Spyridon Bitsakis
Personal information
Full nameSpyridon Bitsakis
NicknameSpiros
National team Greece
Born (1981-03-04) 4 March 1981 (age 42)
Marousi, Greece
Height2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight86 kg (190 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubOlympiakos Athina
College teamUniversity of Alabama (U.S.)
CoachDon Gambril (U.S)

Spyridon "Spiros" Bitsakis (Greek: Σπυρίδων Μπιτσάκης; born March 4, 1981) is a Greek former swimmer, who specialized in freestyle events.[1] He is a two-time Olympian (2000 and 2004), and a 2003 All-American swimmer in the 100 m freestyle, while studying in the United States. He is one of two Greek swimmers, alongside Apostolos Tsagkarakis, who trained for the Alabama Crimson Tide, under head coach Don Gambril, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.[2][3]

Senior career

Bitsakis made his official debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He failed to reach the top 16 in the 100 m freestyle, finishing in a thirty-fourth place tie with Kyrgyzstan's Sergey Ashihmin at 51.28.[4] He also placed fifteenth, along with Athanasios Oikonomou, Spyridon Gianniotis, and Dimitrios Manganas, in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay (7:35.77).[5]

When his home nation Greece hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Bitsakis competed only as a relay swimmer in the men's 4 × 100 m freestyle.[6][7] Teaming with Aristeidis Grigoriadis, Andreas Zisimos, and Alexandros Tsoltos in heat two, Bitsakis swam a third leg and recorded a split of 52.25, but the Greeks settled only for seventh place and fourteenth overall in a final time of 3:24.26.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Spyridon Bitsakis". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  2. ^ Garcia, Gabriel (4 November 2005). "International competition awaits swimmers at 'Bama". The Daily Beacon. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  3. ^ Robb, Sharon (10 December 2003). "Swim To Athens". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Heat 6" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 114. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 4×200m Freestyle Relay Heat 2" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 342. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Swimming – Men's 4×100m Freestyle Relay Startlist (Heat 2)" (PDF). Athens 2004. Omega Timing. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Alabama Celebrates Nine Olympic Swimmers". Swimming World Magazine. 13 August 2004. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  8. ^ "Men's 4×100m Freestyle Heat 2". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  9. ^ Thomas, Stephen (15 August 2004). "Men's 400 Freestyle Relay Prelims: South Africans Rock with a New Continental Record 3:13.84, Second Fastest in History; US Qualifies Second". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2013.

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