Sport in Greece
Encyclopedia
Greece
has risen to prominence in a number of sporting areas in recent decades. Football in particular has seen a rapid transformation, with the Greek national football team
winning the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship
.Greek athletes have also achieved significant success and have won world and olympic titles in numerous sports during the years, such as basketball
, wrestling
, water polo
, athletics, weightlifting, with many of them becoming international stars inside their sports. The successful organisation of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games led also to the further development of many sports and has led to the creation of many World class sport venues all over Greece and especially in Athens
. Greek athletes have won 143 medals for Greece in 15 different olympic sports
at the Summer Olympic Games
,including the Intercalated Games
, an achievement which makes Greece one of the top nations globally in medals per capita.
Association football is the most popular sport in Greece. Its national governing body is the Hellenic Football Federation founded in 1926, which is member of FIFA
and UEFA
. The Greek national futball team
rose to prominence in the UEFA Euro 2004, when they were crowned European champions in one of the biggest shocks in international football history. Ranked 13th in the world
as of 2009, they have qualified two times for the FIFA World Cup
in 1994 and 2010
, three times for the UEFA European Championship
in 1980, 2004 and 2008, and one time for the FIFA Confederations Cup
in 2005
. Greece has great tradition in youth teams, which have been successful; the Under-21 team were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship
in 1988
and 1998
, the Under-19 team
were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship
in 2007
, while the Under-17 team
were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 1985
, took the third place in 1991
and the fourth place in 1996
and 2000
.
The official national championship was held for a first time in the season 1927–28. Super League Greece
is now the highest professional league in the Greek football league system
. It is currently ranked 12th in the UEFA coefficient, while it was placed among the top ten strongest leagues in Europe from 1996 to 2006, with its peak being the 6th place in 2002 and 2003. The Greek Football Cup
has been the main domestic cup competition, inaugurated in season 1931–32. Both competitions have been dominated by Olympiacos, which is the most successful football club in Greece, followed by the other two big Greek football clubs Panathinaikos and AEK Athens. The Greek football clubs have not won any major UEFA competition yet; the only club that have reached a final so far is Panathinaikos, who were European Cup
runners-up in 1970–71, while they have also reached the semifinals in two occasions. Olympiacos and AEK Athens have made it to the quarterfinals in the top European clubs' competition, while these three clubs have reached the quarterfinals in the other major UEFA competitions as well, with AEK Athens' best performance being a semifinal appearance in the UEFA Cup.
Greece has a long tradition and history of success in basketball
, which is very popular in the country. Greece was one of the eight founding members of FIBA
in 1932 and the national governing body is the Hellenic Basketball Federation
, member of FIBA Europe
. The Greek national basketball team
is considered among the world's top basketball powers; ranked 4th in the world, they are the current FIBA World Championship
silver medalists since 2006
and the EuroBasket
bronze medalists since 2009
. They have been crowned European champions twice, in 1987
and 2005
, and they have also won two more medals at European level, the silver in 1989
and the bronze in 1949
. At the Olympic Games
they have been placed 5th in three occasions. The 1987 gold medal was the first win for a Greek national team in a major tournament in any team sport, thus basketball became extremely popular in Greece after that achievement. The youth national teams of Greece have also enjoyed great success, having won a lot of medals in the respective World and European tournaments.
The HEBA A1 is the top professional basketball league in Greece and one of the strongest in Europe, while several Greek clubs have won major European titles. Panathinaikos, one of the most successful European clubs with six Euroleague titles, and Olympiacos, one time European champions and three times runners-up, are considered among the top basketball powers in Europe.
Aris
, AEK Athens, PAOK and Maroussi
have also won at least one of the rest of the European cups, such as the Saporta Cup
, the Korać Cup
and the EuroCup Challenge
, while all of them - except for Maroussi - have made it to the Euroleague final four. In women's basketball, Athinaikos
have won the EuroCup
. A number of Greek
players have gained notability for their achievements such as Nikos Galis, widely regarded as one of the all-time greatest players in international basketball history, Panagiotis Giannakis
, Panagiotis Fasoulas
, Fanis Christodoulou
, Theodoros Papaloukas
and Dimitris Diamantidis
. The Greek players that have played in the NBA
are Efthimios Rentzias
, Vassilis Spanoulis
, Antonis Fotsis
, Andreas Glyniadakis
, Jake Tsakalidis
and Greek American
s Kosta Koufos
and Kurt Rambis
. Anastasia Kostaki
and Evanthia Maltsi
are female Greek professional basketball players that have played in the WNBA
.
is a notable sport in Greece controlled by the Hellenic Volleyball Federation, member of CEV
. The major achievements of the Greek men's national volleyball team
are two bronze medals, one in the European Volleyball Championship
and another one in the European Volleyball League
, a 5th place in the Olympic Games
and a 6th place in the FIVB World Championship. The Greek league, the A1 Ethniki, is considered one of the top volleyball leagues in Europe and the Greek clubs have made significant success in European competitions. Olympiacos is the most successful volleyball club in the country having won the most domestic titles and being the only Greek club to have won European trophies; they have won two CEV Cups, they have been CEV Champions League
runners-up twice and have also played in many final fours in the European competitions, making them one of the biggest volleyball clubs in Europe. Iraklis, Panathinaikos
and Orestiada have also made it to the final in continental tournaments.
Greece is often regarded as an international powerhouse in both men's and women's water polo
, with its clubs and nationals teams having achieved a great number of distinctions in international competitions. The Greek men's national water polo team
have won a silver medal in the 1997 FINA World Cup
, two bronze medals in the FINA World League
in 2004
and 2006
, a bronze medal in the 2005 World Aquatics Championships and the 4th place in the 2004 Olympic Games
. The Greek women's national water polo team
's most important achievements are the gold medal in the 2011 World Aquatics Championships
, the silver medals in the 2004 Olympic Games
and the 2010 European Championship
, as well as a gold and two bronze medals in the FINA World League
in 2005
, 2007
and 2010 respectively.
The Greek water polo leagues in both men
and women are among the top European leagues, while several Greek clubs have enjoyed international success. In men's competitions, Olympiacos
is one of the biggest European water polo clubs having won one LEN Euroleague
title and a European Super Cup in 2002, the only Greek club to have been crowned European champions, while they have also participated in three more finals, one in the LEN Euroleague and two in the LEN Cup Winners' Cup
; along with Ethnikos Piraeus
, they are the most successful water polo clubs in the country. Vouliagmeni
won a LEN Cup Winner's Cup in 1997 and they have also been runners-up one time in the LEN Trophy
, such as NO Patras
and Panionios
. In women's competitions, the Greek clubs have dominated the European competitions in the 2000s; Vouliagmeni, three-time European champions
and LEN Trophy
winner once, and Glyfada
, with two European championships, are two of the most successful European women's sides. Ethnikos Piraeus have also won a LEN Trophy, while Olympiacos have made it to the final in the same competition.
is the sport that Greeks have being the most dominant at compare to any other sport.
It is one of the smaller sports in Greece, but has its followers.
Kickboxing
however is much more popular amongst Diaspora Greeks in Melbourne
, Australia
, producing legends such as:
and the rest international competitions.
Greek weightlifters have won a total 15 medals in the Olympics with 6 of them being gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals.
