The 27-year-old amazon Ioli Mytilineou becomes the first Greek equestrian, who gets the ticket for the Olympic Games in the individual show jumping, making history in the equestrian sport.
By KORYNAS MADAGARI – SOURCE: Realnews
Greek sports will make a resounding “presence” at the Olympic Games in Paris with the delegation consisting of 101 members. Among them is Ioli Mytileneou. The 27-year-old horsewoman won the qualification for the top sports event, making history in Greek equestrianism. Greece does not belong to the countries that traditionally deal with the sport and Greek equestrians do not have distinctions in the Olympic Games. Ioli managed to enter the closed elite, thus honoring Greek horse riding.
She is only the second amazon to qualify for the Olympics – after Heidi Antikatzidis who participated in Sydney in 2000 – and the first in individual show jumping, the most difficult and demanding equestrian event.
In 2004, four Greek equestrians competed in the Olympic Games organized in our country, as Greece had the right to participate its athletes in all competitions, without having gone through qualification procedures. At that time, Ioli’s mother, Hana Mytileneou, was also among the top four Greek horsemen, who is now justifiably proud of her daughter’s great sporting achievement.
Talent
Continuing the family tradition in horse riding, I. Mytilineou has achieved important distinctions in international competitions. She is the daughter of the renowned businessman, Yiannis Mytilinaios, with more than 40 years of experience in business. He too was a keen horseman, and loved the sport so much that, as he said, it was a pastime for him. Ioli’s mother of British origin, Hana, is also an equestrian athlete and has distinguished herself with the Greek colors in international competitions in show jumping. “Because both my parents were involved with horses, I was born into the sport. I would say I was sitting on a horse before I could walk or talk“, the 27-year-old has stated in the British media.
For her, there is nothing more exciting than horse riding, which is why she has dedicated herself to the sport. From the first moment she got on a horse as a child, her whole world changed. “I fight hard every day to make sure I make both my parents proud! There is no doubt that I would not have had the opportunities I have had and will continue to have without them and for that I am eternally grateful“, he has said.
In 2017, at the age of 19, she was crowned champion of Greece. Then everyone recognized that a star was born. She then went to London to study, but the horse riding bug wouldn’t leave her alone and shortly afterwards she moved to Belgium. Her life is divided between training and racing. He has a team of six horses, with which he trains daily. Almost two weekends a month he participates in competitions. And she may have been a restless and studious spirit who turned to academic studies, applying to the psychology department at King’s College London, but her love of riding eventually won out. Now, Ioli cannot imagine her life away from horses.
See the Realnews article here
Source: www.enikos.gr
