Greece at the Olympics
Overview of Greece’s connection to the Olympic Games: ancient origins, role in the modern revival, participation and traditions such as the torch lighting and leading the opening parade.
Overview
Greece occupies a central place in the history and ceremony of the Olympic Games. The festival that inspired the modern movement began in antiquity at Olympia; the ancient tradition is often cited as the cultural root of the modern Games and is described in sources on the Ancient Olympic Games. In the modern era Greece helped revive and host the inaugural international edition and continues to hold symbolic roles in each Olympiad.
Image gallery
4 Images
Historical background
The first international modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. The Hellenic Olympic Committee serves as Greece’s National Olympic Committee and has overseen Greek participation ever since. Greece is one of the nations most closely associated with the Games because of its classical legacy and its early contribution to the revival of the Olympic movement.
Modern participation and symbols
Greece has a continuous presence in the modern Summer Olympics and has also sent delegations to Winter Games. Several customs link Greece permanently to Olympic ritual: the Olympic flame is lit in Olympia and traditionally the torch relay begins there, and at the opening ceremony the Greek delegation customarily marches first. The International Olympic Committee uses "International Olympic Committee" as the governing body, and Greece’s official three-letter code is GRE.
Notable moments and contributions
- Hosting the first modern Games (Athens, 1896) and later hosting again (Athens, 2004), both widely remembered events.
- The creation of the modern marathon event, inspired by the ancient tale of the runner from Marathon to Athens; the 1896 marathon winner became a national hero.
- Preservation of ceremonial practices—flame lighting at Olympia and Greece leading the parade—that link present-day sport to classical origins.
Significance and legacy
Beyond medals and competitions, Greece’s Olympic identity is cultural and symbolic. Its festivals, historical sites, and continuing participation keep a visible connection between the ancient tradition and the global modern Games. For readers seeking primary institutional sources about rules, history or current governance, consult materials published by the International Olympic Committee and the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Summer Olympics
|
Gold medal: 33 times |
Silver medal: 43 times |
Bronze medal: 40 times |
Medal table
| Greek delegation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
| Athens 1896 | 102 athletes | 10 | 17 | 19 |
| Paris 1900 | 3 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| St. Louis 1904 | 14 athletes | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| London 1908 | 20 athletes | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Stockholm 1912 | 22 athletes | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Antwerp 1920 | 47 athletes | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Paris 1924 | 39 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amsterdam 1928 | 23 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles 1932 | 10 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Berlin 1936 | 41 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| London 1948 | 61 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Helsinki 1952 | 48 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Melbourne 1956 | 13 athletes | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rome 1960 | 48 athletes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tokyo 1964 | 18 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mexico 1968 | 44 athletes | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Munich 1972 | 60 athletes | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Montreal 1976 | 36 athletes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Moscow 1980 | 41 athletes | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Los Angeles 1984 | 63 athletes | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Seoul 1988 | 56 athletes | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Barcelona 1992 | 70 athletes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlanta 1996 | 121 athletes | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Sydney 2000 | 140 athletes | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Athens 2004 | 426 athletes | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Beijing 2008 | 152 athletes | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| London 2012 | 103 athletes | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Rio 2016 | 95 athletes | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Medalist
Table of Contents A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
- Andreou, Joannis (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal swimming 1200 m
- Andriakopoulos, Nicolaos (1|1|0)
Athens 1896, gold medal tug of war
Athens 1896, silver medal parallel bars (team)
- Athanasopoulos, Spyros (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal parallel bars (team)
- Aindili, Irini (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Asilian, Dimitra (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
B
- Boundouris, Anastasios (0|0|1)
Moscow 1980, bronze medal sailing (team)
- Bakogianni, Niki (0|1|0)
