Divers have reported a rare sighting of hundreds of endangered seahorses in a polluted lagoon in western Greece and warn they could be lost if the area is not cleaned up.
“We see hundreds here and if they remain we have hope,” said diver, Vasilis Mentogiannis, an expert in underwater surveys who has led efforts to protect the seahorses. “I don’t think there is a similar situation to this anywhere else in Greece.”
A protected species threatened by overfishing and pollution, seahorses need an environment full of organisms to feed on and plant life to hide.
A seahorse rests on the seabed of the Aitoliko lagoon, Greece, May 31, 2020. Photo: Vassilis Mentogiannis/Handout via REUTERS.
Older fishermen say Aitoliko lagoon in the northern Patras Gulf used to contain thousands of seahorses but their numbers have plummeted in recent years and local divers were amazed when they found a group of the creatures.
“It was the first time I had spotted seahorses and they were in a place I least expected,” said local diver Labros Charelos.
Aitoliko, which reaches depths of up to 30 meters, is linked by narrow channels to a shallow lagoon open to the sea. Over recent years, leaks from damaged irrigation canals as well as factory waste and fertilizers have cut off oxygen and polluted the lagoon, which on windy days gives off a “rotten egg” smell from hydrogen sulfide produced by its oxygen-depleted waters.
Divers have spotted endangered seahorses in a polluted Greek lagoon.
“Near the surface it is viable, it’s the deeper depths that are a problem,” said University of Patras Professor, George Katselis.
Spyros Kariofyllis has been fishing in Aitoliko for decades and says he has reached a point where he doesn’t catch anything.
“When I throw my live bait in … when it reaches five and half meters it dies, and not only does it die but there is no living organism to eat it down there,” he said.
A seahorse swims in the Aitoliko lagoon, Greece, June 13, 2021. Photo: Vassilis Mentogiannis/Handout via REUTERS.
Helped by 21 million euros of EU funds, the government is going ahead with a long-delayed study on repairing the damage but Mentogiannis said time was short for the seahorses.
For the moment, they have found a spot with oxygen and food, far from fishing areas but if hydrogen sulfide levels increase, it may be too late.
From a young age, Angelina Lati was always healthy, bubbly and energetic. That is until, at the tender age of 14, her family started to notice subtle changes in her demeanour which derailed her life forever.
“She started dropping things. Every time she was setting the table, she was dropping the glasses on the floor and I’d ask what was going on and she’d go, ‘I don’t know.’ Her hands were just not holding the cups,” Angelina’s mum, Niki Markou, tells The Greek Herald.
Later, Angelina fell over while walking the family dog and this all prompted Ms Markou to make an appointment with a neurologist. But before the appointment arrived, Angelina had a terrifying seizure at the family home.
“She had a seizure in my arms and I had to put her down on the ground. I’d never seen one before so to me, it was very traumatising. I was screaming,” Ms Markou says.
Niki Markou with Angelina as a young girl. Photo supplied.
Angelina was rushed to hospital and was initially misdiagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. She was prescribed medication but after a few months, it was clear she wasn’t getting any better and she began to show signs of cognitive decline.
A lengthy hospital stay followed along with extensive genetic testing. Eventually, Angelina, who was 15 by then, received the heartbreaking diagnosis of Lafora Disease, which is a form of childhood dementia.
“I honestly felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I felt out of control… I think I was in shock and denial because it just didn’t sound rational or believable,” Ms Markou explains with tears in her eyes.
‘She’s not going to grow old’:
Ms Markou isn’t alone. Many Australians don’t know much about childhood dementia, which is progressive brain damage that starts before the age of 18. There are over 70 types of the disease, each caused by changes in the DNA because they are genetic diseases.
The statistics around childhood dementia are just as startling.
Angelina Lati has been diagnosed with Lafora Disease, which is a type of childhood dementia. Photo supplied.
Head of Research at the Childhood Dementia Initiative (CDI), Dr Kristina Elvidge, says 1 in 2800 babies born will develop dementia in childhood. That’s 129 babies born each year in Australia, one every three days. It is estimated that almost 2,300 Australians are currently living with childhood dementia, which adds up to 700,000 people worldwide.
