Greek Armwrestler Giorgos Charalampopoulos claimed gold at the 2026 European Armwrestling Championship, cementing Greece’s dominance in the sport with a historic victory in the Grand Masters +100kg (+220 lbs) Right Hand category.
The win was not straightforward. His opponent’s side filed repeated protests throughout the final, forcing Charalampopoulos to win the match three consecutive times before officials finalized the result.
It was a rare show of composure under pressure. Charalampopoulos held his position each time the match was restarted.
From Greco-Roman wrestling to armwrestling
Giorgos Charalampopoulos, born in Athens on January 25, 1975, has built one of the most decorated careers in armwrestling history. He has collected over 140 titles across his career, earning him the nickname “King of Dynamic Sports.” His path to the sport was unconventional.
He started in Greco-Roman wrestling at age eight, moved to weightlifting as a teenager, and represented Greece on the national weightlifting team. He broke the national youth record at seventeen. In 1995, he won the men’s +95kg category at a bodybuilding competition in Lamia.
Armwrestling, though, became his defining pursuit. He has competed at the highest levels for more than 25 years. His world-level breakthrough came in 2015, when he won the World Armwrestling Federation World Championship in Kuala Lumpur in the left-handed men’s over 100kg (220 lbs) category.
Away from competition, Charalampopoulos holds a degree in cultural studies from the Hellenic Academy of Sports. Since 2020, he has served as President of the armwrestling administration committee in Greece.
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