Vergotis Foundation: Congratulations to Charis Alivizatos for new National Record and distinction

A significant success for Kefalonian sports is the new National Record and the international distinction of Charis Alivizatos, an athlete of the Gymnastic Society of Kefalonia. The Georgios & Mary Vergotis Foundation sent out a relevant press release, which we publish in its entirety.

Press Release

Congratulations to Charis Alivizatos

The Board of Directors (BoD) of the Georgios & Mary Vergotis Foundation expresses its warm congratulations to Charis Alivizatos, his coach Nikos Metaxas, and the Gymnastic Society of Kefalonia (GE Kefallinias) which consistently and continuously introduces young people to classical athletics, and with their successes bring joy to all Kefalonians.

Firstly, BRAVO to Charis for his great performance in the Indoor National Championship, with four new personal records in the same race, his jump of 2.25 – a new U20 indoor National record which currently ranks him at No.2 in the world U20 rankings – and the silver medal in the Men's competitions, almost 4 months before he turns 18. We wish Charis continued success, far from injuries, and hopefully a medal at the U20 World Championship in the summer!

We also congratulate coach Nikos Metaxas, jumps coach of GE Kefallinias, who has substantially contributed to Charis's successes. Firstly, he realized and convinced Charis that by focusing on High Jump, he would achieve significant successes. On this occasion, congratulations also to the entire core coaching team of GE Kefallinias, which is complemented by Dionysis Metaxas (throws) and Vassilis Metaxas (sprints). It is no coincidence that GE Kefallinias consistently produces female and male athletes with successes in regional and national championships in the categories they compete in.

We note with particular satisfaction that the financial assistance consistently provided by the Georgios & Mary Vergotis Foundation to the Youth Academies of GE Kefallinias from 2017 until today steadily increases the ranking of the sports club and has brought it to the 48th place among approximately 350 athletics clubs in our country, and at the same time makes the best possible use of the donation of the national benefactor and founder of the Foundation, Georgios Ch. Vergotis – using the "Andreas Vergotis" stadium as a training ground and headquarters.

Many of our compatriots probably do not know that the Argostoli Municipal Stadium "Andreas Vergotis" is a donation from Georgios Ch. Vergotis to his hometown. He fully funded the design and construction of the stadium, which was built in a marshy area of Koutavos, on embankments from the rubble of Argostoli from the 1953 earthquakes. The naming was done in honor of his brother Andreas, who passed away in 1953 (not from the earthquake). The "VERGOTEIA" athletic games were organized for the first time by the local authorities in September 1958 – a practical thank you – to inaugurate the stadium. They have since been established as a major annual athletic celebration in the Ionian islands and western Greece. They were successfully revived in 2015 by GE Kefallinias.

On this occasion, we congratulate the Municipality of Argostoli and its technical services, as well as the Regional Unit of Kefallinia, who persistently managed to overcome the problems in the contract for the installation of a new WA Mondo Sportflex 720 elastic track. The replacement of the new elastic track and the installation of this specific product not only prevents injuries, but will utilize a stadium of unique beauty, and will allow GE Kefallinias to organize not only the best "VERGOTEIA" to date, but also a World Athletics meeting that will be discussed internationally and will illuminate a different aspect and potential of Kefalonia in "sports tourism."

Congratulations again to Charis for his great success and distinction, and we wish for an ideal scenario: on May 16, at "VERGOTEIA 2026" to set another new personal record so that we can have the opportunity to admire and congratulate him in person.

For the BoD

Gerasimos N. Vergotis

President