An interview with Antigoni Chariessa Vasilopoulou, National Paratriathlon Athlete, Bikini Tribe ambassador.
Meet Antigoni, a passionate advocate for sustainability and inclusion and a national paratriathlon athlete. Whether she’s training, working on environmental projects or speaking to students, she leads with purpose and integrity. Her mission? To leave the world better than she found it and to inspire others to do the same. She is one of the 2025 ambassadors for the Girls Only Bikini Tribe surf camps, on Limnos, Greece!
Name: ANTIGONI-CHARIESSA VASILOPOULOU
Age: 29
Sport: PARATRIATHLON
Hometown: ATHENS
Other profession: SALES & SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST
Favorite spot abroad: MALDIVES
Sponsors: AVRA WATER, SALOMON, BLACKMILE & KALA
IG: https://www.instagram.com/antigoni_chariessa/
SCK: Tell us a bit about your journey. How did you first get into sports & movement?
Sports have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started swimming at the age of 3, and 2 years later, I entered the world of synchronized swimming, a journey that lasted nearly 18 years at a competitive level. Water has always felt like my natural element. It’s where I learned to listen to my body, to work with discipline and to collaborate with others.
In 2014, after an injury, I was diagnosed with a permanent vision impairment. Still, I remained active in sports continuing both in synchronized swimming and competitive swimming in the S13 category as a visually impaired athlete.
In 2022–2023, triathlon came into my life. It was a big shift, but also a kind of liberation, combining everything I love: the sea, physical strength and mental strategy.
Since then, I’ve been competing internationally with the Greek national paratriathlon team, constantly chasing the best version of myself both on and off the field.
SCK: What watersports have you tried?
I’ve tried a wide range of watersports: surfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding, SUP, flyboard, scuba diving, and freediving. The sea has always been my element, and each activity has deepened my connection to it. Every time I’m in the water, I feel both grounded and free like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
SCK: What’s a moment in your athletic journey that changed you?
The first time I stood on the starting line as a paratriathlete, wearing the national emblem, something shifted inside me.
I no longer felt the need to explain or justify myself. I was fully present as me and that was enough. It was one of the few moments I felt truly proud, not just as an athlete, but as Antigoni, the person.
Because for six to seven years, before starting paratriathlon, I avoided talking about my disability. I was fiercely defending the rights of others to be different and equal, but not my own. Not because I didn’t accept my visual impairment, but because I didn’t want to be pitied. I couldn’t handle how people’s behavior shifted once they found out. So, I simply didn’t talk about it.
Since then, I’ve stopped hiding. What matters to me now is being myself, doing what I love, taking up the space I deserve and honoring it. Because when I do that, I know others, especially those who need it, can draw strength to stand tall and keep going.
That moment, along with finishing my first Half Ironman race with my teammate Nadia last October, are probably the most defining milestones in my athletic life. The Half Ironman was the longest and most challenging race I’ve done so far, physically demanding, but even more mentally empowering.
Whenever I struggle, I return to those moments. I remind myself how strong I am, how far I’ve come, how much I still can do and that choosing to continue with courage and gratitude is my personal victory.
SCK: What motivates you to stay active and push your limits both physically & spiritually?
I’m driven by the need to feel alive not just to exist, but to be fully present. To feel my heart beating hard for something I love. Sport, for me, isn’t just a routine. It’s a space of honesty where I can’t hide, not even from myself. It’s where I come face to face with fear, doubt, and perseverance—and sometimes, I discover parts of myself I didn’t know existed. It’s not just the goal that moves me; it’s the why behind every effort. Waking up and choosing action, the training, the participation, the contribution, is how I stay connected to life and to what truly matters.
Sport has always been my steady path. But over the years, it’s become something much deeper: a way of reconnecting with myself through my body, through fatigue, through silence and by pushing past limits. I’m driven by the feeling of fullness, the kind that comes from coming home tired, but whole. Knowing I gave my best not to prove anything, but to honor the fact that I’m here. Present.
