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Periklis Iakovakis is one of the favorite athletes in Greece. This air force officer was born on March 24, 1979 in Patras ( Greece ). He is a bachelor's degree from Athens Finance University. In the 1990s and 2000s , Periklis won any medals. At the 1998 Junior World Championship in Annecy ( France ), he won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles. He also won a gold medal at the 2006 European Cup in Goteborg ( Sweden ). Periklis is a member of the Greek Olympic team. During an interview, he said "I joined my oldest brother Sotiris a day he went for training in Lehaina in 1994. When I was younger I used to play football and basketball but when I got into athletics I was obsessed with the sport. I first went into the long jump and 110m hurdles. But when I realized I had a very good technique in jumping over hurdles and I could run fast for a long time, I chose the 400m hurdles. It was just before 1997".
London Olympic
Athens hosted the 1991 Mediterranean Games
Greek sportspersons achieved many medals at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney ( Australia ). Gold medals: Pyrros Dimas ( weightlifting / light heavyweight ), Konstantinos Kenteris ( track & field / 200m ), Michael Mourotsos ( martial arts / under 59kg ), Akakide Kahiashvilis ( weightlifting / middle heavyweight ). Silver medals: Ekateri Thanou ( track and field / 100m ), Viktor Mitrou ( weightlifting / middleweight ), Leonidas Sampanis ( weightlifting / featherweight ), Dimosthenis Tampokos ( gymnastics / rigs ), Mirela Manjani ( track and field / javelin throw ), Anastasia Kelesidou ( athletics / discus throw ). Bronze medals: Anna Pollatou, Evangelia Chistodoulou, Eirini Aindili, Maria Georgatou, Zacharoula Karyami, Charikleia Pantazi ( gymnastics / rhythmic team ), Ionna Chatziioannou ( weightlifting / 63kg ), Almiran Karntanov ( wrestling / freestyle flyweight ).
This European country has hosted many world championships:
The 2006 Iaaf World Cup
The 1997 Iaaf World Track and Field Championships
The 1986 Iaaf World Junior Championships
Pyrros Dimas was the flag bearer of the Greek Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Ironically, Pyrros was born in Albania, one of the most poorest countries in Europe. For political and economic reasons, he became a Greek people in 1991. He also was the flag bearer of the Greek delegation at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the United States. From 1992 to 2000, he won three Olympic titles. Currently, Pyrros is a national hero in Athens.
Greece has competed in all the Olympic Games: Athens-1896, Paris-1900, St. Louis -1904, London-1908, Stockholm-1912, Antwerp-1920, Paris-1924, Los Angeles-1932, Berlin-1936, London-1948, Helsinki-1952, Melbourne-1956, Rome-1960, Tokyo-1964, Mexico City-1968, Munich-1972, Montreal-1976, Moscow-1980, Los Angeles-1984, Seoul-1988, Barcelona-1992, Atlanta-1996, Sydney-2000 and Athens-2004. Unlike Norway, West Germany, Liechtenstein and Albania, Greece did not boycott the Olympic Games in Moscow ( Ussr / currently Russia ). From 1896 to 2004, Greece has won 30 gold medals. This European country has more gold medals than Spain, Brazil and Argentina.
Greece -it is one of the world's oldest countries- is the birthplace of the Olympics. The I Olympic Games were held in Athens ( 1896 ). There were 245 athletes from 14 countries competitive in 9 sports ( aquatics, athletics, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling ). Greek made up 65% of all athletes participating. The host country won 46 medals (10 golds, 17 silvers, 19 bronzes). The participating countries were Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
Mirela Majani was born on December 21, 1976 in Durres, Albania. In her country, she trained under the direction of Enver Mysja. In 1997, Mirela became a naturalized Greek. Six years later, she won a gold medal in the javelin throw at the 1999 Iaaf World Track and Field Championships in Sevilla, Spain. She also concluded first at the 2003 Iaaf World Championships in Paris ( France ). This sportswoman studied at the University of Alabama (Usa).
Greece hosted the 1998 Men's World Basketball Championships. Final standings:
1.Yugoslavia (currently Serbia)
2.Russia
3.United States
4.Greece
5.Spain
6.Italy
7.Lithuania
8.Argentina
9.Australia
10.Brazil
11.Puerto Rico
12.Canada
13.Nigeria
14.Japan
15.Senegal
16.South Korea
Athens hosted "the 1906 International Games". Unfortunately, these Games were not recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( Ioc ).
challenging Facts About Olympic Nations - Greece