Sydney mum-of-one, Lea Yanitsas, is currently on cloud nine. She recently achieved selection for her second Olympic Games and is now training daily with her water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July.
“We’re really looking forward to it. I think everybody has just been through the most insane experience of our lives… and so I can’t wait for us all to get together again,” Lea tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
For Lea, qualifying for the Olympics has always been a dream of hers from a very young age.
The 32-year-old says it all began at NBSC Mackellar Girls, formerly Mackellar Girls High School, when she was introduced to her roll call teacher, Debbie Watson, who won a gold medal for water polo at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Lea is goalkeeper at the Aussie Stingers. Photo: Balazs Czagany.
“I grew up on the Northern Beaches in Sydney and I never did water stuff, which seems crazy because the area is all about the beaches, right?” Lea says with a laugh.
“And then I went to high school the year after the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Debbie Watson was taking my roll call and I was a total groupie. I was just in awe, I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as her.
“So then I went to water polo try outs and I figured out pretty quickly I wasn’t the strongest swimmer and I ended up in goals.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Lea eventually ended up playing with the Aussie Stingers at the Rio Olympics in 2016, which she says was an “amazing experience.”
Lea in Rio De Janiero, Brazil, at the Olympic Games in 2016. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images.
“It was a mix of the biggest highs and lows in my life. There’s nothing else to really compare it to because it’s like two weeks of living on the edge of all your emotions,” Lea passionately explains.
“Seeing how sport brings people together and being able to see what the [Olympic] village is like, it was all just such an amazing experience and it’s pretty much addictive to try to get to the second one.”
Luckily for Lea, her second chance has come at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, despite the numerous challenges she’s faced in the lead up to the games. This includes of course, the raging COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the Olympics postponed last year, as well as raising her beautiful two-year-old son, Constantine.
(L-R) Lea, her husband Andrew and their son Dino. Photo supplied.
Lea’s son Dino wearing her waterpolo cap..
Dino with his grandparents – Constantine E Yanitsas and Marina Yanitsas.
“There was a period there where we weren’t allowed to train in pools so we got pretty creative. We ended up training in the ocean with the girls who lived locally… and doing gyms sets at home, which was quite difficult with an 18-month-old,” Lea says.
“So yeah, going through this whole cycle with a little one has been really tough on my family and we need an entire village to let me follow my dream. But I’m so lucky and… it’s just special to be able to do it not only for myself and my family, but also my little man so he knows he can aim for the stars.”
And what exactly is Lea herself aiming for at the Tokyo Olympics this year?
“The best thing for our team would be to win medals, but I think that we’re going to do our absolute best… and hopefully we will be successful, whatever that looks like,” Lea concludes.
In 2019, Jade Capitanelis graduated from St Spyridon College in Kingsford, Sydney, with an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 94.35.
Two years later and she is not only currently studying a Bachelor of Arts/Law at the University of New South Wales, but she has also been named one of two recipients in NSW of the Brother John Taylor Memorial Prize.
This prize is awarded by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) to students who have overcome significant disadvantage or disability to achieve academic excellence in the HSC.
According to a statement from St Spyridon College, Jade was born with cerebral palsy which affected her movement, speech and writing.
During her schooling at the College, from Kindergarten to Year 12, Jade participated in all aspects of school life and never expected any special treatment.
“Jade showed great resilience and effort. She was determined to do well and always tried her best, achieving high results in all her subjects,” the statement reads.
Jade was also a valued member of the senior Debating team, which won the HICES debating competition in 2019.
The College writes that the Student Principle which had particular meaning to Jade was, “we respond to the difficulties of life with patience, dignity and faith, never fearing to start again.” For her it meant perseverance and highlighted the importance of not giving up.
Stem cell therapy is on the “extreme” end of treatments available for Denise Haridemos’ rare condition, but it may be her last hope.
Denise recently had her request accepted to qualify as a candidate for a St Vincent Hospital research project into stem cell transplantation for severe sclerosis patients.
“I’ll do whatever I can to help them do more research on this awful disease,” Denise tells The Greek Herald.
“If I don’t do this, then I don’t know how long I’ll actually last…”
Denise Haridemos was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis in 2009.
Denise Haridemos with her three children, Krystyana, Miki, and Alexi (Source: Supplied)
She’s tried several different treatments since but was recently dealt a blow with the news that Methotrexate, the drug Denise originally used, did her more harm than good.
