The name Stephanie Bisbeek may not remind a new generation of fitness enthusiasts. And yet, “Steffi” brought the Greek instrumentalist the greatest achievement in the individual competition: a bronze medal on beam at the 2007 European Championships.

He retired from the sport at a relatively young age. In recent years, he has excelled in making sweets in a pastry shop in Mykonos without discounting sugar. Just like throughout her career, she refused to “discount” her values ​​and dreams.

In the minds of Greek fans, gymnastics has gained recognition through excellence in international competitions.

Ioannis Melissanidis, Demosthenes Tabakos, Vlasis Maras and Lefteris Petrunias have raised the Greek flag many times at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships. However, no matter how rich the collection of Greek male insignia, the female one is so poor. The only Greek athlete who has climbed the podium of major competitions in the individual competition is Stephanie Bisbiku. Since 1996, when she wore a bodysuit with the coat of arms of the country, she stood out for her talent.

The old champion from the very first performances at major competitions showed that her place is among the best athletes in Europe. At the European Junior Championships in Patras, he made four qualifications in the final and finished 6th.^V in the individual complex, successes that no athlete has yet achieved. In 2004 he won 8^V a place in the European Women’s Individual Medley, a place that, by today’s standards, looks… an unattainable dream for any Greek or instrumental athlete. It is worth noting that our only athlete, who distinguished himself in the individual complex, at the international level, is Vlasis Maras.

In the same year, Stephanie Bisbiku also took part in the Athens Olympics. There she was again among the best gymnasts of the complex team and reached the final. 15th^V The position she has reached to this day is the best that the Greek instrumentalist has shown at the highest sporting event. But the medal that adorns the collection of the former champion is the bronze she got in 2007 on the balance beam at the European Championships in Amsterdam.

“Participating in the Olympics may be an athlete’s dream, but the event that was supposed to impress me was European. The preparation went well. Just before the match, I felt discomfort in my elbow. I couldn’t “close” my hand. The Greek mission told me not to go down. But I couldn’t imagine it. I was sure that I would get a medal. I fought and succeeded”, said the best athlete, which the Greek instrumentalist showed www.kathimerini.gr.

In 2008, the champion added participation in another Olympic event to her resume. “I will never forget the Olympic Village in Beijing. All this was impressive. Shortly before the tournament, I got injured. Then again they said not to participate, but this time I could not afford it. After so much effort, I won the qualification. I couldn’t help but fight. But the injury did not allow me to prepare, and I had to,” Stephanie, who arrived in Beijing on 39, told us.^V in a compound atom.

After 2008, the athlete will focus on her studies. In 2010, he will return to the playing fields and once again wear a competitive bodysuit with the national emblem. At the World Championships in Ghent (2011), she will add a bronze medal from beam to her collection. But she is almost 23 years old and has spent most of her life in gyms.

“The mind began to… refuse and not follow the body. Life is not only about gymnastics. There are other things as well. Many people go in for sports because they aspire… to greatness. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to enjoy what I do. I liked gymnastics, so I did it. When I stopped enjoying what I was doing, I stopped,” he stressed.

“Baking is a way of self-expression”

And somewhere in there, Stephanie Bisbicu began to pursue her other great love – confectionery. “From the age of 12, I realized how much I like it. Just like gymnastics is a way of self-expression. And that’s where you get creative. When I’m in the lab… I get lost. I combine flavors. Create. During gymnastics, the body relaxes. I relax my mind with baking. Many say that a hobby does not become a profession. And yet it happens. Since 2015, I have been working steadily with confectionery products,” he stressed.

Stephanie Bisbiku graduated from the Faculty of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Harokopio. Due to the nature of the sport, this has always been impossible. However, in her new career, she does not agree to discount sugar. “I think that if someone decides to … abuse sweets, they should enjoy it,” she told us, laughing, and, speaking of her preferences in sweets, she added: “For me, chocolate is everything. I’m experimenting with gluten-free sweets and have been working hard on frozen sweets during the pandemic.”

Today, the former champion is the mother of a little boy (15 months old). Due to her new profession, no one has seen her since she hung her competitive body in some instrumental championship, but she watches the main events through the screens. A few days ago, a 15-year-old girl, Afanasia Meziri, gave… a breath of hope to the Greek instrument.

“There are talented children, but they are not promoted properly. But those in charge need to be more supportive of the new generation and provide them with all the resources they need to move forward,” said Stephanie Bisbiku.