Lefteris Petrounias won another gold medal of his illustrious career on Sunday at the European Championships held in Munich, Germany.
The Greek athlete, dubbed the Lord of the Rings, has become one of the greatest gymnasts of all time and one of the greatest athletes.
Petrounias is the 2016 Olympic champion, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World champion (2015, 2017, 2018) and a six-time (2011, 2015–18, 2021, 2022) European medalist on the still rings (six gold and one bronze).
Petrounias claimed the gold medal with 15.133 points ahead of Adem Asil of Turkey who won silver and Courtney Tulloch of Great Britain who got bronze.
He was clearly moved when he received his medal and heard the Greek National Anthem.
How Lefteris Petrounias climbed to the top of gymnastics
Petrounias grew up as a hyperactive child, and, at the age of five, his mother brought him to the Panionios Gymnastics Club so that he could release his energy.
He later injured his finger and has two screws inserted in it; he also had two hernia surgeries. At the age of fourteen, he took a three-year break from gymnastics due to physical and emotional fatigue.
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.
He was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year, for the years 2015 to 2018.
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