The signs and symptoms themselves are similar to those you might have seen in an elderly relative suffering from dementia. They include for example, lack of concentration, memory loss, personality and behavioural changes, and even loss of speech and mobility.
“Childhood dementia affects the child’s ability to think, learn and remember. They suffer loss of cognitive function and loss of previously gained skills,” Dr Elvidge elaborates.
“Each of the childhood dementia disorders have a different age of onset and life expectancy, but the average across all of the disorders is 28 years of age (including those few that have a treatment). In fact, 75 percent of the children have a life expectancy below 18 years of age, so their lives are severely shortened.”
Angelina is mostly tube-fed now. Photo supplied.
In Angelina’s case, she’s now 17 years old and her mum says although she can still walk, she doesn’t talk much anymore, she’s mostly tube-fed and the dementia has ‘come on.’
“It’s like she’s fading away. That’s the only way to describe it. You watch old videos back and that’s when you really realise the difference of how she was and how she is now and how quick the progression is,” Ms Markou says.
“She’s not going to get married, she’s not going to have kids, she’s not going to grow old, she’s not going to be with us. You start thinking of all those future things that are going to be taken away from you.”
The race to save Angelina:
Finding a treatment for Angelina’s type of childhood dementia is proving very challenging despite many years of research. In fact, less than five percent of childhood dementia disorders have a treatment and, in many cases, the only options are symptom management and palliative care.
“Care and support for families battling childhood dementia is lacking and poorly coordinated so Childhood Dementia Initiative is working to change this at the same time as accelerating global research into new therapies and cures,” Dr Elvidge says.
The Head of Research at CDI goes on to add that gene therapy is showing promise in clinical trials for some patients. This involves introducing a healthy copy of the faulty gene into the body using a virus. Other research aims to replace the enzyme or protein that is missing due to the faulty gene but getting enough into the brain is a challenge.
Niki is fighting to get her daughter into a clinical trial.
For Angelina, just being accepted into one of these clinical trials in the first place is a challenge. Her mum says she was hoping Angelina could get into a drug therapy trial this year, but it was pushed back by the Food and Drug Administration.
“They wanted further testing done in the labs before it’s to be trialled on humans. It’s been very upsetting because each month is different. They decline so quickly that we don’t know where we will be in 12 months. Will she make it? I don’t know,” Ms Markou says.
The Sydney mum-of-two says ‘time is of the essence’ and that’s why she and her family are determined to not only share Angelina’s story, but also continue to make lasting memories together.
“I want to save my daughter’s life. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the word out there,” Ms Markou concludes.
A passionate statement from a mum who’s determined to give her beautiful daughter the best life possible despite her heartbreaking diagnosis.
The head of Australia’s Olympic team has encouraged Nick Kyrgios to compete at the Tokyo Games after the tennis star expressed reservations about competing in the green and gold in Japan.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Kyrgios remains undecided on appearing at the Olympics as he’s heard they are “very tough, restrictions wise.”
“I’ve also entered Atlanta,” Kyrgios said, referencing an ATP event which clashed with the Olympics.
Nick Kyrgios.
“I’m tossing up my options at the same time. I’ve heard some things about the Olympics, that are very tough, restrictions wise. No guests, none of that stuff.”
But the SMHreports that Australian chef de mission, Ian Chesterman, really wants Kyrgios to represent his country in Tokyo.
“We would still love to see Nick over at these Games. He knows he is welcome at these Games and I still think it would be a fantastic outcome for tennis and for our team if he was there,” Mr Chesterman said when asked about Kyrgios.
Australian chef de mission, Ian Chesterman.
“But I understand and respect his decision whichever way he goes because the [Tokyo] games are different. People have to believe they can perform under these circumstances.”
Mr Chesterman was speaking at the official unveiling of Australia’s team for the Tokyo Games, which begin in just under three weeks.
Athletes will begin arriving in Tokyo soon but Japan’s Prime Minister has warned the Olympics could have no fans at all in the stands with COVID-19 cases rising in Tokyo.
New lifespan data analysed by Torrens University has laid bare a huge divide between the metropolitan and regional areas of New South Wales.
The data, which ranged between 2014 and 2018, showed how residents growing up in the state’s Central Darling region will die on average aged just 63 years.