“[My specialist] decided to change my medication… because we noticed that my lungs had started to deteriorate quite dramatically.”
Denise has taken Nintedanib for six to seven months now to treat her lung scarring but obtaining it wasn’t easy.
Nintedanib isn’t listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and runs for about $80,000 a year, Denise says.
Her lung specialist, Dr. Stuart Schembri, had to request the Health Department to allow Denise to trial a drug that “slows [the disease] down and gives you more life”, Denise says.
There is no known cure for the roughly six thousand Australians living with scleroderma, but Denise finds solace in knowing her participation in the St. Vincent’s Hospital trial will benefit other Australians living with the condition.
“I’m a pretty tough cookie. I just soldier on every day.” (Source: Supplied)
“I’m a pretty tough cookie. I just soldier on every day,” Denise says.
Vicki Ann, Denise’s sister-in-law, recently surpassed her GoFundMe goal for Denise within a single day of posting it.
Ann recently launched a GoFundMe to cover Denise’s medical costs after she was forced to quit her job. In just a single day, they raised over $60,000.
“I’m just overwhelmed and really emotional because I didn’t even know [the GoFundMe page] was a thing!” she says.
“One little child donated $10. That just broke my heart.”
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alex Hawke, was the special guest of yesterday’s online conference organised by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
During the hour-long session Minister Hawke provided an update on the plans around migration and explained how the government is adjusting its skilled migration program to respond to the current global situation.
In the Q&A session that followed, Mr Hawke had the chance to hear from business leaders and reply to their questions which were primarily focused on workforce shortages in the hospitality, tourism, agricultural and automotive industries due to the international border restrictions as well as the need for the skilled migration list to be adjusted to address the current situation.
‘The Competition for labour has become more intense’
According to recent figures released from the National Skills Commission, online job advertisements have hit a twelve year high with openings now standing at 96.4% above the level recorded in March 2020, the first month of economic restrictions relating to COVID-19.
“The demand and the competition for sources of labour has increased and our migration program will assist you and other sectors in their business endeavours,” said Hawke and emphasized on the importance of the COVID-19 Pandemic event visa for workers in critical sectors that was introduced from the government last year.
According to Minister Hawke more than 20,000 Pandemic event visas have been granted so far.
Photo: Instagram/Paul Nicolaou
Referring to the country’s migration program, Hawke said that the government is taking advantage of the current gap in immigration to relook on how it will be conducted in the future and mentioned that he’s looking into expanding the occupations in the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) as a stop measure to the current labour crisis.
“I know every sector has become critical sector at the moment in one sense and the demand for labour is high. We still have to work to open the borders safely and recognise vaccinations to bring in skilled people,” he said and reiterated the fact that the government will be working in partnership with businesses and sector representatives to address critical shortages.
The Immigration Minister said that the Government is also reforming the Business Innovation and Investment Program to create jobs and support the country’s economic recovery.
“Australia is an attractive destination for investors and these changes will directly benefit emerging enterprises, the commercialisation of ideas, research and development.”
The Minister said the Morrison Government will work in collaboration with other countries to open the borders as soon as it’s safe to do so and acknowledged that migration will play an integral role in the country’s economic recovery.
A recent documentary feature has explored how Australia’s Greek migrant community stamped their mark on football.
The star-studded special features Nick Giannopoulos, Ange Postecoglou, George Donikian, Chris Nikou, and Con Boutsianis as they chronicle the impact of football on their lives and community.
“Football was a church. You went to church, but the real church was afterwards,” media personality George Donikian says in the special.
The ‘Football Belongs’ feature-length special encapsulates the Greek community’s history in Australia and impact on Australian culture through sport.
'Football was a church. You went to church, but the 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 church was afterwards.' 💙🇬🇷
Greek immigrants have stamped their mark on Australia, with their love of football ever-present.
It details how the seemingly unwelcomed Greek migrant community found refuge in Melbourne’s Lonsdale Street and the South Melbourne football club.
“My most vivid memories of those Middle Park days is the pasatembo guy, because he had the loudest voice of anyone I’d ever heard,” Nick Giannopoulos says about watching South Melbourne play.
Football clubs became ‘second homes’ for Greek migrants.
“There was a feeling amongst us all that we belonged to this tribe. It allowed us to find our voice, to express ourselves,” says Nick Giannopoulos.
