With 42,000 participants of all ages taking part in the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival on Sunday, October 13, the event saw many Greek athletes lining up for the challenge. Among them, Haftu Strintzos, who made his half marathon debut, finishing in second place with a time of 1:02:24.
Strintzos was born in Tigray, Ethiopia, a region deeply affected by conflict since November 2020. This war has led to a staggering, but often overlooked, death toll of over 600,000 people and resulted in the destruction of 75% of Tigray’s schools and health facilities, leaving a profound impact on the local community.
In 2011, Haftu’s life took a transformative turn when he was adopted by a Greek Australian family and moved to Australia. His mother, Maria Strintzos, has played a pivotal role in his life, dedicating more than two decades to humanitarian missions in Ethiopia.
A few months ago, Haftu and his team competed in the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where Australia placed fifth.
Always on the move, he will participate with the Australian National Team in the 2024 Oceania Athletics Championships in Suva, Fiji, competing in the 10,000 and 5,000 metres.
