The Contributions of athletes Immigrants to the Greek National teams

Famous athletes during the 20th century

During the 20th century a lot of athletes became both successful and famous. Some of them are:

 

Pyrros Dimas: weightlifting olympic medalist

Dimas was born in Himara, southern Albania. Dimas started the sport at the age of 7.5 and competed at a junior's level at 14.Pyrros Dimas is the most successful athlete in the Olympic history of weightlifting, having won a lot of medals in different tournaments.

Medal record:
Olympic Games:

Gold medal, 1992, Barcelona (-82.5 kg)
Gold medal, 1996, Atlanta (-83 kg)
Gold medal, 2000, Sydney (-85 kg)
Bronze medal, 2004, Athens (-85 kg)

World Championships:

Gold medal,1993, Melbourne (-83 kg)
Gold medal,1995, Guangzhou (-83 kg)
Gold medal, 1998, Lahti (-85 kg)

Silver medal, 1999, Athens (-85 kg)

Ilias Iliadis: judo olympic medalist

Ilias Iliadis was born in Jarji Zviadauri, Georgia. Ilias Iliadis is representing Greece since the start of his international career. He has taken part in a lot of tournaments and has managed to win a lot of medals at both Olympic and World Championships.

Medal record:

Olympic Games:

Gold medal, 2004, Athens (-81 kg)

Bronze medal, 2012, London (-90 kg)

World Championships:

Gold medal, 2012, Tokyo (-90 kg)

Gold medal, 2011, Paris (-90 kg)

Gold medal, 2014, Chelyabinsk (-90 kg)

Silver medal, 2005, Cairo (-90 kg)

Silver medal, 2007, Rio de Janeiro (-90 kg)

Bronze medal, 2013, Rio de Janeiro (-90 kg)

 

Kalinikos Kreanga: table tennis world medalist

Kalinikos Kreanga was born in Bistrita, Romania. Kreanga started to play tennis at the age of 7 and he received an offer to play in Greece, so he decided to move there. He is a really good player, having won a lot of medals in different tournaments.

Medal record:

World Championships:

Bronze medal, 1991, Chiba City (mixed doubles)

Bronze medal, 2003, Paris (singles)

 

Mirela Maniani: javelin throw olympic medalist

Mirela Maniani was born in Durres, Albania. After marrying a Greek citizen, the weightlifter George Tzelilis, Maniani received Greek citizenship and represented Greece at the 1997 World Championships in Athens. She is a really good athlete and has managed to win a lot of medals in different tournaments.

Medal record:

Olympic Games:

Silver medal, 2000, Sydney

Bronze medal, 2004, Athens 

World Championships:

Gold medal, 1999, Seville

Gold medal, 2003, Paris

Silver medal, 2001, Edmonton

  

Nikos Galis: professional basketball player

Nikos Galis was born in Union City, New Jersey, USA. Nikos Galis is considered to be one of the most successful athletes of Europe. Also, he was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors in 2008.

Medal record:

Eurobasket:

Gold medal, 1987, Greece

Silver medal, 1989, Yugoslavia

Vasilis Hatzipanagis: professional football player

Vasilis Hatzipanagis was born in Tashkent, a city of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Vasilis Hatzipanagis has become really famous in Greece and he is considered to be the most successful Greek player of all ages. He was a member of Greece's National Football Team from 1976 till 1999 and stopped his professional career because his age did not allow it anymore.