Korakaki was born on April 8, 1996, in Drama, Greece. Her first medal win was bronze in the Women’s 10 metre air pistol on August 7. Two days later, on August 9, at the Women’s 25 metre pistol, she took home the gold medal, where she left German shooter Monika Karsch in second place, and Swiss shooter Heidi Diethelm Gerber finished third.
For Korakaki, winning these two medals was a fulfillment of a childhood dream.
Most impressive about Korakaki is that she is 20 years old, and this marked her inaugural Olympic Games. She is the first Greek woman to win two Olympic medals in the same sport in the same Olympiad, as well as the first Greek athlete since 1912, making her one of the most accomplished athletes in the country’s history.
Korakaki has competed in shooting since 2009, and her father, retired shooter, Tassos Korakakis, is her coach. She has been a member of the Greek national team since 2014.
Aside from her two Olympic medals from this summer, she won the gold and silver medal at the 2016 Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, as well as two silver medals at the 2016 World Cup in Baku.
Most recently, Korakaki got a hero’s welcome in Drama, when she returned from Rio de Janeiro.
For more information on Olympic champion Anna Korakaki, check out her official Facebook page.