Nick Giannopoulos shows viewers his signed South Melbourne Football Club (SMFC) jersey (Source: Optus Sport)
The Greek community are passionate about celebrating their culture and community in their own unique way, former South Melbourne player Con Boutsianis added in the feature.
“South Melbourne was tough because if you didn’t perform the crowd were on your back. We used to get cans thrown at us. Used to get spat on sometimes. I’m not saying it’s great, but you know, we were a tough breed,” he says.
“They loved their soccer and anyone that played soccer and did well for Sydney Olympic? Well let me tell you, he was god,” attests former Socceroo’s player Peter Katholos.
‘Football Belongs’ is a celebration of immigration stories and tradition and charts the cultural threats of Australian society through the lens of football.
Football Belong’s second season airs every on Optus Sport. Its hosts are David Davutovic and John Didulica.
George Fountas’ career spanned five decades, appearing in between 50 to 60 films and holding six television credits between the early 1940s and late 1990s.
Fountas starred in the Academy Award winning Zorba the Greek (1964) and Golden Globe winning film Stella (1955).
He is best-known for portraying characters adapted from the novels of Nikos Kazantzakis, a ‘giant’ of modern Greek literature.
The Greek Herald looks back at Fountas’ monumental run during the Golden Age of Greece’s film and television industry.
Fountas starred in the Golden Globe winning film Stella (1955).
Early Life:
George Fountas was born on 13 February 1924 in Mavrolithari, Fokida. He moved with his family to the capital Athens and grew up in Rizoupoli. He began working at his father’s dairy store in Psyrri.
He studied at the Dramatic School at the Athens Conservatory under the tutelage of leading Greek actor Emilio Veakis.
He began his illustrious acting career in the on-stage production of Notis Pergialis’ Bridal Song and the 1944 film A Route In The Aegean.
Career and Death:
Fountas shot to prominence after a few sizeable stints in film and theatre with his performance as the young soccer player Miltos in Stella (1955).
Stella is the tragic Greek retelling of the popular opera Carmen – a love story between a rembetiko singer and soccer player.
George Fountas.
Fountas and co-star Melina Mercouri won Stella the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film for director Michael Cacoyannis in 1955. His infamous quote in Stella – “Go away, Stella, I’m holding a knife!” – was later satirised by Alekos Syssovitis in David Lynch’s 2006 film Straight Storm.
It wouldn’t be Fountas’ first time starring in a Cacoyannis film; Fountas went on to portray Mavradoni in the award-winning, renowned comedy-drama Zorba the Greek (1955).
Fountas went on to add the Best Actor to his trophy cabinet for his performances in With the Shine in the Eyes in 1966 and Fever on the Road in 1967 at the Thessaloniki Festival.
He debuted on television screens around Greece in 1973 in the series Occupation. His television career is most notably marked by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation’s (HBC) 1975 show Christ Recrucified.
Fountas’ career dwindled as he began battling Alzheimers disease. He lost his battle aged 86 on 28 November, 2010 in Athens, Greece.
Renowned Greek restaurant, Perama, will reopen in its original Petersham location in July after it was closed in 2011, Good Food reports.
Perama was known for having an unbroken decade-long run of chef hats up to its closure, as well as its signature caramel baklava ice cream.
It will now be reborn as Perama 2.0 after the building’s landlord approached chef, David Tsirekas, about reopening at the recently vacated site, according to Good Food.
Chef David Tsirekas at the recently vacated site. Photo: Joe Capogreco.
“Thanks to the support of a beautiful hearted individual… he knows who he is and I’m certain you will all meet him when Perama returns,” Tsirekas wrote on Instagram.
Tsirekas tells Good Food the new restaurant will include a smart cocktail bar, as well as a rebranding tweak in line with its updated menu.
The lamb and pork belly will be back, along with some fun stuff Tsirekas has been developing, including gemista rice. Toppings include tomato infused with nori.
“The physical transformation begins next week. The essence will remain the same though. Food, drink and philotimo, that were the pillars of the OG Perama, will return after its ten year absence,” Tsirekas posted on Instagram, under a photo of keys to the restaurant.
The ACT’s Chief Justice sentenced Jayscen Anthony Newby on Wednesday to 20 years jail, with a non-parole period of ten years, for the brutal Tinder date murder of Canberra man, Frankie Prineas.
After the judgment was handed down, the family of Mr Prineas, who were standing outside the ACT Supreme Court, said Newby’s jail term was not long enough and they were in “total dismay.”
