When I was eight years old, my brother and I were given an old board and a sail wave with which we learned by ourselves, to surf. I still remember the intense feeling of freedom I had when I was on board, I loved to become one with the elements of water and wind. This was the beginning for the complete love and passion I have for the sport of windsurfing.
Looking back on those early experiences of my struggles and mistakes, I feel that now all those beginners have the advantage of having experienced coaches and consultants but at the same time I have to admit that those initial difficulties made me so much more confident and independent , that now I can cope successfully during the races and all these adverse conditions no matter how difficult they are.
When I was 15 years old, I won the first Women's National Championship in Lefkada and since then I haven't competed for only three times. I participated in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, and then to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. In 1999, I won the World Championship Race Board in Belgium which gave me a position as an honorary officer in the Air Forces.
All these years, having repeatedly travelled around the world to participate in international competitions, I have met and learned a lot from my teammates' behavior whom I consider real friends. The surfing as a sport has taught me the importance of coherence, effectiveness, clean and fast decisions and how to face presented obstacles. During the racing adrenaline is really high, so I reach myself to the limits, to discover that there is more to give. The personality of each athlete is emerged and displayed at every single race. You cannot hide yourself, your strengths and weaknesses are exposed.
Actually, the fact that I didn't succeed to be qualified in my country's Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 was an unpleasant and disappointing experience for me. However, I decided to overtake it and to complete my studies in Physical Education and get my degree from the University of Athens. The very next year, 2005, I finished my Master degree in Marketing from Brunel University in England.
After 2008, having completed one training as an NLP practitioner and having participated in a number of seminars for Life Coaching, I started working as a Personal Trainer. I consider personal training as my balance. I am given the amazing opportunity to share with everyone I work with, my knowledge from my University education and my experience from the preparation of the Olympics, which I have gained over the last 15 years. This allows me to challenge each learner on a personal level and to achieve long-term results through a wide range of exercises based on proprioception training and innovative techniques for the good condition of the body. I am convinced that by offering my long varied experience to people, I affect their lives positively and give them motives, as I lead them to an active and healthy lifestyle. It is important for me to show that physical exercise is mainly training your inner world, the sole purpose is to be present and focus on your breathing. This makes exercising a lifestyle which can be enjoyed rather than a chore that has to be executed .
Currently, I am in full preparation for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
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