Famous Greek Athletes

Alexi Pappas is a Greek-American runner, actor, writer, and filmmaker. In 2016, she set the national record for 10,000m at the Rio Olympics where she represented Greece. As a filmmaker, Alexi Pappas is credited with bankrolling and writing Olympic Dreams, the first fictional film to be shot in an Olympic village. 

Katerina Stefanidi is a Greek pole vaulter best known for winning the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2017, she won the gold medal at the IAAF World Championships. Stefanidi has also won two gold medals at the European Championships in 2016 and 2018. Katerina Stefanidi is considered the greatest Greek female athlete of the modern era. 

Theagenes of Thasos was an ancient Greek Olympian who was renowned for his exceptional strength and swiftness. A popular sportsperson of his time, Theagenes competed in various tournaments like the Olympian, Nemean, Pythian, and Isthmian Games, winning 1300 crowns altogether.

Cynisca was a Spartan princess best remembered as the first female Olympic champion. Cynisca and her horses took part in the sport of chariot racing in 396 BC and emerged as the first woman to win at the Olympics. At a time when women were not allowed to compete in the Olympics, Cynisca not only competed but competed against men.

Sofia Bekatorou is a sailing champion from Greece. She has participated in hundreds of main class sailing events and is the winner of one Olympic gold medal. She was the flag-bearer for her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first female flag bearer for Greece in the history of the Summer Olympics.  

Former Greek pole vaulter Errika Prezerakou had her Olympic dreams shattered twice due to injuries. She won various Greek and Balkan championships and is now a motivational speaker and alternative therapy coach who promotes the Replayce method. She also won the Greek version of Dancing with the Stars.