Atlanta 1996, silver medal high jump
- Bimis, Thomas (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal synchronized diving (team)
- Bekatorou, Sofia (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal sailing (team)
Beijing 2008, bronze medal sailing (team)
C
- Chasapis, Spiridon (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal sailor swimming (100 m)
- Christopoulos, Stefanos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Wrestling
- Chorafas, Efstathios (0|0|2)
Athens 1896, bronze medal swimming freestyle (500 m)
Athens 1896, bronze medal swimming freestyle (1200 m)
- Chrysaphis, Ioannis (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal parallel bars (team)
- Chatzipavlis, Ilias (0|1|0)
Munich 1972, silver medal sailing
- Chatziioannidis, Georgios (0|0|1)
Moscow 1980, Bronze Medal Wrestling
- Cholidis, Charalambos (0|0|2)
Los Angeles 1984, Bronze Medal Wrestling
Seoul 1988, Bronze Medal Wrestling
- Chatziioannou, Anna (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal weightlifting
- Christodoulou, Evangelia (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Chalkia, Fani (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal 400 m hurdles
D
- Damaskos, Evangelos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal pole vault
- Drivas, Dimitrios (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal sailor swimming (100 m)
- Dorizas, Michalis (0|1|0)
London 1908, silver medal javelin throw
- Dimas, Pyrros (3|0|1)
Barcelona 1992, gold medal weightlifting
Atlanta 1996, gold medal weightlifting
Sydney 2000, gold medal weightlifting
Athens 2004, bronze medal weightlifting
- Devetzi, Chrysopigi (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal athletics
E
- Eskitzoglou, Ulysses (1|0|0)
Rome 1960, Gold Medal Sailing (Team)
- Ellinaki, Georgia (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
G
- Gouskos, Miltiadis (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal shot put
- Golemis, Dimitrios (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal 800 m
- Georgiadis, Ioannis (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, Gold Medal Sabre
- Georgandas, Nikolaos (0|0|1)
St. Louis 1904, Bronze Medal Discus Throw
- of Greece, Constantine II (1|0|0)
Rome 1960, Gold Medal Sailing (Team)
- Galaktopoulos, Petros (0|1|1)
Mexico 1968, Bronze Medal Wrestling
Munich 1972, Silver Medal Wrestling
- Gavrilis, Anastasios (0|0|1)
Moscow 1980, bronze medal sailing (team)
- Georgatou, Maria (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Giazitzidou, Christina (0|0|1)
London 2012, Bronze Medal Rowing
- Gianniotis, Spyros (0|1|0)
Rio 2016, silver medal swimming (10 km)
I
- Iliadis, Ilias
Athens 2004, Gold Medal Judo
London 2012, Bronze Medal Judo
K
- Karasevdas, Pantelis (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, Gold Medal Military Rifle (200 m)
- Karvelas, Phillippos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal parallel bars (team)
- Karakalos, Telemachos (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, Silver Medal Sabre
- Konstantinidis, Aristidis (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, gold medal road race (87 km)
- Kasdaglis, Dionysios (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal tennis (single)
- Kolettis, Georgios (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal 100 km bike
- Kakousis, Pericles (1|0|0)
St. Louis 1904, Gold Medal Weightlifting
- Kaklamanakis, Nikolaos (1|1|0)
Atlanta 1996, gold medal windsurfing
Athens 2004, silver medal windsurfing
- Kachiasvilis, Akakios (2|0|0)
Atlanta 1996, gold medal weightlifting
Sydney 2000, gold medal weightlifting
- Kokas, Leonidas (0|1|0)
Atlanta 1996, silver medal weightlifting
- Kenteris, Kostas (1|0|0)
Sydney 2000, gold medal 200 m
- Kelesidou, Anastasia (0|2|0)
Sydney 2000, silver medal discus throw
Athens 2004, silver medal discus throw
- Kardanov, Amiran (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal wrestling
- Karyami, Zacharoula (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Karagianni, Eftychia (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Karapataki, Angeliki (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Kozompoli, Stavroula (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Kiourengian, Artiom (0|0|1)
Athens 2004, Bronze Medal Wrestling
- Kravarioti, Virginia (0|0|1)
Beijing 2008, bronze medal sailing (team)
- Korakaki, Anna (1|0|1)
Rio 2016, gold medal shooting sport pistol (25 m)
Rio 2016, bronze medal shooting air pistol (10 m)
- Kagialis, Pavlos (0|0|1)
Rio 2016, Bronze Medal Sailing
L
- Loundras, Dimitrios (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal parallel bars (team)
- Louis, Spyridon (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, Gold Medal Marathon
- Leonidis, Valerios (0|1|0)
Atlanta 1996, silver medal weightlifting
- Lara, Georgia (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Liosi, Kyriaki (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
M
- Morakis, Nikolaos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Shooting Service Revolver (25 m)
- Malokinis, Ioannis (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, gold medal sailor swimming (100 m)
- Mitropoulos, Ioannis (1|0|1)
Athens 1896, Gold Medal Rings
Athens 1896, bronze medal parallel bars (team)
- Metaxas, Anastasios (0|0|1)
London 1908, Bronze Medal Shooting
- Moraitinis, Georgios (0|1|0)
Antwerp 1920, Silver Medal Rapid Fire Pistol 30 m (Team)
- Migiakis, Stylianos (1|0|0)