According to The Daily Telegraph, this is the lowest life expectancy of all 129 of the state’s LGAs and a stark contrast to Sydney’s north, where locals on average live longer than 85 years.
The Central Darling, which includes Wilcannia, White Cliffs, Menindee and Ivanhoe, was followed closely by Brewarrina in the state’s northwest, where the average lifespan stood at 67 years.
Seven of the 10 areas with the lowest lifespan — all of which were under 76 years — were in regional NSW, The Daily Telegraphreports.
The Central Darling.
The other low scorers were Blacktown and Campbelltown in Sydney’s west and southwest.
On the flip side, Sydney’s leafy peninsula of Hunters Hill on the lower north shore had the highest lifespan, with locals living for an average of 89 years, followed by Ku-ring-gai and Mosman at 87 years.
Access to health services:
10-year-old, Paris Metaxas, lives in Hunters Hill and her mum, Nicole, tells The Daily Telegraph she feels “blessed” that her children can grow up in an area where they will statistically live to almost 90 years.
Mrs Metaxas said the area had a strong sense of community and health and wellbeing services were available in “abundance.”
“There are a lot of bulk billings GPs, medical centres, dental care, all available in abundance. A lot of people here like to exercise, and we have a lot of tracks and natural trails, gyms and classes,” Mrs Metaxas told the media outlet.
Some areas of metropolitan Sydney have better access to health care.
Mrs Metaxas went on to say a strong focus on nature conservation also helped improve the overall wellbeing of residents.
“It’s a conservation area. We have lots of trees and greenery. Food wise, people have really good access to good healthy food, and restaurants and cafes are more common than fast food,” she stressed.
Taking a look at socio-economics:
Social demographer, Amanda Davies, told The Daily Telegraph she was not surprised to see the contrasting statistics between suburbs such as Hunters Hill and regional NSW.
She attributed the disparity to factors including lower socio-economic status, poorer access to facilities and higher Indigenous populations.
“When we look at life expectancy, we look at socio-economics. Those with better access to healthcare and services live longer and lower or poorer access to healthcare lowers life expectancy,” Ms Davies said.
Shadow Minister for Regional NSW, Mick Veitch, says more needs to be done.
“We know there is a significant divide between urban and rural healthcare, particularly preventive healthcare.”
Shadow Minister for Regional NSW, Mick Veitch, told Australian media that the “terrible statistics” match the evidence currently being unearthed in the parliamentary inquiry into rural health.
“There is much to be done. We really need to resource our health services and ensure timely access to health professionals is available to all,” Mr Veitch said.
Authorities are dealing with multiple clusters and the south-east and parts of north Queensland were sent into a lockdown last week.
The lockdown has since lifted, but restrictions remain and masks remain mandatory until July 16.
Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, said the case announced late on Sunday, a woman who is a close contact of a case at the Greek community centre, tested positive and so did her child.
Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.
She said contact tracers have also found where three cases, which authorities were having difficulty linking, had all attended – Zeus Street Greek Kitchen at Westfield Chermside.
“We’re just working out all of the specifics but we think that is probably the site of transmission,” she said.
The Premier added it was very important that people continue “doing the right thing,” including wearing masks, checking in to public places and getting tested even for the mildest symptoms.
Greek Orthodox priests in South Brisbane mandated to isolate at home:
In a Facebook post on July 3, Father Dimitri Tsakas from the St George Greek Orthodox Church in South Brisbane confirmed that he, along with Father Stavros and many of his co-workers, were mandated by Queensland Health to home isolate and quarantine.
“Fr Stavros and I will isolate for the mandatory period, meaning we should be back on board Wednesday 14 July. In the meantime we cannot leave home for any purpose, including Pastoral callouts or Services,” Father Dimitri wrote in the post.
“We accept the decision with gratitude in the interest of keeping everyone safe and healthy.”
The parish priest went on to say the administration building will be “deep cleaned in accordance with Health Department directives.”
The church will also be open to the public this Sunday, July 11 for services. Fr George Papoutsakis will conduct the service.
Former federal Liberal MP and Greek Australian, Julia Banks, has alleged she was touched inappropriately by a senior male colleague and subjected to a culture “underpinned by sexism and misogyny” during her time in Parliament.
In an extract from her new book, published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, Ms Banks alleged an unnamed Coalition minister slid his hand up her inner thigh during a function at Parliament House, around a year after she was elected Member for Chisholm in 2016.
