\n<\/p>\n
Speaking after another successful race in Italy, Ntountounaki said she knew she would feel tired but wanted to give her best.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very happy. I wanted to win the race,\u201d she said. \u201cI knew I would have some fatigue. I didn\u2019t know how fast I would be able to go, but I wanted to do my best.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Greek swimmer said she was delighted to return to the podium and complete her races in the way she wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy that I managed to do it. I\u2019m happy to be on the podium again. I think I completed my races in the best possible way, and I\u2019m very happy about that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ntountounaki also revealed that she still has another race ahead of her and plans to take some time to recover before returning to competition.<\/p>\n
A different approach to competition<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Before travelling to Italy, Ntountounaki had said she wanted to go to the Mediterranean Games simply to enjoy the experience.<\/p>\n She explained that her approach reflects a broader change in how she views her career.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you get older, it becomes quite difficult to remain continuously in a competitive environment for a long period,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For Ntountounaki, moving directly from the European Championships to the Mediterranean Games presented a significant challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cThe atmosphere here at the Mediterranean Games is certainly more relaxed. There is a better mood. It\u2019s not as stressful as the European Championships,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She explained that major championships bring intense pressure to produce a specific time, progress through the rounds, reach the final and perform at the highest possible level.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the European Championships, there is the anxiety and pressure to achieve the time you want, to qualify for the next round, to reach the final and give the best you can,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n By contrast, she arrived in Taranto having already achieved an important goal.<\/p>\n \u201cI had already achieved my target. I had posted the 56. I had done everything I wanted,\u201d Ntountounaki said.<\/p>\n That allowed her to focus on enjoying the competition.<\/p>\n \u201cSo yes, I came here with the goal of enjoying what I do and being able to enjoy the whole event,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Finding balance outside the pool<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Ntountounaki said she has learned that enjoying competition depends heavily on finding happiness and fulfilment away from sport.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think being able to enjoy your competitions comes from anything other than enjoying your everyday life outside competition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She described the change as one of the biggest challenges she has faced in recent months.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve changed some things in my mindset. I try to enjoy every moment we have outside competition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For the Greek swimmer, the things that make her happy away from the pool provide the motivation and emotional strength she needs to perform inside it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat fills my soul gives me the strength and the drive to be able to enjoy what I do in competition as well,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Ntountounaki acknowledged that the transformation did not come easily.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, that was the biggest challenge. I\u2019m extremely happy because I believe I\u2019ve managed to achieve it over the last few months, with a lot of effort, many emotional ups and downs and many twists and turns,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel complete\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Ntountounaki believes her change in mindset, combined with years of hard work and an intense period of preparation, played a decisive role in her recent success.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that this change in mindset and the way I see things was the key that allowed me to achieve my goals both at the European Championships and here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She also stressed the amount of work that lies behind her performances.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a huge amount of work and effort behind all of this. I overcame quite a few obstacles along the way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Now, after achieving the goals she set for herself, Ntountounaki says she can finally take a moment to appreciate what she has accomplished.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what makes me even happier and allows me at this moment to say that I have achieved what I wanted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel complete, and right now I\u2019m thinking that I want to enjoy it and be able to move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Ntountounaki\u2019s second gold medal in Taranto adds another major achievement to an already distinguished international career, while her comments underline a significant shift in her approach to elite competition: less pressure, greater enjoyment and a stronger focus on life beyond the pool.<\/p>\n