This is just heartbreaking…
One of Greek’s best players from the 90s, Nikos Samaras, has passed away at the age of 42 after suffering from brain aneurysm.
Nikos was among Europe’s best volleyball athletes who played in the late 80s and 90s in Orestiada,Falconara(ITA), Iraklis Thessalonikis, Panathinaikos, AEK. He also played in Fenerbahce, Sevilla(SPA) and in Switzerland.
In the last few years, he spent most his time in small Greek island of Limnos where he spent time teaching young kids the sport of volleyball.
Here’s a clip of Nikos winning an ace to win the match for Greece against Russia (3-2) 19 years ago.
Fenerbahce’s Statement:
Erkek Voleybol Takımımızın Türkiye Ligi 2.’si olarak ivme kazandığı 2003-2004 sezonu kadrosunda yer alan çok değerli bir isim; Nikos Samaras’ın vefat haberini öğrenmenin derin üzüntüsünü yaşıyoruz.
42 yaşında aramızdan ayrılan Samaras’a Tanrı’dan rahmet; ailesine, spor camiasına ve sevenlerine başsağlığı dileriz.
Huzurla Uyu Nikos Samaras…
Nikos is survived by his wife and a 5 year old son.
His loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers.
RIP Nikos…
From the FIVB: Nikos earned 300 caps for the senior national team and 160 for the juniors. In 1989, he was on the team that finished sixth at the Junior World Championships in Athens. After moving up to the senior division, he celebrated another sixth place when Athens hosted the World Championship in 1994. With Orestiada he finished second in the CEV Cup and won Greece’s national cup in 2000 with Iraklis Thessaloniki.