About his relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the battle with dyslexia, but also about a serious injury that nearly cost him his career, the Emmanuel Karalis on his television interview.
Emmanuel Karalis gave an interview on the show “Enopios Enopio” with Nikos Hatzinikolaou making revelations. “Yes, growing up, when I was going to school with my sister who were classmates, the teacher would say something very simple and then she would say, “Guys, did you get it?” and everyone was saying ‘Yes, yes, yes, we got it’ and I was behind and I didn’t understand and I was saying yes, while inside I didn’t understand, so I’m like ‘Guys, am I stupid?'”, said the pole vaulter.
“I felt very bad and at such and such an age, when you realize by yourself that something is not right around you, you lose the world under your feet, so it was a very difficult battle. Fortunately, I was very lucky that they succeeded and the teachers, my mother, went and said “Emmanuel… let’s see, maybe he has dyslexia, let’s do him… let’s go to a speech therapy to see if he really has dyslexia. Finally it showed that I had dyslexia. I started speech therapy because I couldn’t even speak properly, I couldn’t say “now” for example or some other things, I couldn’t express in words what I was thinking and many other things which for such an age was a very difficult situation. But I was lucky that with my family and with the people around me I managed to start speech therapy very intensively. It was very difficult for me at the beginning, but growing up I found my other love, sports, which I was exceptional at by birth”, were his words.
Concluding, he emphasized that: “I have not had the easiest life, but I certainly live a very beautiful life and a life that through the difficulties I have managed to become better, I have managed to become the person I am at this moment and I have managed to want only love and only positivity in my life.”
The silver medalist also mentioned his friendship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the advice the NBA star has given him. “Yiannis and the whole family are among the people who are very deep in my heart. I remember when I wanted to talk to Giannis at some point to tell him some thoughts I have for the future course, I tell Giannis this and that and he says you will come to the house so we can talk” he initially said.
He even went into detail about a conversation they had. “And I go home, to Giannis, I went at 8 o’clock and we finished at 3 o’clock. We both opened our hearts and he explained things to me about sports, about life and he put me in his world and I put him in mine. So, he is a man to whom I am deeply grateful and I really wish the best for Giannis and his whole family, who I love all of them very much and yes, Giannis is a very important chapter for me.”
The injury almost cost him his career
Emmanuel Karalis did not hesitate to talk about the difficulties he faced in his career and a serious injury that almost forced him to give up sports. “When I was 18 years old I had a very big injury, I had a bone swelling in the pubic symphysis, it’s in the legs after all and the injury was so strong that I wasn’t in the doctor’s office when they announced to my mother that Emmanuel will not be able to get back to the level he is at, then. At that time I had set a world record for Children and Teenagers 18 years old. So I had a career to go through,” said the holder of the Panhellenic pole vault record.
“And this big injury comes and they announce to my mother that Emmanuel will not continue the career he has, because this injury is very difficult. But with faith, with the love I have in my family, that’s what really kept me going, to fight and manage to believe. Because I didn’t think I would be able to reach this level again, but when your parents believe so much, your family is the light. So I’m very lucky to have a family like that, who helped me see that light in the tunnel, they were able to get me out of injuries and racism and depression, everything. Because I have gone through a very difficult time like all people and all athletes, in general. Each person goes through his own Odyssey. So I am very lucky and grateful to have this family and it has raised me so that I see all the positives,” he added characteristically.
He did not fail to mention the relationship with his partner, Anastasia, but also about the possibility of creating a family. “I’m too young to be a dad, but if I do, I’m a doozy, that’s for sure. I want, it’s in my plans to have a family. I like children. I want many children. If I have children, I want to have many children. May I be well, be healthy, me and my partner be healthy. And when the time comes to…” And when he was asked how many children he wanted, he characteristically replied: “Hey, shouldn’t we have about four?”
Referring to his partner, Anastasia pointed out… “I am equally lucky to have a partner who understands exactly how difficult this job I do is. She tries to follow me too. She’s my best friend. He is the person that, along with my parents, I will leave. And I will be vulnerable with her. And I will be able to be my true self in her. So we have managed to find that balance. Basically in Anastasia.
Because Anastasia is the one who holds the whole ship. I am equally lucky to have Anastasia by my side, because she is a person who was there for me even in difficult times. We have been together for almost ten years. So I’m very lucky that it’s Anastasia. We’ve been together since we were teenagers.”