Konstantinos "Kostas" Tsiklitiras ( el, Κωνσταντίνος "Κώστας" Τσικλητήρας; 30 October 1888 – 10 February 1913) was a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

athlete and Olympic champion. Born in Pylos, he moved to

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

in 1905 to study commerce. Tsiklitiras soon took up sports and joined Panellinios GS. He practised football (for Panathinaikos after Panellinios suspended football activities) and

water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...

, but is best remembered for winning four Olympic medals in standing long jump and standing high jump in the

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 4 ...

and 1912 Summer Olympics. He was Greek champion 19 times. His career stopped in 1913 when he volunteered to fight in the Balkan Wars. Although he could avoid conscription, he insisted on fighting for his country and fought at the Battle of Bizani. He contracted meningitis and died in Athens at the age of 24. His family home still exists in Pylos and holds a museum of his athletic achievements. There is a marble statue in front. 1912_Konstantinos_Tsiklitiras3

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsiklitiras, Konstantinos 1888 births 1913 deaths Deaths from meningitis Neurological disease deaths in Greece Infectious disease deaths in Greece Panathinaikos F.C. players Greek male high jumpers Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes of Greece Olympic gold medalists for Greece Olympic silver medalists for Greece Olympic bronze medalists for Greece Greek footballers Association football goalkeepers Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) Standing high jump Greek people of the Balkan Wars People from Messenia Greek military personnel killed in action Sportspeople from the Peloponnese