In the World Weightlifting Championships
Greek weightlifting team has won a total 111 medals (70 in men and 41 in women) with 26 of them being gold.Greek weightlifters have set many world and Olympic records during the years which forced the sporting world to name the Greek weightlifting team of the mid 90's, the "Dream Team" of the sport.Some of the greatest weightlifters in the history of the game include Greek legends such as:
Greece was home of the ancient Olympic Games, first recorded in 776 BC in Olympia
, and hosted the modern Olympic Games
twice, the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics
and the 2004 Summer Olympics
; the country also hosted the 1906 Intercalated Games, at the time regarded as Olympic Games but not officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee
today. The nation has competed at every Summer Olympic Games
, one of the only four countries to have done so, and most of the Winter Olympic Games
. During the parade of nations Greece is always called first, as the founding nation of the ancient precursor of modern Olympics, and its national governing body is the Hellenic Olympic Committee
.
Having won a total of 108 medals (30 gold, 42 silver and 36 bronze), Greece is ranked 32nd by gold medals in the all-time Summer Olympic medal count. Their best ever performance was in the 1896 Summer Olympics, when Greece finished second in the medal table with 10 gold medals, one less than the United States
, the most silver (17) and bronze (19) medals, as well as the most medals overall (46). After a long period of poor tallies, the 1992 Summer Olympics
marked an uptum and Greece made successive medal-winning records (excluding the 1896 record) in the three following Olympic Games. Greek athletes have won medals in 15 different sports, but the sports in which the Greek team has won most medals are primarily athletics
and weightlifting
, as well as other sports like wrestling
, gymnastics
and shooting
. In the 1906 Games, Greece finished third with 8 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze medals, and second in total behind France
with 35 medals; these medals are not officially included in the Olympic medal count though. Winter sport
s have not played a major role in Greece, thus the country has not won any medal in the Winter Olympics so far.
was in 1976. The organisation of the Paralympic Games in Athens led to significant growth. The Hellenic Team participated in 17 of the 19 sports and won 20 medals (3 Gold, 13 Silver and 4 Bronze). At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games the Greek Team made its most successful appearance ever with 24 medals (5 Gold, 9 Silver and 10 Bronze).
Greece has won in total 68 medals at the Paralympic Games
, participating only recently.
,while some Greek athletes have reach world stardom with their achievements such as:
Other notable Greek athletes include Sofia Sakorafa
who broke the world record on 16 September 1982 with a throw of 74.20 metres. Lambros Papakostas
a retired Greek
high jump
er who won two silver medals at the World Indoor Championships
in 1995 and 1997, with a personal best, achieved in Athens in 1992, 2.36 metres. Konstantinos Filippidis , Konstantinos Koukodimos
, Christos Papanikolaou
(who jumped 5.49 metres in Athens to capture the world record in 1970), Paraskevi Tsiamita
, Niki Xanthou
and Mirela Manjani
.
Also legends of the past include the legendary Spyridon Louis and Konstantinos Tsiklitiras
.
, Ionian Sea
and Mediterranean Sea
, so it not surprising that sailing is a popular sport. Greek athletes have won 7 medals in sailing and 2 in Rowing at the Olympic games and also numerous gold medals in the world and European championships. Some of the most notable Greek athletes in the sports of sailing and rowing include world and olympic champions such as:
In the European Rowing Championships
, Greece has won more gold medals all-time than any other nation, and is tied with Germany for the second-most medals of all time (behind Italy). In fact, Greece has finished first in the medal count 50% of the times it has been held, and has been in the top 4 of the medal count every single time!
and Efstathios Chorofas and present World and European champions such as Romanos Alyfantis
, Ioannis Drymonakos
, the world champion in the 50 m backstroke event of the 2005 World Championships Aristeidis Grigoriadis
and silver world champion Spyridon Gianniotis
.
Thomas Bimis
and Nikolaos Siranidis
made history winning Greece's first-ever gold medal in diving and the hosts' first gold of the 2004 Athens Olympics. The diver pair therefore became very popular in Greece.
has been growing in Greece over the past decade Eleni Daniilidou
has had a lot of success, winning 5 WTA Tour titles in her career. Several players with Greek ancestry, such as Pete Sampras
and Mark Philippoussis
have become very famous around the world. Greek-Cypriot star Marcos Baghdatis
has many fans in Greece. Greece also has several other players at the international level, like Christina Papadáki
, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, Vasilis Mazarakis, Konstantinos Economidis
, Anna Gerasimou
and Irini Georgatou
.
is one of the most popular team sports in Greece. The Greece national handball team
finished 6th out of 24 teams in the 2005 World Men's Handball Championship
, in their first (and so far only) time competing. In the 2004 Summer Olympics
, Greece finished 6th. Greece finished 4th out of 6 teams in Group B, with wins over Brazil national handball team
and Egypt national handball team
, before losing in the quarterfinals to eventual gold medalists Croatia national handball team
, and then beating South Korea national handball team, before losing to France national handball team
in the classification rounds.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
has risen to prominence in a number of sporting areas in recent decades. Football in particular has seen a rapid transformation, with the Greek national football team
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
winning the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
.Greek athletes have also achieved significant success and have won world and olympic titles in numerous sports during the years, such as basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, athletics, weightlifting, with many of them becoming international stars inside their sports. The successful organisation of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games led also to the further development of many sports and has led to the creation of many World class sport venues all over Greece and especially in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Greek athletes have won 143 medals for Greece in 15 different olympic sports
Olympic sports
Olympic sports, as defined by the International Olympic Committee, are all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics, as of 2012, will include 26 sports, with two additionall sports due to be added in 2016...
at the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
,including the Intercalated Games
Intercalated Games
The Intercalated Olympic Games were to be a series of International Olympic Games half-way between what we now call Games of the Olympiad. This proposed series of games, intercalated in the Olympic Games cycle, was to always be held in Athens, and were to have equal status with the international...
, an achievement which makes Greece one of the top nations globally in medals per capita.
Football
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. The Greek national futball team
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
rose to prominence in the UEFA Euro 2004, when they were crowned European champions in one of the biggest shocks in international football history. Ranked 13th in the world
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
as of 2009, they have qualified two times for the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in 1994 and 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, three times for the UEFA European Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
in 1980, 2004 and 2008, and one time for the FIFA Confederations Cup
FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
in 2005
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack...
. Greece has great tradition in youth teams, which have been successful; the Under-21 team were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
in 1988
1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1988, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. The Republic of Ireland competed for the first time. France U-21s won the competition....
and 1998
1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total....
, the Under-19 team
Greece national under-19 football team
-Group 3:- Current squad :Represented Greece in the UEFA under 19 championship July 20- August 1 2011- See also :* Greece Under-19 2007 national team* Greece Under-19 2007 national team- External links :*...
were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
in 2007
2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:-------------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-----Teams:-Top goalscorers:-External links:* at uefa.com...
, while the Under-17 team
Greece national under-17 football team
The Greece national under-17 football team is the Under-17 years of age team of the Greece national football team.This team is for Greek players aged 17 or under at the start European Under-17 Football Championship .-History:*European Championship 1985: Runners-up,*European Championship 1991: Third...
were runners-up in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 1985
1985 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Semi-finals:-Third place match:-Final:-References:**...
, took the third place in 1991
1991 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-Semi-finals:-Third place match:-Final:-References:**...
and the fourth place in 1996
1996 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-References:**...
and 2000
2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship was the 18th edition of UEFA's European Under-16 Football Championship. Israel hosted the championship, during May 1–14, 2000...
.
