Niki Bakoyianni

Niki Bakogianni, also Bakoyianni (Greek Νίκη Μπακογιάννη, born June 9, 1968 in Lamia ) is a retired Greek high jumper.

Bakogianni was one of the torch bearers at the Olympic Games in Athens and lit the flame as a runner on the Acropolis before it was taken the next day to the Olympic Stadium.

Achievements

The 1.71 m tall athlete was back in 1985 for the first time Greek champion and improved this year the national record to 1.85 meters. In 1986, she was 1.83 meters fifth at the Junior World Championships in Athens. At the European Indoor Championships in 1989 in The Hague, it was at 1.84 meters fifth. Rate this place, it reached 1.88 meters at the European Indoor Championships also in 1992 in Genoa. In 1996 she won the silver medal behind Alina Astafei with 1.98 meters at the European Indoor Championships in Stockholm with 1.96 meters.

At the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta on August 3, 1996, three jumpers were 2.01 meters still in the competition. The Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinowa and the Ukrainian Inha Babakowa had not had a single miss, while Niki Bakogianni with three failed attempts, was delighted to receive a medal. Kostadinowa jumped 2.03 meters in the first attempt Babakowa tore three times while Bakogianni last attempt also overcame the 2.03 meters. 2.05 meters jumped Kostadinowa in the second experiment, Bakogianni failed three times, but completely surprising Olympic silver had won. Two years later she won the European Championships in Budapest with 1.89 meters again to ninth place.

Overall Bakogianni jumped from 1985 to 1996 13 Greek national records. Your personal best of 2.03 meters is still Greek record. In the Greek national championships she won the 1985, 1987-1989, 1991-1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998.