Leonidas Kokas
Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing  Greece
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta 91 kg

Leonidas Kokas (Greek: Λεωνίδας Κόκας; born 3 June 1973),[1] also spelled Kokkas (Greek: Κόκκας), is a Greek weightlifter. His highest distinction was winning the silver medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He competed in the 94 kg category.

Life and sport results

Kokkas was born in Kakavie, Dropull, southern Albania, to an ethnic Greek family.[2]

In 1991, along with Pyrros Dimas, Giorgos Tzelilis, Leonidas Sabanis and Viktor Mitrou, Kokas left Albania for Greece. There, he joined Spartakos club of Ioannina. In 1996, he won Olympic silver, in Atlanta, in the 91 kg category. He lifted 215 kg in the jerk and 175 in the snatch for a second-place 390 kg total. He celebrated his win with close friend Pyrros Dimas, with whom he shared a room for the past several months. He also won silver in the 1997 Mediterranean Games, in the 91-kg category, by lifting 160 kg in the snatch. A serious injury forced him out of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Leonidas Kokas is now an Artillery Lieutenant in the Greek Army.

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Leonidas Kokas". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Βιογραφικό - Κόκκας, Λεωνίδας" [Biography - Kokkas, Leonidas]. weightlifting.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013.
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