The official national championship was held for a first time in the season 1927–28. Super League Greece
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
is now the highest professional league in the Greek football league system
Greek football league system
The Greek football league system includes five levels in which teams can possibly make it to Super League Greece, Greece's highest division of football.-Promotion and relegation:Super League Greece: Bottom three clubs relegated to Football League....
. It is currently ranked 12th in the UEFA coefficient, while it was placed among the top ten strongest leagues in Europe from 1996 to 2006, with its peak being the 6th place in 2002 and 2003. The Greek Football Cup
Greek football Cup
The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
has been the main domestic cup competition, inaugurated in season 1931–32. Both competitions have been dominated by Olympiacos, which is the most successful football club in Greece, followed by the other two big Greek football clubs Panathinaikos and AEK Athens. The Greek football clubs have not won any major UEFA competition yet; the only club that have reached a final so far is Panathinaikos, who were European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
runners-up in 1970–71, while they have also reached the semifinals in two occasions. Olympiacos and AEK Athens have made it to the quarterfinals in the top European clubs' competition, while these three clubs have reached the quarterfinals in the other major UEFA competitions as well, with AEK Athens' best performance being a semifinal appearance in the UEFA Cup.
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, which is very popular in the country. Greece was one of the eight founding members of FIBA
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known as FIBA , from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball, is an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball...
in 1932 and the national governing body is the Hellenic Basketball Federation
Hellenic Basketball Federation
The Hellenic Basketball Federation , is a governing body for basketball in Greece. It directs and oversees all of the national basketball teams of Greece. From 1969 to 1992, the E.O.K. oversaw the Greek National Basketball League, before it was taken over by HEBA, starting with the 1992-93...
, member of FIBA Europe
FIBA Europe
FIBA Europe is a zone within the International Basketball Federation which includes all 49 national European basketball federations.-Division A:-Division B: -Division C:...
. The Greek national basketball team
Greece national basketball team
The Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
is considered among the world's top basketball powers; ranked 4th in the world, they are the current FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
silver medalists since 2006
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
and the EuroBasket
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
bronze medalists since 2009
EuroBasket 2009
The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
. They have been crowned European champions twice, in 1987
Eurobasket 1987
The EuroBasket 1987 was held in Greece between June 3 and June 14, 1987. Twelve national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body...
and 2005
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
, and they have also won two more medals at European level, the silver in 1989
EuroBasket 1989
-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:#Yugoslavia: Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Vlade Divac, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Predrag Danilović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac...
and the bronze in 1949
Eurobasket 1949
The 1949 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1949, was the sixth regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Seven national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation took part in the competition...
. At the Olympic Games
Basketball at the Summer Olympics
Basketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976....
they have been placed 5th in three occasions. The 1987 gold medal was the first win for a Greek national team in a major tournament in any team sport, thus basketball became extremely popular in Greece after that achievement. The youth national teams of Greece have also enjoyed great success, having won a lot of medals in the respective World and European tournaments.
The HEBA A1 is the top professional basketball league in Greece and one of the strongest in Europe, while several Greek clubs have won major European titles. Panathinaikos, one of the most successful European clubs with six Euroleague titles, and Olympiacos, one time European champions and three times runners-up, are considered among the top basketball powers in Europe.
Aris
Aris BC
Aris Basketball Club is the professional basketball team of the Thessaloniki-based Greek sport club Aris Thessaloniki. Aris BC was founded in 1922, eight years after the founding of Aris Thessaloniki....
, AEK Athens, PAOK and Maroussi
Maroussi BC
Maroussi Athens B.C. , is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in Maroussi, a northern suburb of Athens, Greece. The club's full name is Gymnastikos Syllogos Amarousiou. The club competes in the Greek League. Its long-time owner was Armodios Vovos of the BVIC construction firm...
have also won at least one of the rest of the European cups, such as the Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
, the Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
and the EuroCup Challenge
EuroCup Challenge
The EuroCup Challenge was the 4th tier level transnational professional club basketball competition in Europe. It was run and organized by FIBA Europe.-Promotion to FIBA EuroCup:...
, while all of them - except for Maroussi - have made it to the Euroleague final four. In women's basketball, Athinaikos
Sony Athinaikos Athens
Sony Athinaikos Athens is the women's professional basketball team of Athens-based multi-sports club Athinaikos, founded in 1917. The team currently participates in the EuroCup, that it won in 2010.-Roster:...
have won the EuroCup
EuroCup Women
The EuroCup Women is the second-caliber professional basketball league with teams from European clubs from national leagues joined in FIBA Europe.It succeeds the Ronchetti Cup.- System of competition :...
. A number of Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
players have gained notability for their achievements such as Nikos Galis, widely regarded as one of the all-time greatest players in international basketball history, Panagiotis Giannakis
Panagiotis Giannakis
Panagiotis Giannakis , nicknamed "The Dragon", is a retired Greek professional basketball player and coach. He is the former head coach of the pro club Olympiacos, and the Greek National Basketball Team. Under Giannakis' guidance, the Greek National team won the gold medal at the 2005 EuroBasket...
, Panagiotis Fasoulas
Panagiotis Fasoulas
Panagiotis Fasoulas is a Greek politician and former professional basketball player...
, Fanis Christodoulou
Fanis Christodoulou
Theofanis Christodoulou, or Fanis Christodoulou , is a retired Greek professional basketball player...
, Theodoros Papaloukas
Theodoros Papaloukas
Theódoros "Teó" Papaloukás is a Greek professional basketball player. He currently plays as a point guard for the Israeli League, Adriatic League and Euroleague club Maccabi Tel Aviv....
and Dimitris Diamantidis
Dimitris Diamantidis
Dimitris Diamantidis is a Greek professional basketball player. Standing at 1.98 m , Diamantidis mainly plays at the point guard position, but he also has the ability to play as a shooting guard, as well as to assume the small forward position, being utilized as a point forward...
. The Greek players that have played in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
are Efthimios Rentzias
Efthimios Rentzias
Efthimios Rentzias is a retired Greek professional basketball player. He was most notably a member of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers...
, Vassilis Spanoulis
Vassilis Spanoulis
Vassilis Spanoulis is a Greek professional basketball player who plays for the Greek League and Euroleague club Olympiacos Piraeus. A 6 ft 4 in tall guard, Spanoulis first played for GS Larissa and enjoyed a highly successful career start, winning the Greek League's award for Best Young...
, Antonis Fotsis
Antonis Fotsis
Antonis Fotsis is a Greek professional basketball player. He is a 2.09 m power forward...
, Andreas Glyniadakis
Andreas Glyniadakis
Andreas Glyniadakis is a Greek professional basketball player. He is a , 280 lb. center...
, Jake Tsakalidis
Jake Tsakalidis
Iakovos "Jake" Tsakalidis is a Georgian, naturalized Greek professional basketball player.Tsakalidis, a , center, holds dual citizenship in Georgia, where he was born, and in Greece, where he was raised and became famous.- Greece :...
and Greek American
Greek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
s Kosta Koufos
Kosta Koufos
Konstantine Demetrios "Kosta" Koufos is a Greek-American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets. He was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 23rd overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft...
and Kurt Rambis
Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-Biography:...
. Anastasia Kostaki
Anastasia Kostaki
Anastasia Kostaki is a Greek professional basketball player. She is 1.72 m in height and 65 kg in weight.-Biography:...
and Evanthia Maltsi
Evanthia Maltsi
Evanthia Maltsi is a Greek professional basketball player. In 2007, she played the guard position for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.-WNBA career:Maltsi played for the Sun for one season...
are female Greek professional basketball players that have played in the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
.
