73-Year-Old Greek Man Shatters World Record After Liver Transplant

Panagiotis Antoniadis’ travel is much than conscionable a sports victory; it is simply a profound testament to the powerfulness of the quality spirit. Credit: AMNA

Panagiotis Antoniadis was fixed a 2nd changeable astatine beingness done a liver transplant, and, astatine the property of 73, helium seized it to interruption a satellite grounds successful contention walking. The Greek septuagenarian is simply a vibrant awesome of resilience and hope.

Last August, astatine the World Transplant Games successful Dresden, an lawsuit hosting implicit 3 1000 athletes from fifty-one nations, Antoniadis demolished the satellite grounds for the 5 kilometer contention locomotion successful the 70-79 property class for transplanted athletes. His caller grounds clip of 36:44.13 eclipsed the erstwhile champion of 37:22.

“I felt immense joyousness and a heavy consciousness of vindication for each the effort implicit the years,” Antoniadis shared with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA). “The transplant transformed my life. I realized I could execute once-off-limits things, and that gave maine bonzer strength.”

Panagiotis Antoniadis: From situation to competition

Antoniadis’ way to diversion glory was arduous. He spent years battling an autoimmune illness that led to liver cirrhosis. Following a palmy liver transplant successful 2007, helium recounts feeling similar helium was “granted a 2nd accidental astatine life.” Recovery, however, was demanding, arsenic immunosuppressive drugs meant “even a elemental acold was dangerous.”

Four years later, everything changed erstwhile helium decided to prosecute array tennis with a transplant athletes’ club. “That’s wherever I won my archetypal awards and discovered my endurance,” helium recalls. He began grooming routinely astatine a section outdoor gym, which was adjacent to a way and tract team’s signifier area. This proximity sparked a superior dedication to contention walking, which “became a cherished habit.”

“I rapidly reached a 33-minute clip for the 5 kilometers, which pushed maine to vie internationally,” Antoniadis explains. He was named the champion jock astatine the 2024 European Championship successful Lisbon, and successful 2025, helium cemented his bequest with the planetary record.

A connection of anticipation and gratitude

For Antoniadis, his accomplishments transportation a greater purpose: “We are the astir almighty advocates for organ donors. We show what radical who person a 2nd accidental tin achieve.” He proudly continues to vie successful non-transplant seasoned races, driven by the tendency to “be a bully illustration for my granddaughter, whom I attraction for daily.”

Antoniadis offers a moving connection to those awaiting transplants: “Have patience, large patience. It is worthy the struggle, and the infinitesimal volition travel erstwhile a transplant wholly changes your life.”

Panagiotis Antoniadis’ travel is much than conscionable a sports victory; it is simply a profound testament to the powerfulness of the quality spirit. When the assemblage gets a 2nd chance, the psyche tin genuinely acceptable its ain record.

Related: Greece’s Organ Transplant Program Achieves Record-Breaking Growth