Killer ‘laughed’ at news article of murder:
In January last year, Newby, 27, stabbed Prineas 37 times, including in the heart. Chief Justice Helen Murrell described the crime scene as a “bloodbath.”
Mr Prineas was killed at a house in Charnwood in Canberra’s north, while on a Tinder date with a woman Newby had previously dated. It was the first time the two had met.
Newby let himself into the home and attacked Mr Prineas when he discovered the pair in bed. The court heard the distressed triple-0 call made by the woman immediately after the attack.
The murder scene.
“I think he’s dying, can someone come… he was attacked with a knife,” the caller said.
“I can’t look,” she said, when being asked to put pressure on the wounds. “His arm is like, open.”
Chief Justice Murrell refused to allow images of the scene to be shown in court, citing concerns about trauma for staff and others present.
During the sentencing on Wednesday, the court also heard that in a conversation with his mother from Canberra’s jail, Newby laughed as she read an ABC story to him about the killing.
When she asked why he was laughing he said: “because it was hilarious.”
Newby’s lawyer, Beth Morrisroe, told the court it could not form the view there was no remorse, and noted he had pleaded guilty, avoiding a trial. But Chief Justice Murrell disagreed.
Jayscen Anthony Newby. Picture: Instagram.
“I can’t see any substantial indication of remorse,” she said, noting Newby’s laughter at the news article “demonstrates the offenders lack of insight and emotional maturity.”
Outside court, Mr Prineas’s father Victor said today’s sentence had left the family in “complete shock.”
“We knew we weren’t going to get justice; we knew it wasn’t going to be great, but we didn’t expect it to be so bad,” Mr Prineas said.
“In nine years, [Newby] will be out and back into our community and hopefully with a bit of luck he won’t do the same thing he did to my son.”
Mr Prineas said the process had been “harrowing” and “disturbing,” and had left the family feeling as though a longer jail term was warranted.
“It was heartbreaking – the evidence that was shown,” Mr Prineas said.
Frankie’s father Victor Prineas, aunt Angela and brother Peter said today’s sentence left them in “complete shock”. Photo: ABC News/Mark Moore.
“The triple-0 call was horrifying, the video that he had of the crime scene was horrific – the whole thing was absolutely horrific and this was the outcome: 10 years. We are absolutely stunned.”
Mr Prineas said his son was “a jewel in a crown.”
“He was cheeky, handsome, respectful, loved by all, he was one-in-a-billion, you don’t get children like that,” Mr Prineas said outside court.
When the sentence was read, members of Mr Prineas’ family did a slow clap in the public gallery, with one saying “have a nice life my friend” as Newby was led away.
Newby did not respond. He will be eligible for parole in 2030.
Volkswagen delivered eight electric cars to Astypalea on Wednesday in a first step towards turning the Greek island’s transport green, a model the government hopes to expand to the rest of the country.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has made green energy a central plank of Greece’s post-pandemic recovery drive, attended the delivery ceremony along with Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess.
“Astypalea will be a test bed for the green transition: energy autonomous, and entirely powered by nature,” Mitsotakis said.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, listens to Volkswagen Group CEO, Herbert Diess, center, during the official launch of a project to introduce and test electric vehicles and sustainable energy systems on the Aegean Sea island of Astypalea, Greece, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Photo: Alexandros Vlachos/Pool via AP.
The cars will be used by the police, coastguard and at the local airport, the beginnings of a larger fleet aimed at replacing about 1,500 combustion-engine cars with electric models and reducing vehicles on the island, a popular tourist destination, by a third.
The island’s bus service will be replaced with a ride-sharing scheme, 200 electric cars will be available for locals and tourists to rent, while there will be subsidies for the island’s 1,300 inhabitants to buy electric vehicles, bikes and chargers.
Some 12 chargers have already been installed across the island and 16 more will follow.
Financial terms of the deal with Volkswagen were not disclosed.
Some 12 chargers have already been installed across the island and 16 more will follow.
Astypalea, which extends over 100 square kilometres in the Aegean Sea, currently meets its energy demand almost entirely by diesel generators but is expected to replace a big part of that through a solar plant by 2023.
“Astypalea can become a blue print for a rapid transformation, fostered by the close collaboration of governments and businesses,” Diess said.
Greece, which has relied on coal for decades, aims to close all but one of its coal-fired plants by 2023, as part of its drive to boost renewables and cut carbon emissions by 55% by 2030.
