Martial arts have always been part of the life of Mathiopoulos Dimitrios Ioannis, long before he could even pronounce the word.

Born in 2001 in Greece, Mathiopoulos was raised under the influence of his father, a passionate kung fu lover who once traveled across China in search of authentic martial arts.

"My father was fascinated by kung fu movies on TV," Mathiopoulos recalled. "In 1996, he came to China for the first time and studied traditional martial arts in Luoyang, Henan province. When he returned, he opened the first kung fu school in our hometown."

That legacy deeply shaped the childhood of Mathiopoulos. "I don't remember exactly when I started practicing, but my family said I was already doing basic stances and stretches at the age of two or three," he said with a smile.

As a child, he competed in numerous martial arts tournaments across Greece, often finishing first thanks to his natural talent and relentless training.

After high school, Mathiopoulos had the opportunity to enter a Greek university without taking entrance exams, thanks to his achievements. But he chose a different path. "There's no martial arts major in Greece," he said. "I felt like destiny was calling me to China."

That calling led him to the School of Wushu at Shanghai University of Sport on a full Chinese Government Scholarship.

His days in Shanghai were intense, filled with training, corrective feedback, and reflection. "Back home, once you reach a certain level, that's enough. But here in Shanghai, every move must be 100 percent precise. The standards are so much higher," he said.

Language was another major hurdle. "Most classes were taught in Chinese," he said. "I could understand the lectures, but answering questions was hard. Luckily, my teachers let me reply in English at first, which helped a lot." Despite the struggle, he never skipped a single class and eventually completed his studies.

His biggest breakthrough came in 2023 at the 9th World Kungfu Championships in Sichuan province, where more than 6,600 athletes and coaches from 53 countries and regions took part. Mathiopoulos stood out and won his first world championship gold medal. "It was my first world title," he said. "It meant everything to me."

Shanghai not only improved his martial arts skills but also deepened his understanding of Chinese culture. He is fascinated by the country's regional diversity, unique etiquette, and local customs.

"For example, I learned that during a toast, your glass should be lower than the other person's to show respect. I think that's beautiful — and sometimes I joke around with friends by doing it," he laughed.

For Mathiopoulos, martial arts are more than just physical training. They are a way to connect cultures. "A lot of people only know kung fu through movies. I want to help them understand the real essence of martial arts," he said. "It's not just a sport. It's a culture."

He dreams of bringing more young Greeks to China to experience martial arts firsthand and sees himself as a bridge between cultures. "Coming to Shanghai wasn't the finish line. It was the starting point," he said. "I want to keep going."

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Yangpu District News Center at "shanghai-yangpu"