The municipality of Piraeus, the largest port city in Greece, revived a part of the modern Olympic history with the Piraeus Open Water 1896 on Saturday.
The celebratory event, which re-enacted the 1,200-meter swim race, drew many swimmers, including active professional swimmers, children, and amateurs alike, who dived in the blue waters of Piraeus to relive the classic course of the first modern Olympics in 1896.
The challenging course acted as a reminder of the Olympic ideals, offering memorable moments both for the participants and the crowd gathered at the event.
The event was organized by the Municipality of Piraeus under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation.
Organizers said they wanted to connect the proud legacy of the Olympic Games with the present, honoring 129 years of history while passing on to future generations the values of sporting spirit and collective effort.
In a festive atmosphere, the winners of the swimming race were awarded their prizes.
The awards and monetary prizes were presented by Piraeus Mayor Yiannis Moralis and Hellenic Olympic Committee President Isidoros Kouvelos, who also attended the PIRAEUS OPEN WATER 1896.
In the historic 1,200-meter race, first place went to Iason Routoulas, followed by Dimitris Negris in second and Athanasios-Charalampos Kynigakis in third.
In the women’s event, Antonia Rakopoulou claimed first place, with Katerina Chroni finishing second and Panagiota Giannakopoulou third.
Photo credit: Municipality of Piraeus