Moscow 1980, Gold Medal Wrestling
- Melissanidis, Ioannis (1|0|0)
Atlanta 1996, gold medal floor exercise
- Mouroutsos, Michalis (1|0|0)
Sydney 2000, gold medal Taekwondo
- Maniani, Mirela (0|1|1)
Sydney 2000, silver medal javelin throw
Athens 2004, bronze medal javelin throw
- Mitrou, Viktor (0|1|0)
Sydney 2000, silver medal weightlifting
- Mystakidou, Eli (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal Taekwondo
- Melidoni, Antiopi (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Moraiti, Antonia (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Moraitidou, Evangelia (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Mylonaki, Toula (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
- Mougios, Dimitrios (0|1|0)
Beijing 2008, silver medal rowing
- Mantis, Panagiotis (0|0|1)
Rio 2016, Bronze Medal Sailing
N
- Nikolopoulos, Stamatios (0|2|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal cycling 333 ⅓ m
Athens 1896, silver medal cycling 2000 m
- Nikolopoulos, Alexandros (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Weightlifting Single Arm
- Nikolaidis, Alexandros (0|2|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal Taekwondo
Beijing 2008, silver medal Taekwondo
O
- Orfanidis, Georgios (1|1|0)
Athens 1896, Gold Medal Military Rifle (300 m)
Athens 1896, silver medal pistol (25 m)
- Ikonomopoulou, Ekaterini (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
P
- Paspatis, Konstantinos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Tennis (Singles)
- Pyrgos, Leonidas (1|0|0)
Athens 1896, gold medal foil for fencing master
- Phrangoudis, Joannis (1|1|1)
Athens 1896, gold medal pistol (25 m)
Athens 1896, Silver Medal Military Rifle (300 m)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Revolver (30 m)
- Paraskevopoulos, Panagiotis (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal discus throw
- Pavlidis, Pavlos (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, Silver Medal Military Rifle (200 m)
- Persakis, Petros (0|1|1)
Athens 1896, silver medal parallel bars (team)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Rings
- Pepanos, Antonios (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal swimming freestyle (500 m)
- Persakis, Ioannis (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Triple Jump
- Papasideris, Georgios (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal shot put
- Pierrakos-Mavromichalis, Pericles (0|0|[1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal foil
- Patoulidou, Voula (1|0|0)
Barcelona 1992, gold medal 100 m hurdles
- Pantazi, Charikleia (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Pollatou, Anna (0|0|1)
Sydney 2000, bronze medal rhythmic gymnastics (team)
- Polymeros, Vasileios (0|1|1)
Athens 2004, bronze medal rowing
Beijing 2008, silver medal rowing
- Papadopoulou, Sophia (0|0|1)
Beijing 2008, bronze medal sailing (team)
- Petrounias, Lefteris (1|0|0)
Rio 2016, Gold Medal Rings
R
- Roumbanis, Georgios (0|0|1)
Melbourne 1956, bronze medal pole vault
- Rapanakis, Aristidis (0|0|1)
Moscow 1980, bronze medal sailing (team)
- Roubessi, Antigoni (0|1|0)
Athens 2004, silver medal water polo (team)
S
- Sampanis, Leonidas (0|2|0)
Atlanta 1996, silver medal weightlifting
Sydney 2000, silver medal weightlifting
- Sappas, Iason (0|1|0)
Antwerp 1920, Silver Medal Rapid Fire Pistol 30 m (Team)
- Siranidis, Niko (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal synchronized diving (team)
- Skiathitis, Nikos (0|0|1)
Athens 2004, bronze medal rowing
- Stefanidi, Katerina (1|0|0)
Rio 2016, gold medal pole vault
T
- Trikupis, Nicolaos (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, Bronze Medal Military Rifle (200 m)
- Theodoropoulos, Ioannis (0|0|1)
Athens 1896, bronze medal pole vault
- Tsitas, Georgios (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, Silver Medal Wrestling
- Tsiklitiras, Konstantinos (1|2|1)
London 1908, silver medal standing long jump
London 1908, silver medal standing high jump
Stockholm 1912, gold medal standing long jump
Stockholm 1912, bronze medal standing high jump
- Theofilakis, Alexandros (0|1|0)
Antwerp 1920, Silver Medal Rapid Fire Pistol 30 m (Team)
- Theofilakis, Ioannis (0|1|0)
Antwerp 1920, Silver Medal Rapid Fire Pistol 30 m (Team)
- Thanopoulos, Dimitrios (0|1|0)
Los Angeles 1984, Silver Medal Wrestling
- Ekaterini Thanou (0|1|0)
Sydney 2000, silver medal 100 m race
- Tambakos, Dimosthenis (1|1|0)
Sydney 2000, silver medal rings
Athens 2004, gold medal rings
- Tsoumeleka, Athanasia (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal 400 m hurdles
- Tsoulfa, Emilia (1|0|0)
Athens 2004, gold medal sailing (team)
- Tsiavou, Alexandra (0|0|1)
London 2012, Bronze Medal Rowing
V
- Versis, Sotirios (0|0|2)
Athens 1896, bronze medal weightlifting
Athens 1896, bronze medal discus throw
- Vasilakos, Kharilaos (0|1|0)
Athens 1896, Silver Medal Marathon
- Vrasivanopoulos, Alexandros (0|1|0)
Antwerp 1920, Silver Medal Rapid Fire Pistol 30 m (Team)
X
- Xenakis, Thomasios (0|2|0)
Athens 1896, silver medal parallel bars (team)
Athens 1896, silver medal tug of war
Z
- Zaimis, Georgios (1|0|0)
Rome 1960, Gold Medal Sailing (Team)
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Greece at the Olympics Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/40625
Sources
- la84foundation.org : "Official abbreviations" at The Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Tokyo, 1964, [p. 9 of 409 PDF]
- olympic.org : "Greece"