Greek Sport

Popular Sports Volleyball Water polo Basketball Football Rowing Diving

Volleyball The A1 Ethniki often referred to as the Greek Volleyball League, is the highest professional volleyball league in Greece.

Water Polo Greece men's national water polo team has participated 15 times at the Olympic Games. Their best result was at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where they took the 4th place.

Basketball It is ranked as one of the top 3 level national domestic leagues in European basketball by the European national basketball league rankings. It consists of 14 teams.

Football The Greek national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation. In 2004 they won UEFA European Championship. A national league for women exists since 1987.

Rowing Bronze medalists Alexandra Tsiavou and Christina Giazitzidou won one of Greece's two Olympic medals of the 2012 Games, when they took bronze in the lightweight women's double sculls

Diving Diving - until 2006 - was significantly restricted to keep people from plundering the artifacts littering the seafloor throughout the country.

Ancient Olimpic Games The Olympic Games were a series of athletic competitions. The first Olympics is traditionally dated to 776 BC.

History of Marathon The name Marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he ran from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in battle in 490 BC. He wasn’t stopping and died in Athens because of exhausting.

Interesting facts

What was the only Olympics event until 724 BC? 200 yard footrace. The 200 yard footrace was called stade. The other events arrived in later years.

What did winners receive? A wreath of olive branches. A wreath of olive branches is like today's gold medal.

When was boxing first viewed in the stadium? 688 BC. Some boxing matches could last all day long, and competitors often sustained damage to the face.

How long Olympics last? First it was only one day and then five. They consisted of eight competition.

Olimpic Games Now The modern Olympic Games are the leading international sporting event. Thousands of athletes from around the world participate in different competitions. The 2004 Summer Olympic Games were in Athens.

Christina Giazitzidou She won the bronze medal (along with Alexandra Tsiavou) at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, at the event of Women's lightweight double sculls.

Sofia Bekatorou She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Summer Olympics sailing competition, where she won gold. After a serious back injury she won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Konstandinos Kenderis He is a former Greek athlete. He won gold medals in the 200 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics the 2001 World Championships in Athletics and the 2002 European Championships in Athletics.

Emilia Tsoulfa She is a Greek sailing champion and the first female Greek sailor at the Olympic Games.

Teofanis Gekas Theofanis "Fanis" Gekas is a Greek footballer who plays  in the Turkish Super Lig, as a striker.

The End By Poland