The great Greek Olympic champion, Giorgos Roubanis, has died

The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) bids farewell to the leading Olympic champion, George Roubanis, who passed away at the age of 95.

George Roubanis, who was the oldest Olympic champion, won the bronze medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne in the pole vault, with a time of 4.50, after a marathon race that lasted approximately 11 hours.

The President of the HOC, Mr. Isidoros Kouvelos, expressing the entire Plenary of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, emphasized: “We are particularly saddened by the loss of the top champion Giorgos Roubanis, the top and greatest living Olympic champion and the first post-war athlete who glorified the country and raised the blue and white flag high on the mast of glory! Almost throughout his entire life, he served sports and Olympism, offering Greece moments of national pride, with the highlight being winning the bronze medal at the 1956 Olympic Games. And after the end of his athletic career, he continued to serve Olympism, founding the Association of Greek Olympic Champions in 1985. He shared the love for sports with thousands of young people in our country and was a shining example of an athlete and a person. I would like to express my condolences to his family and loved ones. Have a safe journey into eternity, great Greek Olympic champion. You will forever belong to the pantheon of our country’s top athletes.“

The Hellenic Olympic Committee will cover all his funeral expenses and will issue a resolution for his loss.

Georgios Roubanis was born on August 15, 1929 in Thessaloniki. He comes from an athletic family originally from Stemnitsa, Arcadia. His father Savvas was a gymnast and his brother Aristides was a track and field athlete (javelin thrower) but abandoned track due to injury and excelled as a basketball player.

He retired from sports in 1961. Together with Dimitris Thanopoulos, he founded the Association of Greek Olympic Champions in 1985.