“For a minister to do this in the prime minister’s wing, which was full of Coalition MPs, he had to be astoundingly brazen,” she wrote.
“I found it unbelievable. And I momentarily froze.”
On other occasions, including during her 2015 pre-selection, party members told her she was too old to be in politics at 52 and suggested she should be looking after her children.
Ms Banks resigned from the Liberal Party several months after Malcolm Turnbull was rolled as prime minister. She later contested the seat of Flinders as an independent but was unsuccessful.
Ms Banks has called out a culture of sexism in Parliament.
Politicians react to Banks’ allegations:
Ms Banks’ startling portrait of the political culture comes just as the Parliament is undergoing a major workplace review, sparked by former staffer Brittany Higgins’ allegations that she was raped by a colleague on a couch in the ministerial wing.
Speaking on ABC’s Insider program on Sunday, Federal Finance Minister, Simon Birmingham, said any inappropriate behaviour should be reported and that was why the government was seeking to set up “improved reporting and investigatory arrangements right across the parliament to support staff, members of parliament or anybody else.”
But the minister indicated the new procedure was unlikely to cover incidents that allegedly occurred in previous parliaments, saying “it becomes a point as to where do you draw the line in those regards.” He suggested it would apply “from this parliament forward.”
“Certainly it will provide for now and into the future a model that actually enables people to have confidence that their complaints can be heard and investigated with independence and confidentiality if they wish,” Birmingham said.
Federal Finance Minister, Simon Birmingham.
This came as other Federal and State Liberal MP’s told The Sydney Morning Herald they have not witnessed the culture of sexism and misogyny within the party portrayed Ms Banks in her new book.
Victorian Federal MP, Katie Allen, who is in her first term, said she felt “very supported” by her Federal Liberal colleagues, but more support was needed for politicians and their staff to deal with the high-stakes environment of Parliament.
“Certainly my experience has been very different from Julia’s but that’s not to say it didn’t happen,” Dr Allen told the SMH. “But there is no doubt politics is contested and the outcomes can be brutal.”
Health Minister, Greg Hunt, who has served in Federal Parliament for two decades, said he hadn’t seen a culture of sexism within the government.
“That’s not one of the things I’ve witnessed,” Mr Hunt said on Saturday. “I can only speak to my own practices. For me, my practice since I have been there is that Canberra is a place for work.”
Prime Minister ‘not aware’ of sexual harassment allegations:
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.
A spokesperson for Scott Morrison said the Prime Minister was “not aware of any allegations of sexual harassment Ms Banks faced” and “any such behaviour is completely inappropriate.”
In the book extract, Banks claims Morrison offered to send her to New York as a United Nationals delegate, or to negotiate with the opposition for a parliamentary pair so she could have leave, after she decided following the 2018 leadership spill to stand down at the next election.
Banks claims that Morrison’s tone in one phone call in 2018 was “bullying, short and swift and coldly calculating,” and she alleges Victorian Liberal party forces and the Prime Minister both wanted her “silenced.”
But Morrison’s spokesperson said the prime minister “absolutely rejects claims about the nature of those conversations.”
“The Prime Minister was disappointed in Ms Banks’ decision to quit the parliamentary party and had several conversations with her to understand what she was going through to see what support could be offered before she made her decision,” the spokesperson said.
“That included support for personal leave so she could take the time to recover from the upset many people suffered during that period. Several of Ms Banks’ colleagues had similar conversations.”
Eleni Confos, who is the oldest Greek in Australia and the most senior Australian Castellorizian, has passed away peacefully at the age of 109.5 years, the Board of Directors of the Castellorizian Association of NSW announced on Sunday night.
“May her memory be eternal,” the Association wrote on Facebook.
In February last year, The Greek Heraldspoke with Eleni’s daughter, Rose Adgemis, just a few days after her mum’s 109th birthday and she described her as “the matriarch of the family” and “good at anything she does.”
Life in Australia:
The Greek Herald spoke with Eleni’s birthday just after her 109th birthday last year. Photos supplied.
Eleni was born in 1912 on the Greek island of Castellorizo, to her parents Tsiko and Garifalya Galettis. She was one of eight siblings, all of whom have passed away.
