Sintiki and of course the Regional Unit of Serres could not remain unparticipated. We supported and continue to support such great efforts, such as the organization of the Balkan Championship U15-U17 Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling. I want to thank the President of the Hellenic Wrestling Federation, the Mayor of Sintiki and the Kerkini Wrestling Club for the cooperation. Hundreds of athletes will visit our Prefecture and I call on all the people of Serra to support the event. The heart of the Balkans will beat in Sintiki and I hope that these games will be the springboard for the organization of even bigger sports championships.”