Volleyball
VolleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
is a notable sport in Greece controlled by the Hellenic Volleyball Federation, member of CEV
Confédération Européenne de Volleyball
Confédération Européenne de Volleyball is the continental governing body for the sport of volleyball in Europe. Its headquarters are located in Luxembourg, Luxembourg.- Profile :...
. The major achievements of the Greek men's national volleyball team
Greece men's national volleyball team
The Greece men's national volleyball team is the national team of Greece. It is governed by the Hellenic Volleyball Federation and takes part in international volleyball competitions.-Olympics:-World Championship:-World League:...
are two bronze medals, one in the European Volleyball Championship
European Volleyball Championship
The European Volleyball Championship is a sport competition for national teams, currently held biannually and organized by the CEV, the European volleyball federation. There are both men's and women's competitions....
and another one in the European Volleyball League
European Volleyball League
The European Volleyball League is an annual continental volleyball tournament, introduced in 2004. The event is the European equivalent of the FIVB World League. After a preliminary league round the tournament ends with a Final Four, hosted in one city. The women's tournament introduced in...
, a 5th place in the Olympic Games
Volleyball at the Summer Olympics
Volleyball has been contested as an indoor sport at the Summer Olympic Games since 1964. Beach volleyball was introduced at the 1992 Games, and has been an official Olympic sport since 1996.-Origins:...
and a 6th place in the FIVB World Championship. The Greek league, the A1 Ethniki, is considered one of the top volleyball leagues in Europe and the Greek clubs have made significant success in European competitions. Olympiacos is the most successful volleyball club in the country having won the most domestic titles and being the only Greek club to have won European trophies; they have won two CEV Cups, they have been CEV Champions League
CEV Champions League
The CEV Champions League, or Indesit European Champions League is the top official competition for men's Volleyball clubs of Europe and takes place every year.-Formula:In the first round take part 24 teams shared in 6 group stage....
runners-up twice and have also played in many final fours in the European competitions, making them one of the biggest volleyball clubs in Europe. Iraklis, Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos VC
Panathinaikos Volleyball Club is the professional volleyball team of Panathinaikos, the Athens-based multi-sport club. Founded in 1919, it is one of the oldest volleyball clubs in Greece.-History:...
and Orestiada have also made it to the final in continental tournaments.
Water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, with its clubs and nationals teams having achieved a great number of distinctions in international competitions. The Greek men's national water polo team
Greece men's national water polo team
The Greece men's national water polo team represents Greece in international water polo competitions.- Olympic Games :Greece men's national water polo team participated 14 times at the Olympic Games...
have won a silver medal in the 1997 FINA World Cup
1997 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup
The 1997 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup was the tenth edition of the event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the International Swimming Federation . The event took place in Athens, Greece. Eight teams participated to decide the winner of what would be a bi-annual event until...
, two bronze medals in the FINA World League
FINA Water Polo World League
The FINA Water Polo World League began in 2002 to capitalize on increased worldwide popularity of water polo created by recent Olympic Games, especially in Europe, North America and Australia. Competition between the world’s best male players began on national teams in a season format with a prize...
in 2004
2004 FINA Men's Water Polo World League
The 2004 FINA Men's Water Polo World League was the third edition of the annual event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA. After a preliminary round, the Super Final was held in Long Beach, United States.-Preliminary round:...
and 2006
2006 FINA Men's Water Polo World League
The 2006 FINA Men's Water Polo World League was the fifth edition of the annual event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA. After a preliminary round and a semifinal round, the Super Final was held in Athens, Greece....
, a bronze medal in the 2005 World Aquatics Championships and the 4th place in the 2004 Olympic Games
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics....
. The Greek women's national water polo team
Greece women's national water polo team
The Greece women's national water polo team represents Greece in international women's water polo competitions. Since the 2000s, Greece have emerged as one of the leading powers in the world, with their most precious achievements being the silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2010...
's most important achievements are the gold medal in the 2011 World Aquatics Championships
Water polo at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament
The women's water polo tournament at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China was held from July 17 to July 29.-Qualification:*China qualified as the third team from the World Cup, but already had qualified through the host nation slot...
, the silver medals in the 2004 Olympic Games
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics....
and the 2010 European Championship
2010 Women's European Water Polo Championship
The 2010 Women's European Water Polo Championship was the 13th edition of the bi-annual event, organised by the Europe's governing body in aquatics, the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
, as well as a gold and two bronze medals in the FINA World League
FINA Water Polo World League
The FINA Water Polo World League began in 2002 to capitalize on increased worldwide popularity of water polo created by recent Olympic Games, especially in Europe, North America and Australia. Competition between the world’s best male players began on national teams in a season format with a prize...
in 2005
2005 FINA Women's Water Polo World League
The 2005 FINA Women's Water Polo World League was the second edition of the annual event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA...
, 2007
2007 FINA Women's Water Polo World League
The 2007 FINA Women's Water Polo World League was the fourth edition of the event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA...
and 2010 respectively.
The Greek water polo leagues in both men
A1 Ethniki Water Polo
The A1 Ethniki , often referred to as the Greek Water Polo League, is the highest professional water polo league in Greece. It is run by the Hellenic Swimming Federation...
and women are among the top European leagues, while several Greek clubs have enjoyed international success. In men's competitions, Olympiacos
Olympiacos Water Polo Club
Olympiacos Water Polo Club is the water polo team of the Greek sports club Olympiacos. It was founded in 1925 and was among the founding members of the Hellenic Federation of Swimming Fans...
is one of the biggest European water polo clubs having won one LEN Euroleague
LEN Euroleague
The LEN Euroleague and the Women's Champions' Cup are the premier European water polo club competitions run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
title and a European Super Cup in 2002, the only Greek club to have been crowned European champions, while they have also participated in three more finals, one in the LEN Euroleague and two in the LEN Cup Winners' Cup
LEN Cup Winners' Cup
The LEN Cup Winners' Cup was a European water polo club competition organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation. National cup winners qualified for the tournament...
; along with Ethnikos Piraeus
Ethnikos Piraeus Water Polo Club
The Ethnikos Piraeus Water Polo Club is a water polo club participating in the First Divion of the Greek Championship . Ethnikos is the most successful water polo club in Greece...
, they are the most successful water polo clubs in the country. Vouliagmeni
Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni
The Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni, or "NOV" is an aquatic sports club, founded by local sportsmen in 1937 in the seaside resort of Vouliagmeni, south of Athens, Greece. The club is located on the eastern edge of the Mikro Kavouri peninsula, adjacent to the Astir Palace Hotel and overlooking the...
won a LEN Cup Winner's Cup in 1997 and they have also been runners-up one time in the LEN Trophy
LEN Cup
The LEN Cup is a second-tier European water polo club competition run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation for those clubs who did not qualify for the LEN Euroleague. The cup was inaugurated in 1992...
, such as NO Patras
NO Patras
NO Patras is a water polo club participating in the First Divion of the Greek Championship . It was founded on April 19 1929 in Patras, Western Greece and immediately become one of the protagonists of Greek water polo, dominating the 30's and 40's by winning 8 championships.During the next decades...
and Panionios
Panionios
Panionios GSS , the Pan-Ionian Gymnastic Association of Smyrna, is a Greek multi sport club founded in 1890. Originally based in Smyrna/Izmir, the club was uprooted in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey following the Asia Minor Catastrophe in 1922...
