Top Greek lightweights unite

By Melissa Bray

Greece’s top two rowers Chryssa Biskitzi and Vassilis Polymeros recently married in front of the rowing fraternity from throughout Greece.

Polymeros is best known for his history-making bronze medal in the lightweight double at the Athens Olympics. This was Greece’s first ever Olympic medal in rowing. A year later Polymeros showed his strength again by becoming a World Champion in the lightweight single.

Biskitzi has been on the international scene for over a decade and is the veteran of three Olympic Games. This year Biskitzi won bronze in the lightweight double at the World Rowing Championships.

Biskitzi and Polymeros met in 1995 when they were both competing on the Greek national team in their respective lightweight doubles and for the next 10 years they trained at different clubs in their respective towns. Now they will train and row under the same club, Pireus 'Olympiacos’.

“We always train together apart from the days we are training with our crews in national team,” says Biskitzi. “Every day we plan together what our training is going to be.”

The next goal for both Biskitzi and Polymeros is the Beijing Olympics where they plan to compete in their respective lightweight doubles. This means the honeymoon has been shelved for now so that training can continue, but the duo plan to take a break together during the Christmas holidays.

The wish of Greece’s rowing family is for Biskitzi and Polymeros to handle their sculls in life as well as they do it in rowing.