Communication: Bringing Dreams Closer - Chinese Companies Assist Greek Athletes in Pursuing Dreams Xinhua News Agency | Reporter | Dreams
Athens, June 23 (Xinhua) - Making Dreams Come Closer - Chinese Companies Assist Greek Athletes in Pursuing Dreams
Xinhua News Agency reporter Yu Shuai and Liu Yeyu
In the early spring of this year, at the Parnassus Ski Center located in the Parnassus Mountains of central Greece, 40 year old alpine skier George Sfaltos used a customized sitting skier to sprint down the slope time and time again. He is training hard to secure a spot for the 2026 Milan Cortina Depezzo Winter Paralympic Games.
Svartos originally had no hope of participating in the Winter Paralympics - it was an expensive sport, and due to being unable to afford the cost of purchasing new equipment, he had been renting old sitting skis for training, which greatly affected his training plan.
The debt crisis in the past decade and the COVID-19 epidemic have seriously impacted the Greek economy. Therefore, for the vast majority of Greek disabled athletes, the importance of social support is more prominent than national financial support. In the process of seeking social support in Sfaltos, COSCO Shipping Port Piraeus Terminal Co., Ltd. extended a helping hand to him.
In the summer of 2022, PCT company donated a brand new set of sitting skiers specially designed for him after learning about the plight of Sfartos through a local charity organization. "PCT has provided me with real help in pursuing my dreams," Sfaltos told Xinhua News Agency.
Without this customized device, Sfaltos said he would not be able to complete the necessary training. After receiving the donation, he felt more motivated to do his best and unleash his full potential.
After being disabled in a car accident in 2009, Sfaltos felt pessimistic and confused for a while. Because of sports, he was able to step out of his home, integrate into society, and contribute to society by participating in sports competitions. He hopes to lead by example and teach his young son the lesson of never giving up in life.
Besides alpine skiing, Svartos has already achieved excellent results in swimming competitions. He participated in the swimming competition at the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympic Games and achieved a good ranking; At the 2022 World Disabled Swimming Championships, he achieved fourth place in the men's 100m breaststroke SB5 level competition. At present, in addition to his alpine skiing training program, he is also actively preparing for the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics.
"Through competitive sports, I have gradually found my foothold and will continue to pursue my dreams," said Sfaltos.
The local Greek charity organization "Love Life" is a middleman who acts as a matchmaker between Spartos and PCT company. The chairman of the organization, Ulania Atanasop, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the donation from PCT company has added great hope for Svartos to achieve his dreams.
Atanasop said that for people with limited mobility, purchasing wheelchairs and other rescue equipment costs hundreds to thousands of euros, which is a significant expense for ordinary Greek families. The donation from PCT company has effectively helped the organization purchase relevant equipment for more people with mobility difficulties.
"PCT has always been with us, giving us the strength to continue helping others. They not only participate in helping people with mobility difficulties, but also provide various forms of help to the surrounding communities," said Atanasop.
Wang Jihang, Executive Vice General Manager of PCT Company, stated that since its establishment in 2010, PCT Company has been continuously committed to giving back to local society. Starting from 2021, the company has expanded its assistance to vulnerable groups such as elderly people living alone, children in need of special care, and people with disabilities through cooperation with several charitable organizations in Greece.
It is reported that between 2021 and 2022, PCT has provided various types and varying degrees of assistance to thousands of Greek families, and provided support for upgrading school buildings and equipment in some local kindergartens and schools.
Han Wei, the HR and Administration Manager of PCT Company, was the Chinese representative responsible for donating equipment to multiple disabled individuals, including Sfartos. He told Xinhua News Agency reporters that during his communication with Sfartos, he deeply felt the strong will and never give up spirit of this Paralympic mobilization, and hoped that the company's assistance could help him achieve his sports dream.
