Eleftherios Petrounias Wins Bronze at European Gymnastics Championships

On Saturday, celebrated Greek gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias won a bronze medal at the 10th European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in the rings category. Despite taking an early lead, Petrounias ultimately placed third in the competition.

The championships are being held this year in Antalya, Turkey, between April 11 and April 16. Turkish athlete Adem Asil was able to claim victory today during the men’s rings event, becoming a two-time champion.

Representing Cyprus was Pilakouris Sokratis, who placed eighth in the event.

European Artistic Gymnastics Championships

The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships continued today with both male and female gymnasts competing.

During the hotly contested men’s rings competition, Eleftherios Petrounias was able to secure third place with 14.7333 points.

"You can always count upon this man!"

Eleftherios Petrounias with the sort of incredible rings showing we have seen so often over the years – but it always leaves us amazed.

14.733 is the score.

WATCH LIVE 📹 https://t.co/VoN2weLz5q#Antalya2023 | #Artistic | #Gymnastics pic.twitter.com/Kjm75Fn2wy

— European Gymnastics (@UEGymnastics) April 15, 2023

Ahead on the leaderboard was the Armenian gymnast Davtyan Vahagn in second place and Turkish gymnast Asil Adem with 14.933 points in first place.

The full results are as follows:

1. Adem Asil (Turkey) with 14.933 points
2. Vahagn Davtyan (Armenia) with 14.733 points
3. Eleftherios Petrounias  (Greece), also with 14.733 points
4. Marco Lodadio  (Italy) with 14.666 points
5.  Nikita Simonov(Azerbaijan) with 14.566 points
6.  Courtney Tulloch (Great Britain) with 14.466 points
7. Artur Avetisyan  (Armenia) with 14.433 points
8. Sokratis Pilakouris  (Cyprus) with 14.233 points

9. Adem Asil. Two-time #Antalya2023 champion.#Antalya2023 | #Artistic | #Gymnastics pic.twitter.com/TUYmLRzMNn

   — European Gymnastics (@UEGymnastics) April 15, 2023

The career of Eleftherios Petrounias

Eleftherios Petrounias is one of Greece’s most celebrated athletes, having won gold at the Olympics in 2016 and bronze at the Olympics in 2020. He is considered one of the best ring gymnasts in the world, and his impressive performances have earned him numerous titles and awards throughout his career.

Petrounias was born on November 30, 1990, in Athens, Greece. He began practicing gymnastics at the age of five although he took a break from the sport at the age of 14 to recover from injuries and fatigue.

Petrounias has won several gold medals in international competitions. In 2015, he won his first gold medal at the European Championships in Montpellier, France. He also won gold at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, in the same year.

Petrounias defended his world title at the 2017 World Championships in Montreal, Canada, and again in 2018 in Doha, Qatar. He became the first male gymnast to win three consecutive world titles in rings.

In 2016, he competed at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won a gold medal in the rings event. He performed an outstanding routine, scoring 16.000 points and becoming the first Greek gymnast to win a gold medal in gymnastics at the Olympic Games since 2004.

Apart from his Olympic and world championship titles, Petrounias has also won numerous other awards and accolades. He has been named the Greek Athlete of the Year four consecutive times, in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.