. In women's competitions, the Greek clubs have dominated the European competitions in the 2000s; Vouliagmeni, three-time European champions
LEN Euroleague
The LEN Euroleague and the Women's Champions' Cup are the premier European water polo club competitions run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
and LEN Trophy
LEN Cup
The LEN Cup is a second-tier European water polo club competition run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation for those clubs who did not qualify for the LEN Euroleague. The cup was inaugurated in 1992...
winner once, and Glyfada
Athletic Nautical Club of Glyfada
The Athletic Nautical Club of Glyfada , or "ANOG" was founded by 20 local sportsmen in 1946 and is located Glyfada....
, with two European championships, are two of the most successful European women's sides. Ethnikos Piraeus have also won a LEN Trophy, while Olympiacos have made it to the final in the same competition.
Kickboxing
KickboxingKickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
is the sport that Greeks have being the most dominant at compare to any other sport.
It is one of the smaller sports in Greece, but has its followers.
- Greece's 'Iron' Mike ZambidisMike Zambidis"Iron" Mike Zambidis is a professional Greek kickboxer and martial artist. He is a 15 time World Champion, and is the current W.I.P.U...
is the current world KickboxingKickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
champion, and is a 15 time world KickboxingKickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
champion. Pound for pound, he is considered to be the best kickboxer in the world, under International KickboxingKickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
rules.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
however is much more popular amongst Diaspora Greeks in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, producing legends such as:
- Stan 'The Man' LonginidisStan LonginidisStan "The Man" Longinidis is a retired Australian Heavyweight kickboxer and 8 time Kickboxing World Champion. Born in Australia of Greek ethnicity, Longinidis is one of the few fighters to have won World titles in three different styles, International Rules Kickboxing, Full Contact and Muay Thai,...
, who's a former 8 time world champion, and is regarded by many as the best kickboxer (under international rules) ever - Tosca PetridisTosca PetridisTosca Petridis is a Greek-Australian former Kickboxer and Boxer.He was born in Melbourne, Australia, however is of Greek ethnicity...
, who's a former 7 time world champion. - 'King' Arthur Tsakonas, who's a former world champion.
- As well as other greats such as Louie 'The Ice' Iosifidis, Evangelos GoussisEvangelos GoussisEvangelos Goussis, is an Australian former boxer and kickboxer from Geelong, Victoria, and is a multiple murderer, guilty of the murders of two victims of the Melbourne gangland killings...
, Nick 'Thunderkick' Talakouris, and many others.
Weightlifting
Weightlifting has probably been the most successful individual sports for Greeks, behind Kickboxing, with the national team regularly winning gold medals in the OlympicsOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and the rest international competitions.
Greek weightlifters have won a total 15 medals in the Olympics with 6 of them being gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals.
In the World Weightlifting Championships
World Weightlifting Championships
World Weightlifting Championships is an event organised by International Weightlifting Federation .It has been held since 1891. In March 1891, competing against champions from Brussels, Hamburg, England, Vienna, Italy, and Berlin in a three-day event, Edward Lawrence Levy of England won the first...
Greek weightlifting team has won a total 111 medals (70 in men and 41 in women) with 26 of them being gold.Greek weightlifters have set many world and Olympic records during the years which forced the sporting world to name the Greek weightlifting team of the mid 90's, the "Dream Team" of the sport.Some of the greatest weightlifters in the history of the game include Greek legends such as:
- Pyrros DimasPyrros DimasTotalTotalPyrros Dimas , born on 13 October 1971) is a retired Greek weightlifter, considered as one of the greatest of all time, having been three times Olympic champion and three times World Champion.- Background :...
, a Greek weightlifter from Northern Epirus. A three-time Olympic champion, multiple World and European champion. He is considered worldwide one of the greatest athletes in the history of this sport.
- Kakhi KakhiashviliKakhi KakhiashviliKakhi Kakhiashvili ,, a Georgian-Greek weightlifter, is one of only four weightlifters to have won three consecutive gold medals at Olympic Games....
, another all time great of this sport. He is one of only four weightlifters to have won three consecutive gold medals at Olympic Games.
- Viktor MitrouViktor MitrouViktor Mitrou is a retired male weightlifter from Albania. He became an Olympic medalist for Greece during the 2000 Summer Olympics when he claimed the silver medal in the men's – 77 kg class....
, a retired male weightlifter from Greece. He became an Olympic medalist during the 2000 Summer Olympics when he claimed the silver medal in the men's – 77 kg class and
- The legendary Greek weightlifter Dimitrios TofalosDimitrios TofalosDimitrios Tofalos was a Greek weightlifter. He was a member of both Gymnastiki Etaireia Patron and Panachaikos Gymnastikos syllogos, that merged in 1923 to become Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi...
. He was a member of both Gymnastiki Etaireia Patron and Panachaikos Gymnastikos syllogos, that merged in 1923 to become Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi. Arguably the greatest weightlifter of the early 20th century, he won the gold medal in the 1906 Intercalated Games, setting a world record that lasted until 1914.
Olympic Games
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
, and hosted the modern Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
twice, the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics
1896 Summer Olympics
The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Athens, Greece, from April 6 to April 15, 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era...
and the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
; the country also hosted the 1906 Intercalated Games, at the time regarded as Olympic Games but not officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
today. The nation has competed at every Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, one of the only four countries to have done so, and most of the Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
. During the parade of nations Greece is always called first, as the founding nation of the ancient precursor of modern Olympics, and its national governing body is the Hellenic Olympic Committee
Hellenic Olympic Committee
Hellenic Olympic Committee also known as Comité Olympique Hellénique is the governing Olympic body of Greece. It is one of the oldest National Olympic Committees in the world, being founded in 1894 and recognised in 1895....
.
Having won a total of 108 medals (30 gold, 42 silver and 36 bronze), Greece is ranked 32nd by gold medals in the all-time Summer Olympic medal count. Their best ever performance was in the 1896 Summer Olympics, when Greece finished second in the medal table with 10 gold medals, one less than the United States
United States at the 1896 Summer Olympics
Fourteen competitors from the United States competed in three sports at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Americans were the most successful nation in terms of gold medals, beating host nation Greece, 11 to 10...
, the most silver (17) and bronze (19) medals, as well as the most medals overall (46). After a long period of poor tallies, the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
marked an uptum and Greece made successive medal-winning records (excluding the 1896 record) in the three following Olympic Games. Greek athletes have won medals in 15 different sports, but the sports in which the Greek team has won most medals are primarily athletics
Athletics at the Summer Olympics
Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program now comprises track and field events, road running...
and weightlifting
Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics
Weightlifting has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the 1920 Summer Olympics, as well as twice before then. It debuted at the 1896 Summer Olympics, in Athens, Greece, and was also an event at the 1904 Games.-Men's events:...
, as well as other sports like wrestling
Wrestling at the Summer Olympics
Wrestling has been contested at the Summer Olympic Games since the sport was introduced in the ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC. When the modern Olympic Games resumed in Athens in 1896, wrestling became a focus of the Games, with the exception of the 1900 Summer Olympics when wrestling did not...
, gymnastics
Gymnastics at the Summer Olympics
Gymnastics events have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. For 32 years, only men were allowed to compete. Beginning at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, women were allowed to compete in artistic...
and shooting
Shooting at the Summer Olympics
Shooting sports have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics except at the 1904 & 1928 editions.-Men's:...
