Greek Station Master Targets Paris Bullseye

As archer Peter Boukouvalas prepares to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as a member of the Australian Team, he took time out to detail the level of support he received from family, friends, teammates, and workmates to achieve his dream.

Boukouvalas, the son of Greek immigrants, and who is employed as a Station Master at the city’s busy St Peters train station, realised his sporting future when he was five and watched the 2004 Athens Olympic Games on television.

“I thought ‘that’s the sport for me,” said.

However, Boukouvalas said there was no way back then that he could ever have imagined the level of support – and sacrifice – it has taken for him to achieve his childhood dream.

“It’s taken a significant financial and time investment,” said Boukouvalas, who works on a parttime basis to accommodate his demanding schedule. “Essentially this year – having used all my annual leave last year to go to tournaments – I have been taking lave without pay to travel and compete.

“The support from my mum, Lisa Hatzipanagiotidis and my brother – both of whom I live with – has been tremendous. They have financially supported and covered me when I’m either not there or have been unable to contribute to the household that week.

“I am also grateful for all the effort and the assurance my (Sydney Trains) line manager, Jason Todoroski, that has been huge. I have worked at Sydney trains for six years, and part of the beauty of working there is the flexibility. My timetable for the last three years has looked like this:

• 7-11am I train at SOPA (archery range)
• 11.30am-12.30pm I have gym
• I have lunch and then drive to St Peters for work
• I work from 2-7pm
•  Home by 8pm and in bed by 9.30pm.

“So, that’s my working/training week and it’s rinse and repeat.”

And while Boukouvalas has enjoyed many adventures along the way to his being named an Olympian – he has competed in Türkiye, in Paris three times after this trip and Taiwan – he made it clear he owes so much to those who have supported him.

“My brothers Alexandros and Dimitri are tremendous,” he said. “My partner Kristen George – she has been amazing.

“We have been together since 2021 and she is so supportive. We had to live long distance apart last year because she was in Orange where she was going for her Pharmacy license, and I was in Sydney.

Boukouvalas, who celebrated his selection with NSWIS archers, Brandon Tse, Laura Trezise and Georgio Vasiliades, said the Institute and its staff have had a positive impact on his career.

“There’s so many people who’ve made this happen, and I am very grateful to the New South Wales Institute of Sport crew: Mark Wilson (senior coordinator), Liam Quinn (S&C), Krystal Sharpe (physiotherapist), and Ya Ping Shih (coach) for their support, and the NSWIS archery squad – my training partners, people like Kim Lavender.

“Also, Archery Australia, our HP manager Graeme Rose, and our CEO Mick Maclennan. I could spend the next 45 minutes naming people, but besides their help it has taken eight and a half years of effort and commitment to make the Australian Olympic Team.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS