Greek Gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias Wins Gold Medal in Rio

Greek gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias won the gold medal in men’s rings on August 15, in the Rio Olympic Games with a score of 16.000 points. He was closely followed by Brazilian Arthur Zanetti with a score of 15.766 in second place and Russian Denis Ablyazin in the third place with a score of 15.600 points.

Petrounias was born in Athens on November 30, 1990. He began his career in gymnastics at a young age, joining the team of Panionios. In 2005 at the age of 15, he temporarily stopped competing, but returned in 2008.

On March 25, 2016 Lefteris Petrounias won the gold medal in men’s rings at the World Cup in Doha, Qatar. A month later, on April 21, 2016, the World champion was the first torchbearer in the Torch lighting ceremony for the Olympic Games in Rio. He received the Olympic Flame from the High Priestess Katerina Lehou, in Ancient Olympia.

On May 29, 2016 he won the gold medal at the 32nd European Championships Gymnastics in Bern, Switzerland with 15.866 points. Petrounias is the first athlete in the last 20 years, who has managed to win a gold medal in men’s rings for two consecutive years.