I’m moved by the desire to live every day with intention and purpose. To leave a positive trace behind, whether through a race, a conversation, a kind gesture or a conscious choice. Ever since I was a kid, I used to say that I didn’t want to go through life leaving behind only “crap” or things without value. I wanted and still want to leave something clean. Something bright. Every day is a chance to do that. And that’s my deepest motivation.
SCK: What does being part of a woman led, empowering space like Bikini Tribe mean to you?
It fills me with joy and hope. Being part of a space like Bikini Tribe means being part of a community that makes room for every woman regardless of age, experience, background, or disability. It’s a space of freedom, where you don’t have to prove anything to belong. You can just be. And to me, that’s something rare and precious.
I’ve often found myself in environments where diversity had to “fit in” forcefully. But here, you don’t have to adjust, the space adjusts to include you. That’s what empowerment truly feels like. And when all of this happens by the sea, which for me is a refuge, a source of connection and freedom, the feeling multiplies. The sea teaches me to trust, to let go, and to keep moving forward. It’s where I feel most free. Being able to share that feeling with other women? That’s something truly magical.
Bikini Tribe is so much more than a summer event. It’s a reminder that women can create safe, empowering spaces, full of inspiration, strength, and acceptance. And I’m honored to be part of it.
SCK: How do you hope to inspire or support other women during this event?
I hope to be there the same way I am with every wave: present, open and by your side. We don’t need to be perfect. We just need to try, to laugh, to share the effort and the carefree joy of it all.
If my presence helps even one person find the courage to try something new, to leave fear behind or simply to say “why not?”, then that alone is beautiful. I want to support other women not through grand gestures, but through small moments: a look of encouragement, a “let’s go together,” a hug after the first fall. Because sometimes, I think that’s what it’s all about. Feeling that we’re not alone and knowing that joy becomes even better when it’s shared.
SCK: What advice would you give to someone trying watersports for the first time – especially women who might feel intimidated?
No one was born on a board, I promise! We all started somewhere, with a little anxiety, a lot of water up the nose and (usually) a huge smile after that very first try. The most important thing is to give yourself time. Don’t compare. Don’t stress about “getting it right.” The goal is to enjoy the moment, to feel your body and the sea working together. You might be surprised by how free and strong you can feel. And if you’re scared or hesitant, just remember: you’re not alone. We’ll be right there with you, for you. The first step is simply saying “yes.” The rest comes with each wave.
SCK: What are you most excited about at Surf Club Keros this summer?
I can’t wait to be back in a place where the day begins with salt in my hair and on my skin and ends with sand on my feet and smiles all around. Surf Club Keros has something truly special, it blends freedom, connection and that beautiful feeling of “we’re all in this together.”
I’m looking forward to feeling the wind again, jumping into the water, trying, falling, getting back up and doing it all alongside people who share the same passion. To laugh, to rest, to cheer each other on. To live simply and meaningfully. And for someone like me, who loves the sea deeply, every minute in the water is a gift. Being able to experience all of this within a community that supports, embraces, and empowers… that’s the most beautiful part of summer.
SCK: How do nature and the ocean influence your mindset or energy?
Nature feels like coming home. It’s one of the few things that still truly excites me. When I’m out there, something inside me quiets down. There’s no rush, no pressure, no “should.” I just exist and that’s such a relief. Disconnecting from the noise and urgency of the world becomes a way to reconnect with something more real: with myself, with the rhythm of life, with what truly matters. Nature brings me back to reality, not the stressful or harsh kind, but a deeper, truer one.
And the sea… the sea holds something special. It’s the only place where time stops for me. I can stay in the water for hours without ever feeling like I’m wasting time. On the contrary, I feel like I’m filling up. Powering up. Returning to myself. The sea holds me, calms me and strengthens me. It reminds me what it means to trust the flow of life. And every time I leave the water, I feel more at peace, more grounded, and more connected to what truly matters.
SCK: Describe yourself in 3 words.
Resilient. Purposeful. Grounded.
SCK: Thank you for the interview! See you at the Bikini Tribe!
