Greece at the Olympics

Greece has taken part in every Summer Olympic Games. It is one of only five countries to do this. Greece has also joined most Winter Olympic Games.

Greece hosted the modern Olympic Games twice, both times in its capital city, Athens. The first was for the Summer Olympic Games and again in (/wiki/2004_Summer_Olympics).

Because Greece is where the Ancient Olympic Games began, the country always leads the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony. This special honor did not happen in 2004, when Greece entered last as the host nation. Before each Olympics, the Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia. This flame then travels around the world in the Olympic torch relay. At the closing ceremony, the flag of Greece is raised along with the flags of the current and next host countries.

Greek athletes have won medals in many sports. Right now, Greece is in 36th place in the all-time Summer Olympics medal count. The sports where Greece has earned the most medals are Athletics and weightlifting. Greece has also won medals in gymnastics, shooting, and wrestling.

In the very first Olympics in 1896, Greece came second in gold medals but won the most medals overall.

Greece has not won any medals at the Winter Olympics so far.

Hosted Games

Greece has hosted the Summer Olympic Games two times. The first time was in 1896, and the second time was in 2004. Both times, the games were in Athens.

Athens also hosted the 1906 Intercalated Games. People thought these were Olympic Games at the time, according to the International Olympic Committee.

Medal tables

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

Medals by Summer Games

  Host country

Source:

Medals by Winter Games

Source:

Medals by summer sport

Source:

Medal tables by athlete

List of medalists

Athletes with most medals

See also: List of multiple Olympic medalists

Top medalists

The tables below show Greece's top Olympic medalists, sorted by gold, silver and then bronze medals.

Men

Women

Additional disputed medals of 1896

There is some confusion about results and medals from the first Summer Olympics of 1896. The Hellenic Olympic Committee lists different results for some events and extra medals for Greece, which are not on the IOC website. These are shown separately and not included in the other tables.

Summary by sport

Aquatics

Swimming

Greece joined swimming in the first Olympic Games in 1896. In a special event for Greek sailors, they took the top three spots. In other events, they won two silver medals and one bronze. Since then, Greek swimmers have won two more silver medals, at the 2016 and 2024 Games.

Diving

Greece won a gold medal in diving at the 2004 Games.

Water Polo

Greece has won silver medals in water polo. The women's team won in 2004, and the men's team won in 2020.

Athletics

Greece started in athletics at the first Games in 1896 and won the men's marathon. Since then, Greece has earned many medals in athletics, especially from the 1992 Games to the 2020 Games. Athletics is Greece's most successful sport at the Olympics.

Cycling

In the first Games in 1896, Greece joined all six cycling events and won one, with three second-place finishes. As of 2020, these are the only cycling medals Greece has ever won.

Fencing

At the first Games in 1896, Greece joined all three fencing events. They won two gold medals and other top places. These are still the only fencing medals Greece has won, up to the 2020 Olympics.

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Gymnastics

Greece sent 52 gymnasts to the first Games in 1896, when teams were very large, and won six medals. Since then, Greece has won many gymnastics medals from the 1996 Games through to the 2020 Games.

Judo

Greece first joined judo at the 2004 Games and has won three medals since then.

Rowing

Greece won its first rowing medal at the 2004 Games and has added more medals since then.

Sailing

Greece began in sailing in 1948. They won their first medal in this sport at the 1960 Games and have won many more since then.

Shooting

In the first Games in 1896, Greece joined all five shooting events, winning three and earning medals in the other two, for a total of nine. Greece has also won shooting medals again from the 2016 Games onwards.

Tae Kwon Do

Greece first joined tae kwon do at the 2000 Games and won medals in three consecutive Olympic Games in the 2000s.

Tennis

Greece first joined tennis at the 1896 Games, with seven players in men's singles and doubles. Greek players won silver and bronze in singles, and a Greek pair won silver in doubles. These medals from 1896 are the only tennis medals Greece has won through the 2020 Games.

Weightlifting

Greece first joined weightlifting at the 1896 Games, with three lifters competing. They won bronze in both events. Since then, Greek weightlifters have won many medals from the 1992 Games through to the 2004 Games, including achievements by Greece's top Olympic medalist Pyrros Dimas.

Wrestling

Greece first joined wrestling at the 1896 Games, with two wrestlers earning silver and bronze. Since then, Greek wrestlers have continued to win medals from the 1968 Games onwards.

Hosted Olympic logos and mottos

1896 Summer Olympics

In 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, the capital of Greece. These Games were inspired by the ancient Games that took place every four years in Olympia.

Because of this tradition, Greece is always the first country to march into the stadium during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympics were mostly held in Athens, with some events in other Greek cities like Thessaloniki, Patras, Volos, and Heraklion.

The motto for these Games was Welcome Home. The logo featured an olive tree branch, using the colors of the Greek flag. The olive tree symbolized Athens and represented the spirit of the Olympics. The logo was shown to the world in 1999.