Kostas Tsiklitiras

Kostas Tsiklitiras took up athletics in 1905 when he moved to Athina to study commerce, and soon trailed only legendary Ray Ewry among the world’s standing jumpers. Tsiklitiras won the standing long jump gold at the 1912 Olympics, standing high jump and standing long jump silvers at the 1908 Olympics, behind Ewry, and standing high jump bronze at the 1912 Olympics. He also won 20 Greek titles – in standing long jump and standing high jump in 1907-12, in high jump in 1908 and 1910-12, in ancient pentathlon in 1910-12, and in tug of war in 1909. Tsiklitiras also played football and water polo as a goalkeeper with Panathinaikos, winning two Greek football titles with them in 1908 and 1910. His athletic career came to an abrupt end in September 1912, when he volunteered to fight in the Balkan Wars, enlisting as a sergeant with 11th Battalion of the 1st Infantry. Stationed in the regiment headquarters in Athina, Tsiklitiras never saw action, but fell ill with meningitis in February 1913 and succumbed to the disease eight days later at his home in Athina.