Name Mirela Maniani Weight 60 kg | ||
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Spouse(s) George Tzelilis (1997–2002) Similar People Osleidys Menendez, Trine Hattestad, Hrysopiyi Devetzi, Steffi Nerius, Giannis Giannoulis | ||
Mirela maniani 2004
Mirela Maniani (Greek: Μιρέλα Μανιάνι, [miˈrela maˈɲani];, 21 December 1976) is a retired Greek track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. Prior to 1997, she represented Albania.
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Life and athletic achievements
Maniani was born Mirela Manjani on 21 December 1976 in Durrës, Albania. In 1996, at the University of Alabama she set a new Albanian national record at 62.46 m (as of 2017, she still holds the national record of Albania). She represented Albania at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA and ranked 24th overall. During the competition she was also Albania's flag bearer.
After marrying a Greek citizen, the weightlifter Giorgos Tzelilis, Manjani received Greek citizenship and represented Greece at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Athens. Her first major success came in 1999 in Seville, where she won the gold medal at the World Championships with a throw of 67.09 m. Her performance was considered as a world record, as a new type of javelin had been introduced in 1999. At the 2000 Summer Olympics she won the silver medal with a personal best of 67.51 m. She also won the bronze medal in 2004. Maniani is also a European champion and double world champion. Her personal best throw of 67.51 metres is the current Greek record.
Personal life
Mirela Maniani married the weightlifter George Tzelilis in 1997, and became a Greek citizen. She was known as Mirela Maniani-Tzelili until 2002, when she divorced Tzelilis. Maniani has one daughter from his third wedding with the Greek basketball player Giannis Giannoulis.
