GreeceBiography
Father, Kostas; Mother, Theresia. One of the seven children of his parents. Starts in athletics age of 22. Nearly 16-year career, contested two Olympics (Los Angeles, Berlin) and European Champs (Turin 1934, Paris 1938). Mantikas attended 11 Balkan Games (and also 1929 unofficial edition). The only athlete to get five gold medals in same Balkan Championships and repeated this feat three times! In total, he had 48 Balkan Champs medals which is still a record for most decorated athlete in the event, 38 of them was gold, including nine silver and a bronze.
Continued to compete until age of 38, he forced to finish the career by World War II break. In 1949, he suffered serious health problems, it caused by amputating of his right leg. After a long bedridden period, he died in Athens age of 58. Hailed as a national hero at his funeral.
TRIVIA
♦ The Heroic Yugoslav Boris Hanjekovic was the only athlete who defeated Mantikas at Balkan Games in his premium event, 110m hurdles. In Belgrade, Hanzekovic edged out Greek hurdler by 0.1 second to take Balkan Games 1938 title.
♦ Although listed as his birthdate 30.11.1906 in IOC official reports, he actually was born in 1902. Meanwhile, he didn't know about which day exatcly he was born.
♦ Once, owned a shoemaker shop in Athens.
♦ During WWII, some Greek papers mistakenly published his name on the list of died soldiers.
♦ His 400H national record (53.5) which set in 1936 Berlin Olympics, have been stood on the list 18-year long.