In 1931, Eleni married George Confos in Castellorizo before they moved to Australia, where George already worked at a fish cafe with his brothers on William Street, Sydney.
Eleni had her first-born son shortly after in 1932, but Rose told The Greek Herald that Eleni still struggled with her life in Australia at the beginning.
“For seven years she wouldn’t even open her glory box because she wanted to go back. But then she started to bring her siblings out and she knew that Australia was going to be her home and she hasn’t regretted it at all,” Rose said at the time.
Eleni’s life however, wasn’t without tragedy or hardship. She eventually had four children. Her son sadly died young at the age of 42, while two of her granddaughters both passed away at the age of nine.
It’s clear though that Eleni was still one tough cookie who credited her longevity to her Greek Orthodox religion, fasting and Greek Mediterranean diet.
Our thoughts are with Rose Adgemis and Eleni’s extended family during this difficult time.
Eleni credited her longevity to her Greek Orthodox faith and fasting.
Eleni met with Archbishop Makarios of Australia and His Grace Bishop Emilianos.
Authorities in Cyprus have said a deadly forest fire, that was the worst to hit the island in decades, was close to being brought under control after water bombing by Greek and Israeli aircraft.
Fanned by strong winds, the fire broke out on Saturday afternoon and swept through the southern foothills of the Troodos mountain range as the country grappled with a blistering heatwave.
The blaze killed four Egyptian labourers, destroyed 50 homes, damaged farms and power lines, and forced the evacuation of 10 villages. So far, 55 square kilometres of pine forest and orchards have been scorched.
“Everything was a nightmare and pure hell here; the village was surrounded by fire,” said Akis Giorgiou, 45, from the hamlet of Arakapas.
Trees burn in a forest in the southern foothills of the Troodos mountains as Cyprus grapples with a blistering heatwave. Picture: AFP.
By late Sunday afternoon, the government reported a “reduction of [fire] outbreaks” thanks to “effective water drops by Greek and Israeli aircraft.”
“The fire and forestry services inspected the affected communities and now consider them safe,” said government spokeswoman, Niovi Parisinou.
“The effort continues as complacency is not allowed until the final extinguishing of all fires.”
Teams would be deployed immediately to start evaluating and registering damaged homes and property for compensation, she added.
Heavy smoke covers the sky above the village of Ora in the southern slopes of the Troodos mountains, as a giant fire rages on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Picture: AFP.
Cypriot police arrest farmer:
After the outbreak of the fire, Greek Interior Minister, Nicos Nouris, said it was the largest seen on the island since 1974.
“We are experiencing the most destructive fire since the founding of the Cyprus republic in both material damage, but also unfortunately in terms of human lives,” Mr Nouris said.
In areas where the fire had been tamed, grey ash replaced yellowed scrub as far as the eye could see in non-forested areas.
A 67-year-old farmer was arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of causing the blaze, which he denied. Police said a witness had seen him leaving the village of Arakapas in his car at the same time the fire started there, and he could face charges of recklessly causing the four deaths.
This house and a vehicle in the Larnaca region were gutted by the blaze. Picture: EPA.
Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades, who toured the fire-hit villages, pledged immediate government help to farmers and home owners who lost crops and property.
He also said the government would assist the families of those who perished in the fire. Arakapas village residents where Mr Anastasiades was speaking told the president that they would hold him to account on his pledges.
This comes after many villages who watched their homes go up in flames vented their anger at what they called authorities’ slow response to battling the fire.
Είναι μια τραγωδία. Η μεγαλύτερη πυρκαγιά από το 1974. Χάθηκαν ζωές, περιουσίες, καταστράφηκαν εκτάσεις γης και δάσους. Η κυβέρνηση θα σταθεί άμεσα αρωγός στους πληγέντες και στις οικογένειες των θυμάτων. Δεν θα αφήσουμε κανέναν εγκαταλελειμμένο στην καταστροφή της πυρκαγιάς.
— Nicos Anastasiades (@AnastasiadesCY) July 4, 2021
Villages evacuated on Kefalonia:
The big wildfire on the island of Kefalonia continued to rage on Sunday morning, burning down thousands of acres of land.
Several villages have had to be evacuated, among them Kaparandriti, Agia Rini, Markopoulo, Kremmidi, Pastra and Kolaiti.
