Manolis Stefanoudakis

Manolis Stefanoudakis (Greek: Μανώλης Στεφανουδάκης born 5 April 1983) is a Paralympian athlete from Greece who competes in category F54 throwing events.^[1] He won a bronze and a gold medal in the javelin throw at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, respectively.^[2]

Manolis Stefanoudakis

Stefanoudakis In 2012
Personal information
Nationality	Greek
Born	(1983-04-05) 5 April 1983 (age 42) Heraklion, Greece
Sport
Country	Greece
Sport	Paralympic athletics
Disability class	F54
Event(s)	javelin throw, shot put
Club	Megalonissos: Heraklion
Coached by	Giorgos Varveraki
Medal record Representing  Greece Paralympic Games 2016 Rio Javelin F53/54 2012 London Javelin F54/55/56 2024 Paris Javelin throw F54 World Championships 2015 Doha Javelin F54 2023 Paris Javelin F54 2024 Kobe Javelin throw F54 2013 Lyon Javelin F54/55/56 European Championships 2014 Swansea Javelin F54 2016 Grosseto Javelin F54

Personal history

Stefanoudakis was born in Heraklion, Greece in 1983. He suffered permanent spinal cord injuries after a traffic accident in 2007.^[3]

Athletics career

Stefanoudakis at the 2012 Paralympic Games

Stefanoudakis took to para-sport after his accident as a way for improving his health.^[3] He first tried our swimming, but a lack of facilities curtailed this option.^[3] He took to athletics instead and by 2010 he was classified as a F54 athlete and was competing at meets.^[3] Stefanoudakis represented Greece at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. There he competed in both the F54–56 Shot put and the F54/55/56 javelin throw, winning bronze in the latter with a distance of 27.37 metres.^[3] As well as Paralympic success, Stefanoudakis has also won medals at both World and European Championships level. His most notable achievement in athletics outside the Paralympics was a gold medal in the T54 javelin at the 2015 Championships in Doha.^[3]

He was awarded as the Best Greek male athlete with a disability for 2015.^[4]

The Greek Olympic Committee designated him as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with Theodora Paschalidou.^[5]