Two Olympic greats will now stand next to each other again, as the statue of Greek legendary gold marathon runner Spyridon Louis is to be unveiled in a small City of Casey Council ceremony in the Melbourne suburb of Berwick.
The statue of Spyros Louis, water-carrier and winner of the first modern Olympic marathon in 1896, will be installed on Friday 25 October, next to the statue of another legend of the same era, the first Australian Olympian Edwin Flack.
The two Olympians and their countries’ national heroes ran side by side in the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.
Led by Mr Aristos Panagakis, the initiative for the statue erecting belongs to The Australian Hellenic Organisation in Support of the Olympic Spirit and Ideal.
As Mr Panagakis told Neos Kosmos, the statue of Spyros Louis was completed last Tuesday. The statue, the work of sculptor Michael Pezaros, will be installed in High St, west of Gloucester Ave.
“The statue of Edwin Flack in High Street was erected in 1996 as part of the Olympic centenary celebrations,” Mr Panagakis told Neos Kosmos.
“The Spyros Louis statue was commissioned in 2011, to represent the Olympic spirit and friendship between Australian Olympian Edwin Flack and Greek Spyros Louis.
“It doesn’t symbolise only Hellenism, it’s for the whole community,” he said.
The statue was partially funded with a state government grant of $25,000 and by the Australian Hellenic Organisation itself.
The statue, as Mr Panagakis revealed to Neos Kosmos, will depict Louis in traditional Greek costume as worn in the 1896 marathon and with an Olympic olive wreath.
Mr Panagakis also announced that the bigger ceremony on the occasion of the erected statue will be held next year by the Australian Hellenic Organisation, with guests from Greece.
The council function and the unveiling of the statue will be held on Friday 25 October, from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. For more information, contact Aristos Panagakis, on 0418 946 217.