Forest fire on Kefalonia island. Photo: Keep Talking Greek.
According to the regional governor, the fire broke out in the Eleios-Pronnon area on Saturday afternoon, when a farmer set dry greens on fire.
Over 116 firefighters with 32 vehicles are currently operating in the area, also 6 groups on foot with water tankers and aerial means – four aircraft and two helicopters. Reinforcements from the mainland were also sent to the island.
The Head of the Fire Brigades operating on the island told ERT TV that nobody has been injured or harmed.
Four people were found dead as a huge fire raged for a second day in Cyprus, razing tracts of forest in a blaze one official called the worst on record.
The blaze, fanned by strong winds, affected at least 10 communities over an area of 50 square kilometres (19 square miles) in the foothills of the Troodos mountain range, an area of pine forest and densely vegetated shrubland.
The victims, thought to be Egyptian nationals, were found dead close to the community of Odou, a mountainous community north of the cities of Limassol and Larnaca.
“All indications point to it being the four persons who were missing since yesterday,” Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said.
The EU’s executive, the European Commission, said fire-fighting planes had departed from Greece to battle the fire and Italy was also planning to deploy aerial firefighters.
The EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite was also activated to provide damage assessment maps of the affected areas, the Commission said in a statement.
“It is the worst forest fire in the history of Cyprus,” Forestries Department Director Charalambos Alexandrou told Cyprus’s Omega TV.
Attempts were being made to prevent the blaze from crossing the mountains and stop it before reaching Machairas, a pine forestland and one of the highest peaks in Cyprus.
The cause of the fire, which started around midday on Saturday, was unclear. Cyprus experiences high temperatures in the summer months, with temperatures in recent days exceeding 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Police said they were questioning a 67 year old person in connection with the blaze.
The Aussie Sharks have entered the feeding grounds for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the Australian men’s water polo team ready to continue their strong run of form and claim an Olympic medal.
Greek Australian debutant Anthony Hrysanthos is one of 13 players heading to Tokyo, with the team being announced on Thursday.
At the start of 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hrysanthos told The Greek Herald it was his dream since he was a child to be an Olympian. Now, his dream has come true.
“It’s everything that I’ve been working for over the past five years of this cycle, but also for many years after that. It’s definitely a testament to all the hard work and sacrifice that I’ve had to put in and to top it off with Olympic selection, it’s absolutely everything,” Hrysanthos said to The Greek Herald.
Photo: Supplied
Hrysanthos is one of seven debutants for the Sharks squad who will be captained by Aaron Younger, who has been selected for his third Games. The squad also includes Rhys Howden and Richie Campbell, who will line up for their fourth Olympics.
Despite being drawn in the ‘group of death’, Hrysanthos is confident that the team will make waves in the competition, saying it’s the “best position they’ve ever been in” heading to the Olympics.
“Even though we probably have the group of death and it’s quite a challenging group, we’ve had really good results against all those teams and we’ve beaten a lot of those teams over the last couple of years,” Hrysanthos said.
“So if we can get a few wins in the group stage and get through to the top eight and the quarterfinals then we definitely have a chance at competing for a spot at a medal.”
Photo: Supplied
Hrysanthos added that the team’s “disadvantage” at the moment is the lack of international games in over a year. However, prior to going to Tokyo, the Sharks will stop in Hawaii to play training games and scrimmages against the American national team.
The last time he spoke with The Greek Herald, Hrysanthos told people to “continue chasing their dreams as you never know where it can take you.” The Greek Australian is adamant on following his own advice and chasing his dream, which is taking him to Tokyo.
“Everything’s peaking at the right time and it’s a dream come true to get the opportunity to play at the Olympics, but it’ll be even sweeter to play really well and get a really good result for our country,” Hrysanthos added.
Hrysanthos’ grandparents were all born in Greece and come from the Peloponnesian Region. Playing for Vouliagmeni, he said he was also fortunate enough to take Greek citizenship during his time in Greece. Hrysanthos said upon selection to the national team, there were many “tears of joy” from his family members.
“They were really over the moon. A lot of tears of joy because everyone can recognise all the hard work and sacrifice that has to be made. So everyone’s really happy,” Hrysanthos concluded.
