Eleftherios Petrounias

Early life and education Petrounias has a degree in communications and marketing from the Athens University of Economics and Business. Besides gymnastics, he practices parkour. He takes part in anti-bullying campaigns, as he was bullied himself when he was child due to his small size. In June he competed at the inaugural European Games where he won gold on rings ahead of Nikita Ignatyev and Çolak.

In late 2015 Petrounias competed in the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow. He qualified for the rings final in first place, scoring 15.900. During the final, Petrounias won his first World Title on ring with a scored 15.800; You Hao of China was the silver medalist, followed by bronze medalist Liu Yang of China.

In May 2016, Petrounias attended the 2016 European Championships in Bern, Switzerland. He qualified in first place for the rings final, scoring 15.700.

Petrounias was the Olympic torch relay originating torchbearer after its ignition at Olympia on 21 April 2016, and he has a further distinction of being the first Greek gymnast selected in modern Olympics torch relay history.

At the 2016 Olympic Games Petrounias won the gold medal on rings ahead of Arthur Zanetti of Brazil and Denis Ablyazin of Russia.

2017–2021 In April 2017, Petrounias competed at the 2017 European Championships at the Polyvalent Hall in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. During the competition Petrounias secured his third European Championship rings title, scoring 15.433 during the final - above silver medalist Courtney Tulloch of Great Britain, who scored 15.066, and bronze medalist Igor Radivilov of Ukraine, who scored 15.033.

In late 2017 Petrounias competed at the 2017 World Championships in Montreal. Petrounias successfully defended his World title on rings, scoring 15.433 during the final - 0.100 points above Denis Abliazin of Russia, who won silver, and 0.167 points above Liu Yang of China, who won bronze.

Petrounias won the gold medal on rings at the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow despite a shoulder injury.

At the 2018 World Championships in Doha Petrounias successfully defended his title and earned his third World Championship gold on rings with a score of 15.366. Arthur Zanetti, the 2012 Olympic champion on rings, earned the silver and Marco Lodadio earned bronze.

Petrounias competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where he was also the flag bearer of Greek team along with Greek shooter Anna Korakaki. He won bronze on rings behind Chinese athletes Liu Yang and You Hao.

2022–2024

At the 2022 European Championships in Munich Petrounias won his sixth European title on rings, ahead of Adem Asil and Courtney Tulloch.

At the 2023 European Championships Petrounias won bronze behind Adem Asil and Vahagn Davtyan.

Petrounias competed at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp. He won silver on rings, once again sharing a podium with Chinese athletes Liu and You. As the highest ranking athlete on rings not part of a qualified team, Petrounias qualified as an individual to the 2024 Olympic Games.

At the 2024 European Championships Petrnounias won his seventh European title on rings.

Petrounias competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He won bronze on rings behind Chinese athletes Liu Yang and Zou Jingyuan. In doing so, Petrounias became the first person to win three medals on rings at the Olympic Games.

2025 Petrounias won gold on rings at the 2025 European Championships, tied with Adem Asil. In doing so he extended his record of continental titles won on the same apparatus to eight. Additionally Petrounias, alongside Luxembourg gymnast Céleste Mordenti, was awarded the SmartScoring Shooting Star Award, an award which is presented to "a gymnast with an exceptional story in the spotlight, someone who is an inspiration for the future generation of gymnasts and the general public alike".

Personal life Petrounias has been married to fellow Greek gymnast Vasiliki Millousi since July 2019. They have two daughters, Sofia and Eleni.

Competitive history

+Competitive history of Eleftherios PetrouniasYearEvent 2008 Junior European Championships 7 7 2009 Cottbus World Cup 4 Glasgow World Cup 4 Doha World Cup World Championships 13 2010 Ghent World Cup Glasgow World Cup 6 2011 Cottbus World Cup European Championships Ghent World Cup Maribor World Cup Ostrava World Cup 2012 Cottbus Challenge Cup Zibo Challenge Cup Osijek Challenge Cup European Championships 5 Ghent Challenge Cup Ostrava Challenge Cup 2013 La Roche-sur-Yon World Cup Cottbus Challenge Cup European Championships 5 Ljubljana Challenge Cup Mediterranean Games World Championships 9 2014 Cottbus Challenge Cup European Championships 14 5 World Championships 22 6 2015 Cottbus Challenge Cup European Championships European Games 10 World Championships 20 2016 Olympic Test Event Doha Challenge Cup European Championships 13 Olympic Games 2017 Baku World Cup European Championships Paris Challenge Cup World Championships 2018 Baku World Cup European Championships World Championships 26 2019 World Championships 4 Cottbus World Cup 2020 Melbourne World Cup Baku World Cup 2021 European Championships Doha World Cup Olympic Games 2022 European Championships 2023 Cottbus World Cup Cairo World Cup 12 European Championships Szombathely World Cup World Championships 2024 European Championships Olympic Games 2025 Osijek World Cup 6 European Championships World Championships 5 2026 Baku World Cup Cairo World Cup European Championships