Firefighter awarded for gruelling ultramarathon success

Chief firefighter Andreas Tziakouris received an award by the justice minister on Wednesday for his success at the 250km ultramarathon in Morocco.

Tziakouris said the race “was an incredible experience, the experience of a lifetime that I will never forget”, after finishing 24th in his category amongst 1,236 participants.

He emphasised that it was a personal goal but also a community driven ambition as he ran under the banner of the Cyprus Alliance for Rare Diseases (Card).

“Both goals were achieved,” he said, as Justice Minister Anna Procopiou acknowledged his significant contribution.

The ceremony at the ministry recognised his “superhuman efforts over the course of seven days… placing Cyprus among the countries whose athletes completed this challenging race, filling us all with pride and emotion”.

She added that the money raised by Tziakouris for Card does not overshadow his significant contribution in raising awareness and informing the public about rare diseases, and their impact on daily lives of the patients.

“Such actions serve as an example to be emulated, inspiring and emboldening our society,” the minister said.

Presenting the firefighter with the honorary plaque, she added that his determination, dedication, generosity, and altruism has made everyone proud.

Head of the firefighting service Nikos Logginos was also beaming with praise, saying that “one of our members achieved the impossible”.

“Mr Tziakouris managed to finish an ultramarathon, a feat not attainable by ordinary people,” he added.