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Special Olympics Hellas (Greece) athlete George Papadopoulos provided Stefanos Meltsis the inspiration he needed to complete a 26-kilometer open-water swim. |
As Stefanos Meltsis stood on the beach of Greece's Toroneos Gulf watching the waves crash in front of him, the task at hand - to swim the full 26-kilometer length of the Gulf - seemed insurmountable.
As a Military Frontiers Guard in Greece, Meltsis' strength had been tested before. But he was nervous now and wasn't confident he had the strength to complete the swim. As he dove into the water, it was the words of a complete stranger from which he drew strength.
The previous night, Meltsis attended a ceremony held after the first day of the swim competition, where he met fellow swimmer George Papadopoulos. Meltsis congratulated Papadopoulos for completing his own 1,500-meter competitive swim earlier in the day. Papadopoulos told Meltsis that he regularly competes in free-style long-distance events in Greece and around the world. He added that, as an athlete with an intellectual disability, he competes for Special Olympics Hellas (Greece), and had recently won three medals at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in China. Meltsis congratulated Papadopoulos on his accomplishment and then confessed that he was nervous about the next day's competition and afraid he would not be able to finish the Gulf crossing.
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George Papadopoulos was waiting with a cold drink and a big smile when Stefanos Meltsis finished crossing Greece's Toroneos Gulf. | “I will be at the beach and wait for you,” Papadopoulos told his new friend. “I am sure that you will finish the crossing. I will wait for you.”
As Meltis grinded his way through the 26-kilometer swim, Papadopoulos' words gave him strength. At the same time, Papadopoulos did exactly as he promised - he stood on the beach and waited for his new friend to finish.
Said Meltsis, “I would have given up, but the words of George - 'I will wait for you' - were spinning around and around in my brain. I tried harder to finish and I did it.”
When Meltsis reached the shore, Papadopoulos was there with a hug and a drink to help him recover his strength.
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Special Olympics Hellas athlete George Papadopoulos, who won three medals at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, completes a 1,500-meter competitive swim. | At the award ceremony, the two men - strangers just the day before - sat together as friends. When Meltsis was called to receive his award, he called his friend Papadopoulos to the stage with him.
When Meltsis accepted his award and started to speak, he placed a hand on Papadopoulos' shoulder. “I dedicate this cup to my family and my children, and give it with great pleasure to George, who inspired me to complete the crossing,” he said.
After a momentary silence, the audience erupted in spontaneous applause - and even a few tears of happiness and joy. On the stage, Papadopoulos' eyes thanked Meltsis with the words his mouth could not speak and it was clear that a lifelong bond was forged.
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