In recent months, the Greek government has re-asserted its longstanding demand for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum. This demand was explicitly ruled out by UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in March this year when he reiterated the government’s “firm longstanding position” that the sculptures “were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time.”
This provocative statement caused outrage across Europe and the world, with many international committees coming together in one voice to renew their passionate support for the case of the return of the Sculptures.
Ultimately, these expressions of support became a crescendo of neo-Philhellenism and one of the strongest voices among the crescendo was David Hill, who is the Chairman of an Australian committee known as Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
Mr Hill, who is also the former chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, tells The Greek Herald exclusively that his passion for the Parthenon Sculptures and Greece began over 45 years ago when he first visited the country.
David Hill is the Chairman of an Australian committee known as Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
“I first went to Greece in 1973… and it was like a magnet, it was the beginning of a love affair. The relationship became deeper and richer over the years and I became absorbed in the history, spirit and culture of Greece,” Mr Hill explains.
“I visited the Acropolis on my first trip to Greece and after that… I went on to London and an old English friend took me to see the Elgin collection in the British Museum and I think I was struck by the injustice of the marbles being in London.”
From ‘cultural diplomacy’ to litigation:
Ever since then, Mr Hill has been working tirelessly to persuade the UK government to return the Parthenon Sculptures to their rightful place in Greece.
For four years from 1999, Mr Hill was the Executive Director of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles in London. Later, from 2006 to 2016, he was the President of the International Association which encompasses all the committees, and he is now in his current position.
“Over the years I’ve worked with the Chairman of the Board of the British Museum, various arts and culture ministers in the UK government, and I’ve worked with, I think, 11 Greek culture ministers and six Prime Ministers. I also give… my views to the Greek government on a regular basis,” Mr Hill explains.
The British Museum has refused to return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece.
“Most of my work is trying to persuade the British to give the sculptures back and trying to generate more public opinion and support for the return of the sculptures.
“You’ve got the situation now where, particularly over the last 20 years, most of the public opinion polls around the world strongly support the marbles going back… the problem is we haven’t changed the mind of the British.”
To do this, Mr Hill says, “the Greek government ought to litigate or to sue” because the strategy that has been employed since Melina Mercouri has been “cultural diplomacy,” but it has produced “no results.”
“I think it’s a Greek cultural thing. In Australia, America, Britain, if you can’t agree on an important issue, seeking the decision of an independent court or tribunal… is considered a civilised thing to do,” Mr Hill describes.
“But there are a lot of people in Greece who think it is almost a declaration of war, they feel uncomfortable, they feel it’s an aggressive thing to do. So trying to persuade the Greeks they should explore their legal options is proving very difficult.”
The role of Philhellenes in facilitating reunification:
One way Mr Hill desperately tried to persuade the Greeks to pursue litigation was in 2014 when he took three of the best international lawyers to Athens to advise then-Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, of the Greek government’s legal options. These three people were Geoffrey Robertson QC, fellow barrister, Amal Clooney, and the late Professor Norman Palmer.
Mr Hill says that at the time, Mrs Clooney had just married famous actor, George Clooney, and this star factor ensured the spotlight was firmly focused on the reunification of the sculptures.
“I’ve never seen anything like it… but what it did was it made the marbles the news story around the world,” Mr Hill explains to The Greek Herald.
Of course, it must be mentioned though that to this day the UK government and British Museum are still no closer to returning the Sculptures, and Mr Hill says Philhellenes and the Greek diaspora need to keep pushing and building public support.
This could involve supporting Greece through organisations such as the Hellenic Initiative, or even attending events such as the upcoming Australian book launch of Geoffrey Robertson QC’s new book, ‘Who Owns History,’ at The Governors Centre in Moore Park on June 5.
Every little bit helps and as Mr Hill stresses, it’s only a matter of time before the sculptures are rightfully returned to their homeland.
“It’s not often in history that a great wrong can’t be righted. In this case, it can be. They can be returned where they belong – to Greece. At the end of the day, it’s wrong for the British to keep them there… and I’m confident… that eventually right will prevail,” Mr Hill passionately concludes.
*NOTE:If you’d like to attend Geoffrey Robertson QC’s book launch, which is organised by the Athenian Association of NSW in collaboration with the Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures, it will be held on Saturday, June 5 at 6pm at The Governors Centre (558 Cleveland Street, Moore Park, NSW, 2021).
