Lida Manthopoulou, daughter of the late actor Aias Manthopoulos, who passed away in October 2023, has advanced to the 100m final in the T38 category at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Representing the Elpida Thessaloniki club – an athletic association for people with disabilities – Lida secured first place in her heat and will compete in the final this evening (at 21:11), with strong hopes of winning a medal.
Satisfied, Manthopoulou stated right after the race to ERT: “It was easy; I wasn’t nervous, and I enjoyed the race. We’re going for a better time in the final. Of course, the goal is the gold medal—that’s why I came here. I want to find my old self again. The crowd’s presence doesn’t bother me; on the contrary, it lifts me. My start wasn’t great because I ran in lane nine, and I’m used to running in the middle lanes where you can see better what’s happening.”
The 19-year-old was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis around a year and a half ago, and as she shared, it was extremely challenging at first, taking at least six months to understand what was happening to her body.
“There was a lot of pain; my daily life changed drastically. I hesitated at first, but then I got back on the field. It’s something I love, and I will continue doing it,” Lida had said.