. In the 1906 Games, Greece finished third with 8 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze medals, and second in total behind France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with 35 medals; these medals are not officially included in the Olympic medal count though. Winter sport
Winter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s have not played a major role in Greece, thus the country has not won any medal in the Winter Olympics so far.
Paralympic Sports
Paralympic Sports have significant grown in Greece since the late 70s. The first participation of athletes with a disability at Paralympic GamesParalympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
was in 1976. The organisation of the Paralympic Games in Athens led to significant growth. The Hellenic Team participated in 17 of the 19 sports and won 20 medals (3 Gold, 13 Silver and 4 Bronze). At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games the Greek Team made its most successful appearance ever with 24 medals (5 Gold, 9 Silver and 10 Bronze).
Greece has won in total 68 medals at the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, participating only recently.
Athletics
Athletics has been another successful individual sport which has often given to Greece joy and national pride in the international competitions for the last few decades.Greek athletes have won 29 medals in total at the Olympic games for Greece and 19 medals in the IAAF World Championships in AthleticsIAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
,while some Greek athletes have reach world stardom with their achievements such as:
- Fani Chalkia who won the gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the women's 400m hurdlesAthletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 400 metres HurdlesThe women's 400 metres hurdles was one of 23 track events of the athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics, in Athens, Greece. It was contested at the Athens Olympic Stadium, from August 21 to August 25, by a total of 34 athletes from 25 nations....
at the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. During the semifinals Halkia set an Olympic record of 52.77 seconds.Niki Bakoyianni won a silver medal at the 1996 Summer OlympicsAthletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's high jumpThese are the official results of the Women's High Jump event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a total number of 33 competitors, with two non-starters...
after a tough competition with Stefka KostadinovaStefka KostadinovaStefka Kostadinova is a Bulgarian retired athlete and the current women's world record holder in the high jump. She is the current president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee.-Career:...
.Her personal best jump of 2.03 metres is the current Greek record.
- Periklis IakovakisPeriklís IakovákisPeriklís Iakovákis is a Greek athlete mainly competing in 400 metres hurdles. He is the Greek record holder and nine times national champion in the event....
who won the gold medal at the World Junior Championships1998 World Junior Championships in AthleticsThe 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 1998 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Annecy, France from July 28 to August 2, 1998.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
in Annecy, France with 49.82 seconds, and five years later he won the bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics2003 World Championships in AthleticsThe 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
in Paris-Saint-Denis, France. Iakovakis achieved his personal best of 47.82 seconds on 6 May 2006 in Osaka during the IAAF World Athletics Tour. He became European Champion2006 European Championships in AthleticsThe 19th European Athletics Championships were held in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 7 August and 13 August 2006. The competition arena was the Ullevi Stadium and the official motto "Catch the Spirit"...
in Gothenborg, Sweden finishing at 48.46 seconds in the final.
- Anastasia KelesidouAnastasia KelesidouAnastasia Kelesidou is a retired Greek discus thrower best known for winning silver medals at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. During her career she set seven Greek records in discus throw, the best being 67.70 metres....
is a retired GreekGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
discus throwDiscus throwThe discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
er best known for winning silver medals at the 2000Athletics at the 2000 Summer OlympicsAt the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, 46 events in athletics were contested, 24 for men and 22 for women. There were a total number of 2134 participating athletes from 193 countries.-Men's events:...
and 2004 Summer OlympicsAthletics at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAt the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...
. During her career she set seven Greek records in discus throw, the best being 67.70 metres.
- Konstantinos KenterisKonstantinos KenterisKonstandinos Kenderis, also spelled as Konstadinos Kederis is a former Greek athlete...
won gold medals in the 200 metres200 metresA 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
at the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, the 2001 World Championships in Athletics2001 World Championships in AthleticsThe 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
and the 2002 European Championships in Athletics2002 European Championships in AthleticsThe 18th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 August to 11 August 2002 in the Olympic Stadium of Munich, Germany.-Track:1994 |1998 |2002 |2006 |2010 |...
. Kenteris became the first WhiteWhite peopleWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
male to win a 200 meter sprinting medal at the Olympics since Pietro MenneaPietro MenneaPietro Paolo Mennea is an Italian former sprinter and politician, who was the 1980 Moscow Olympic 200 meter Champion, and also held the 200 m world record for 17 years.-Biography:...
achieved the feat by winning gold at the 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer OlympicsThe 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. He is one of the very few elite runners who have run the 200m distance under 20 seconds, with a personal best 19.85 sec.
- Haralabos Papadias won the gold medal in 60 metres at the 1997 World Indoor Championships1997 IAAF World Indoor ChampionshipsThe 6th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France from March 7 to March 9, 1997. It was the first athletic championships to introduce women's pole vault...
, in a time of 6.50 seconds (NR),the first and only white man to do so until today.
- Voula PatoulidouVoula PatoulidouParaskevi Patoulidou was born in Tripotamo . A prolific athlete, Patoulidou throughout her athletics career competed in the 100 metres, 100 metres hurdles and in the long jump events. Patoulidou became a Greek sporting legend in 1992, when she was the surprise winner of the Women's 100 m hurdles...
became a Greek sporting legend in 1992, when she was the surprise winner of the Women's 100 m hurdles race at the Olympic Games in BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
- Ekaterini Thanou won the silver medal in the women's 100 metres100 metresThe 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
at the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Although Marion JonesMarion JonesMarion Lois Jones , also known as Marion Jones-Thompson, is a former world champion track and field athlete, and a former professional basketball player for Tulsa Shock in the WNBA...
admitted to steroid use prior to and during the Sydney Olympics and had her gold medal withdrawn by the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, Thanou's silver medal was not upgraded to gold because she committed a doping offense herself in 2004. In 2002 she won the 100 m gold medal at the European Championships in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
- Louis TsatoumasLouis TsatoumasLouis Tsatoumas is a Greek long jumper.He won his first major senior medal in 2007 at the European Indoor Athletics Championships, where he claimed the silver medal behind an Italian record-breaking Andrew Howe. On 2 June 2007 in Kalamata Tsatoumas jumped 8.66 metres, achieving a personal...
is a GreekGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
long jumpLong jumpThe long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
er who on 2 June 2007 in KalamataKalamataKalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
jumped 8.66 metres, achieving a personal best. The performance was the best in the world since Iván PedrosoIván PedrosoIván Lázaro Pedroso Soler is a retired Cuban athlete, specializing in long jump.In July 1990, still at the age of 17, Pedroso jumped more than 8 meters for the first time. Facing tough competition from Carl Lewis, Mike Powell and others, he still won numerous gold medals in international...
leaped 8.70 m to win the gold medal at the 1995 World Championships1995 World Championships in AthleticsThe 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
. Tsatoumas ranks as the eighth best long jumper in history and holds the European recordEuropean records in athleticsEuropean records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the European Athletic Association. Records are kept for all events contested at the Olympic Games and some others. Unofficial records for some other events are kept by track and field statisticians...
in the event at low altitude.
- Anna VerouliAnna VerouliAnna Verouli is a retired Greek javelin thrower. She was born in Kavala.She won the gold medal at the 1982 European Championships in Athletics, and a bronze medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics....
is a retired GreekGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
javelin throwJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
er who won the gold medal at the 1982 European Championships in Athletics1982 European Championships in AthleticsThe 13th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 September to 12 September 1982 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Field:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |...
, and a bronze medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics1983 World Championships in AthleticsThe inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
.
- Hrysopiyi DevetziHrysopiyí DevetzíHrysopiyi "Pigi" Devetzi in Alexandroupoli is a former Greek athlete competing in the triple jump and long jump.She won the triple jump silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with 15.25 and the triple jump bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics with 15.23. At the 2004 Summer Olympics...
won the triple jump silver medal at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAthletics at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAt the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...
with 15.25 and the triple jump bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
with 15.23 m. At the 2004 Summer Olympics semifinal she set a Greek record of 15.32 metres. This performance ranks her in the fourth place of all time triple jumpers, after the world record holder, Inessa KravetsInessa KravetsInessa Mykolajivna Kravets is an Ukrainian triple jumper and long jumper.She jumped the world record at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg with 15.50m after studying a picture of Jonathan Edwards....
, her greatest rival Tatyana LebedevaTatyana LebedevaTatyana Romanovna Lebedeva is a Russian athlete who competes in both the long jump and triple jump events. She is one of most successful athletes in the disciplines, having won gold medals at Olympic, world and European levels...
and Françoise Mbango EtoneFrançoise Mbango EtoneFrançoise Mbango Etone is a female track and field athlete, competing internationally for France, formerly of the Cameroon. She was a gold medalist in the triple jump at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She retained her title with an Olympic record distance of 15.39m at the Beijing...
.
- Konstadinos GatsioudisKonstadinos GatsioudisKonstadinos Gatsioudis is a Greek javelin thrower.He was born in Didymoteicho.Gatsioudis set a world junior record in 1990, and eight national records during his career. His personal best throw is 91.69 metres, achieved in June 2000 in Kuortane.-Achievements:-External links:...
is a Greek javelin thrower, set a world junior record in 1990, and eight national records during his career. His personal best throw is 91.69 metres, achieved in June 2000 .
Other notable Greek athletes include Sofia Sakorafa
Sofia Sakorafa
Sofia Sakorafa is a former javelin thrower from Greece. She was born in Trikala.She broke the world record on 1982-09-16 with a throw of 74.20 metres. That mark stood as a Greek record until the new javelin was introduced in 1999....
who broke the world record on 16 September 1982 with a throw of 74.20 metres. Lambros Papakostas
Lambros Papakostas
Lambros Papakostas is a retired Greek high jumper who won two silver medals at the World Indoor Championships in 1995 and 1997. His personal best, achieved in Athens in 1992, was 2.36 metres. He is an eight-time national champion for Greece in the men's high jump event.-Achievements:-External links:...
a retired Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
er who won two silver medals at the World Indoor Championships
IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics
The International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships were inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently renamed in 1987 as they are known today.-History:...
in 1995 and 1997, with a personal best, achieved in Athens in 1992, 2.36 metres. Konstantinos Filippidis , Konstantinos Koukodimos
Konstantinos Koukodimos
Konstadinos "Kostas" Koukodimos with origin from Pieria, Makedonia is a retired Greek long jumper. He was born in Melbourne, Australia.-As athlete:Koukodimos is best known for his bronze medal at the 1994 European Championships...
, Christos Papanikolaou
Christos Papanikolaou
Christos Papanikolaou is a retired Greek pole vaulter.He was born in Trikala. At a young age he joined the Sports Club of Trikala. After completing his high school education he enrolled in the Sports Academy of Athens...
(who jumped 5.49 metres in Athens to capture the world record in 1970), Paraskevi Tsiamita
Paraskevi Tsiamita
Paraskevi Tsiamita is a former track and field athlete from Greece who competed in long jump and triple jump. In 1998 she improved her personal best in triple jump by approximately one metre, and became world champion in 1999 with a personal best jump of 15.07 metres...
, Niki Xanthou
Niki Xanthou
Niki Xanthou is a Greek long jumper.Xanthou set nine national record in long jump during her career. Her personal best, and national record, is 7.03 metres, achieved in August 1997 in Bellinzona...
and Mirela Manjani
Mirela Manjani
Mirela Manjani is a retired Greek javelin thrower. Prior to 1997 she represented Albania.She won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with a personal best of 67.51 m, and the bronze medal in 2004. Manjani is also a European champion and double world champion. Her personal best throw of...
.
Also legends of the past include the legendary Spyridon Louis and Konstantinos Tsiklitiras
Konstantinos Tsiklitiras
Konstantinos Tsiklitiras was a Greek athlete and Olympic champion.Born in Pylos, he moved to Athens to study commerce. Tsiklitiras soon took up sports. He practiced soccer and water polo, but is best remembered for winning four Olympic medals in standing long jump and standing high jump...
.
Sailing & Rowing
Greece has three bordering seas, the Aegean SeaAegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
, Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
and Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, so it not surprising that sailing is a popular sport. Greek athletes have won 7 medals in sailing and 2 in Rowing at the Olympic games and also numerous gold medals in the world and European championships. Some of the most notable Greek athletes in the sports of sailing and rowing include world and olympic champions such as:
- Nikolaos KaklamanakisNikolaos KaklamanakisNikolaos "Nikos" Kaklamanakis is the Greek Gold-medal winner who lit the Olympic torch in the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens....
, a Greek Gold-medal winner in windsurfing, who lit the Olympic torch in the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Anastasios BountourisAnastasios BountourisAnastasios "Tasos" Bountouris, born 2 August 1955 in Piraeus, Greece is a Greek sailor who competed at six Olympics between 1976 and 1996...
, a Greek sailor who competed at six Olympics between 1976 and 1996. He is the first Greek to compete at six Olympic Games, an achievement so far matched only by shooter Agathi Kassoumi. He won a bronze medal in the 1980 Olympics in the Three-Person Keelboat with Anastasios Gavrilis and Aristidis Rapanakis.
- Sofia BekatorouSofia BekatorouSofia Bekatorou , is a Greek sailing champion.She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Summer Olympics sailing competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Emilia Tsoulfa...
, who has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Summer Olympics sailing competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Emilia TsoulfaEmilia TsoulfaEmilia Tsoulfa is a Greek sailing champion.She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Olympic Sailing Competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Sofia Bekatorou...
. She has also won 4 world championships.
- Georgios ZaimisGeorgios ZaimisGeorgios Zaimis is a Greek sailor and Olympic Champion. He competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and won a gold medal in the Dragon class with the boat Nirefs. He finished 8th at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.-References:...
, a Greek sailor and Olympic Champion, who competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and won a gold medal in the Dragon class with the boat Nirefs.
- Vasileios Polymeros, a Greek rower who won the bronze medal in men's lightweight double sculls with Nikolaos Skiathitis at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and the silver in men's lightweight double sculls with Dimitrios Mougios at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He has also won one gold and 3 silver medals in the world championships.
- Dimitrios MougiosDimitrios MougiosDimitrios Mougios is a Greek rower.-Career:Mougios won the silver medal in men's lightweight double sculls with Vasileios Polymeros at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-References:*...
is a Greek rower, who won the silver medal in men's lightweight double sculls with Vasileios Polymeros at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, two-times European champion and a silver world champion.
In the European Rowing Championships
European Rowing Championships
The European Rowing Championships is an international Rowing regatta organised by FISA .The first event was held in 1893 and as of 1962 was replaced by the World Rowing Championships, which then became an annual event from 1974...
, Greece has won more gold medals all-time than any other nation, and is tied with Germany for the second-most medals of all time (behind Italy). In fact, Greece has finished first in the medal count 50% of the times it has been held, and has been in the top 4 of the medal count every single time!
Swimming & Diving
Swimming and Diving are two sports that Greek athletes have achieved significant wins at the Olympic Games, World championships and European Championships. Some notable Greek swimmers are the Olympic champions of the past Spiridon ChasapisSpiridon Chasapis
Spyridon P. Chazapis was a Greek swimmer. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.Chazapis competed in the 100 metres freestyle for sailors event. He placed second of the three swimmers....
and Efstathios Chorofas and present World and European champions such as Romanos Alyfantis
Romanos Alyfantis
Romanos Iasonas Alyfantis is a breaststroke swimmer from Greece. He won a silver medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and represented his native country at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.-References:...
, Ioannis Drymonakos
Ioannis Drymonakos
Ioannis Drymonakos is a Greek swimmer from Athens. He became the first ever Greek swimmer to hold a European swimming record by clocking a time of 1:54.16 seconds in 200 m butterfly event of the 2008 European Aquatics Championships final on 21 March 2008.He tested positive for banned drugs...
, the world champion in the 50 m backstroke event of the 2005 World Championships Aristeidis Grigoriadis
Aristeidis Grigoriadis
Aristeidis Grigoriadis is a Greek swimmer from Thessaloniki.-Career:Grigoriadis was the first Greek swimmer to be crowned world champion in the 50 m backstroke event of the 2005 World Championships in Montreal...
and silver world champion Spyridon Gianniotis
Spyridon Gianniotis
Spyridon "Spyros" Gianniotis is a freestyle swimmer from Greece, who was born in England. He won three individual medals at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and represented his native country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 2000. In 2011 he became world champion in the 10 km open...
.
Thomas Bimis
Thomas Bimis
Thomas Bimis is a Greek diver.-Career:Bimis competed in the synchronised 3 metre springboard competition at the 2004 Summer Olympics. After a bizarre event where the Chinese, Russian and American teams failed, he won the gold medal together with Nikolaos Siranidis...
and Nikolaos Siranidis
Nikolaos Siranidis
Nikolaos Siranidis is a Greek diver who competed in the synchronised 3 metre springboard competition at the 2004 Summer Olympics. After a bizarre event where the Chinese, Russian and American teams failed, Siranidis won the gold medal together with Thomas Bimis...
made history winning Greece's first-ever gold medal in diving and the hosts' first gold of the 2004 Athens Olympics. The diver pair therefore became very popular in Greece.
Tennis
TennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
has been growing in Greece over the past decade Eleni Daniilidou
Eleni Daniilidou
Eleni Daniilidou is a Greek tennis player born in Chania, on the island of Crete.As of 2011, she has won five WTA singles titles and three doubles titles. In 2003, she reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final. Her highest singles ranking has been 14th...
has had a lot of success, winning 5 WTA Tour titles in her career. Several players with Greek ancestry, such as Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player and former world no. 1. During his 15-year tour career, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles and became recognized as one of the greatest tennis players of all time....
and Mark Philippoussis
Mark Philippoussis
Mark Anthony Philippoussis is an Australian tennis player. He turned professional in 1994. His father is Greek, while his mother is of Italian ancestry....
have become very famous around the world. Greek-Cypriot star Marcos Baghdatis
Marcos Baghdatis
At the French Open, Baghdatis lost in the second round in five sets to Frenchman Julien Benneteau, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6.At Wimbledon, Baghdatis defeated British player Andy Murray in the fourth round in straight sets. In the quarterfinals, Baghdatis beat the 2002 champion and former world no. 1...
has many fans in Greece. Greece also has several other players at the international level, like Christina Papadáki
Christína Papadáki
Christína Papadáki is a former tennis player from Greece who turned professional in 1990.Papadaki's biggest career achievement was reaching the final of the Copa Colsanitas Seguros Bolivar tournament in 1999, losing to Fabiola Zuluaga and winning the doubles title with Seda Noorlander in the...
, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, Vasilis Mazarakis, Konstantinos Economidis
Konstantinos Economidis
Konstantinos Economidis is a professional Greek tennis player. In 2007, he qualified for the French Open and defeated Australian Chris Guccione in the first round before losing to Tommy Robredo in the second round. He suffered injury in 2008 and in January 2010 was ranked 653 in the world. He...
, Anna Gerasimou
Anna Gerasimou
Anna Gerasimou is a Greek tennis player. When she was young, she moved from Kavala, Greece to Athens, Greece in order to pursue a career in tennis. She competed in the women's doubles at the 2008 Summer Olympics with partner Eleni Daniilidou, and lost in the first round to the Swiss team of...
and Irini Georgatou
Irini Georgatou
Eirini Georgatou is a Greek tennis player. Her career high singles rank is 193, which she achieved on January 17, 2011. Her career high doubles rank is 171, which she achieved on January 31, 2011. As of October 18, 2010...
.
Handball
HandballTeam handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
is one of the most popular team sports in Greece. The Greece national handball team
Greece national handball team
The Greece national handball team is the national handball team of Greece and is controlled by the Greek Handball Association....
finished 6th out of 24 teams in the 2005 World Men's Handball Championship
2005 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2005 World Championship for men in team handball was played in Tunisia between January 23 and February 6, 2005.The winner of the gold medal was Spain, Croatia took silver and France won the bronze.-Group A :-Group B :...
, in their first (and so far only) time competing. In the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Greece finished 6th. Greece finished 4th out of 6 teams in Group B, with wins over Brazil national handball team
Brazil national handball team
The Brazil national handball team is the national handball team of Brazil and is governed by the Brazilian Handball Confederation. The material supplier is the Brazilian sports articles brand Penalty.- World Championship:- Olympic Games :...
and Egypt national handball team
Egypt national handball team
The Egyptian national handball team is the national handball team of Egypt and is controlled by the Egyptian Handball Federation.The Team's performance in the '90s boosted the sport's popularity in the country and attracted media and official attention, especially after scoring a huge upset against...
, before losing in the quarterfinals to eventual gold medalists Croatia national handball team
Croatia national handball team
The Croatian national handball team is a handball team that represents Croatia in the international matches and has been playing since the country's independence in the early 1990s...
, and then beating South Korea national handball team, before losing to France national handball team
France national handball team
France national handball team is the handball team, supervised by the French Handball Federation, that represents France in the international matches....
in the classification rounds.
See also
- Superleague Greece (top football league)
- HEBA A1 (top basketball league)
- Hellenic Football Federation
- Greece national football teamGreece national football teamThe Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
- Greece national basketball teamGreece national basketball teamThe Greece national basketball team is the representative for Greece in international men's basketball competitions, organized and run by the Hellenic Basketball Federation. Traditionally, Greece is considered among the world's top basketball powers; they were runners-up in the 2006 FIBA World...
- Greece at the 2004 Summer OlympicsGreece at the 2004 Summer OlympicsGreece was the host nation for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The delegation of 441 athletes, 223 men and 218 women, was represented by the Hellenic Olympic Committee...
- Rugby union in GreeceRugby union in GreeceRugby union in Greece is a minor but growing sport.-Governing body:The governing body is the Hellenic Rugby Federation , which is affiliated to FIRA, but not to the IRB...
- Sport in Greece