Akis and I got to know each others after both of us got injured at a similar time, though through different causes and at different events. Akis broke both his elbows and his jaw during a bike race at cyclopark and had various un-nice experiences to share during his recovery. I had five broken ribs, vertebrae, skull and collapsed lung when our own family dog ran into me during a family holiday. We started meeting for coffees at Rapha's in Soho and kind of therapeuted each others throughout our rehabilitation process. It was during one of our conversations that he kindly offered to bring me in contact with his coach, who we had shared since. I will never forget how he told me about his mother: "I have the best mother in the world", who came all the way from Greece to look after her son when he got injured and could hardly do anything with his two broken elbows. Unbelievably he already started training on the turbotrainer less than two weeks after the accident, telling enough of his passion for cycling.
This Friday 30th we met at Rapha's again, this time also with Simon, who Akis was going to go for training camp on Mallorca, in a few weeks time. Akis was in excellent spirits, looking forward to his first race since his racecrash at the Hillingdon Winterseries #7 the next day. We also realized that we would be riding the Kentish Killer sportive in two weeks time, together.
It was only this Sunday 01 Feb. that for the first time we arranged to go for a longer ride into the Surrey Hills, together. We started with a group of 12 Dynamos and went together until after the first climb at Staple Lane the group decided to head home while Akis myself and Lilly decided to go for a longer loop and went our own way. We had a fantastic morning out and at the end of the ride everyone headed for home, cold, exhausted, but happy and satisfied after such beautiful ride.
That's my last memory of Akis Kollaros, who at the age of 34 was just at the beginning of enjoying the rewards for transforming himself from a 70+kg overweight lazy potato into a 50+ kg super lean endurance athlete. He was very excited about this season, which was meant to be his breakthrough. He had just returned from Cyprus where he trained and visited family.
With total devastation I received the news about his death, this afternoon. After having walked half way from Battersea to Richmond, sometimes thinking, sometimes crying, sometimes just being empty headed, I still feel like being in a state of shock.
A lovely person who will be missed by many - Akis is no more. My prayers and condolences go to his mother, his father and other family and close friends.
Hackney news column