Manolis Giankos needs no special presentation not only in Greece but internationally. From a relatively small age he appeared on the freediving scene to impress athletes and viewers with his truly impressive performances. As he also points out below, records have no great importance but we will simply mention that he is the first ever Greek athlete to achieve (and during practice even pass) at a formal competition 100 meters in constant weights. Always calm and relaxed but always substantial, the year that passed he proved that his talents are not only restricted at freediving, taking second place at one of the hardest and most impressive Greek Spearfishing Championships. Enjoy…

At what age did you start holding your breath and spearfishing? What led you there?
I started holding my breath as a game with my friends and fellow swimmers at the age of 10. At the beginning and end of each practice but also during our vacation, it was our favorite game. Spearfishing began as an adventure for me at the age of 11 when my parents gave me as a present a speargun to congratulate me on my school performance. Already passionate with fishing from the coast just like my father, when I was given the chance to enter the sea and “hunt” fish I simply went “bananas”. Already familiar with the water and movements in it because of swimming, I found no particular obstacles and from the first time I could concentrate on the fish, something that continues up to today.

What made you get involved with competitions and what do you think you have gained, except for many medals?
I got involved with competitions simply because it was something I knew how to do from a very small age. If at some point I decide to get seriously involved with checkers for example, I am sure that statistically after some time I will somehow find the way to the relative competitions (if there is such a thing…). I believe it is very important to see that there are people around you who are better than you at what you do. The mistakes you make when in a competition you simply cannot predict (if you are logical and sincere to yourself) because the outcome is there to prove them. In the case the outcome has favored you then it is very difficult to understand why you won but also very important to do so to understand where you really are.
When this procedure becomes part of who you are, then you can look at your life through this prism and that is the true point and gain of the competitive procedure.

How many Greek National records have you achieved? Can you remember them and tell us?
As you might know I recently opened a store with diving equipment and for promotion reasons I created an ad where all my records were written, so I started to count them. After the ad was published, I realized that I had forgotten several. But to tell you the truth, what is the difference?

What moment-s from your athletic and sea life do you distinguish and why?
Surely the worst and I fight constantly so as not to experience them again. They are the ones that determine me as a sea-man and athlete.

How do you imagine your life in comparison with the sea in the future?
What bothers me is the long future ahead. I want to grow old still in the sea along with my family and children. I want to be an “old fart” and watch kids following the same path I also and many before me followed. I want to admire the younger ones that are still to come and not say “how did we get here”. I want freediving and spearfishing taking the true dimensions they deserve.
As far as the near future, I intend to continue diving, spearfishing and taking place in competitive and training procedures as much as I can.

In 2009 we saw you take place in the Greek National Spearfishing Competition and coming in 2nd. What would you like to say about this experience?
It was something I wanted to do for many years now but I constantly canceled for several reasons. At the end my nature overcame…
A spearfishing competition is very difficult. It has many expectations and can shrivel, even temporarily the morale of every spearo.
It’s what will test in the hardest way his equipment and endurance. It will finally put the spearo where he belongs.

What is your opinion about spearfishing competitions, as an institution and conducting manner?
I believe that it’s an institution that can offer many things to the sport and its people. It expresses competition in a healthy way and is the best place for evolving techniques and equipment.
The regulations however by which competitions are held in Greece need some improvements compared to the last couple of years. I believe they should be held without the help of a boat, making participation easier for more athletes, in less “wealthy” fish wise areas and also the limits of the permitted fish should also change.
These are some of the things already being discussed and since there are people who support them, at some point they will be applied through the relative, correct procedures.

How do you see the future of spearfishing in Greece and what does every spearo have to do according to you?
My opinion is that if the attitude of Greek spearos doesn’t change, things are not looking very well. The change towards selectiveness should also be accelerated and enlarged as much as possible.
Organization of spearos is now for important than ever so our privileges are supported against those who want us out of the sea to continue their job unbothered, against us and nature.

We have heard you many times saying that regulations that apply in competitive freediving must change. What do you have to say about that?
The regulation of competitive freediving must change as soon as possible! It works against the sport when the objective is the performance, going against safety. A performance with samba or a near blackout cannot be applauded passing in the conscience of the athletes and the public (from which new individuals will enter the sport) that this is freediving. By doing so no one will take us seriously, we will never grow in numbers, wither away continuously and finally freediving will be confined in a game held between friends. Thankfully I have been in the sport for many years seeing how it began, how it grew and the amount of damage that has happened since regulations have changed.

In the International Freediving Championship of 2008 you managed 100 meters in the constant weights discipline, would you like to tell us something about this performance?
The number has many things to say by itself. What I can say is that this dive was made with the measures and precautions I always take in my dives. Having done more meters in practice, I finally chose this number to be safe and sure that everything would turn out ok. The fact that from the 6 athletes that stated over 100 meters only I and Martin Stepanec      (-100) managed to pull off our dives even though the weather conditions were far from good that day, is nothing but coincidental.

Why have you not gotten involved with no limits? What is your opinion about this category?
Taking into consideration that this category was created just to make records without some sort of important athletic interest, I believe that someone that will get involved with it does so to satisfy his ego and his thirst for glory. Under these conditions, if you are going to get involved I believe you might as well do it correctly. To do so you need much time and to set high goals close to the international performances since the people that are systematically involved are not over 8-9. Using the sled to get where others manage with constant weights and bragging about it is just funny. This package never worked as a strong motive for me so as to devote so much time and the other thing is I don’t like half-measures.

Many divers ask me how they can dive easily at large depths. Eventually is there any sort of secret? And if not what is the proper procedure to be followed?
Considering that someone loves what he is doing and no matter what his level of performance may be, the formula is simple. Sense, training, effort and as much contact as possible with the sea.
Now if someone continues to insist on secrets, there are always super-duper powers…

What is your opinion on training courses in freediving?
I consider it very important for someone to be a trained diver. By knowing what things he must avoid and also taking care in the practice he will follow, he will also be safer. Maybe at some point it should also be mandatory by law.
However, since training systems are not still very “flawless” as they should be, everyone interested should first do some research as far as training schools and systems are concerned.  

How important do you think equipment is in our dives? The last years we see amazing analysis of even the most useless part of our equipment. Eventually, what helps us more?
I am very frustrated by the fact that people believe high tech equipment is responsible for large prey and performance. This of course is a result of a deeply consuming society combined with the demand for quick and effortless performance.
What truly helps us is knowing where we really are and trying first of all to improve our technique and after, following our true needs, equipment.

Manoli thank you for your time.
Would you like to say something to the readers of e-bluemagazine?
Have nice and safe dives and also a wonderful summer.