Periklis Iakovakis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Periklis Iakovakis

Personal information
Born	(1979-03-24) March 24, 1979 (age 46)
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	77 kg (170 lb)
Sport
Country	Greece
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	400 m Hurdles
Medal record World Championships Bronze 2003 Paris 400 m hurdles European Championships Gold 2006 Göteborg 400 m hurdles Mediterranean Games Gold 2001 Tunis 400 m hurdles Bronze 2013 Mersin 4 × 400 m relay

Periklís Iakovákis is a famous Greek athlete. He was born on March 24, 1979, in Patras, Greece. He was best known for running the 400 metres hurdles race. This race involves running 400 meters and jumping over ten hurdles along the way. Periklís holds the Greek record for this event, finishing it in an amazing 47.82 seconds! He also won the national championship fifteen times.

Periklís competed in four Summer Olympics: 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. He also took part in the World Championships in Athletics six times. He won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2003. In 2006, he became the European champion. His first big win was at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Athletics when he was younger. He also won a gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in 2001. Because of his great achievements, he was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year in both 2003 and 2006.

Periklís's Amazing Athletics Career

Periklís Iakovákis had a long and successful career in athletics. He started winning big races when he was still a junior athlete.

Early Wins and World Medals

In 1998, Periklís won a gold medal at the World Junior Championships. This event took place in Annecy, France. He finished the 400 metres hurdles race in 49.82 seconds.

Five years later, in 2003, he earned a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. This major competition was held in Paris, France. In the final race, he finished third with a time of 48.24 seconds. He was right behind Félix Sánchez and Joey Woody.

Setting Records and Becoming European Champion

Periklís achieved his personal best time of 47.82 seconds on May 6, 2006. This incredible run happened in Osaka, Japan. Just three months later, he won his first major senior competition. He became the European Champion in Gothenburg, Sweden. He won the final race in 48.46 seconds.

After winning the European Championships, Periklís continued his winning streak. He won the 400 metres hurdles event at the Zurich Weltklasse meeting. This was part of the IAAF Golden League series. He also won at the Herculis IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in Monaco.

Later Career and Final Competitions

In 2009, Periklís won a bronze medal at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final. This competition was held in Thessaloniki, Greece. It was the last time this event was held.

In 2010, he aimed to defend his European title. He had a small injury but recovered well. He trained in South Africa and Cyprus. He finished fifth in the European final that year.

In 2011, his times were a bit slower. For the first time since 1998, his fastest run was over 50 seconds. He did not compete in the World Championships that year. However, he did win the 400 metres hurdles race for Greece at the 2011 European Team Championships.

In 2012, he showed strong form again at the Greek Championships. He won his 15th national title in a row. His coach for many years was Maria Sotirakopoulou.

Periklís's Major Achievements

Periklís Iakovákis won many medals and honors throughout his career. Here are some of his most important achievements:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Greece
1997	European Junior Championships	Ljubljana, Slovenia	2nd	400 m	46.68
1997	European Junior Championships	Ljubljana, Slovenia	2nd	4 × 400 relay	3:08.29
1998	World Junior Championships	Annecy, France	1st	400 m hurdles	49.82
1999	European U23 Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	3rd	400 m hurdles	49.97
2001	European U23 Championships	Amsterdam, Netherlands	2nd	400 m hurdles	49.63
2001	Mediterranean Games	Tunis, Tunisia	1st	400 m hurdles	50.21
2003	European Cup	Florence, Italy	2nd	400 m hurdles	49.23
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	3rd	400 m hurdles	48.24
2006	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	1st	400 m hurdles	48.46
2006	World Athletics Final	Stuttgart, Germany	1st	400 m hurdles	47.92
2007	European Cup	Munich, Germany	1st	400 m hurdles	48.35
2008	European Cup	Annecy, France	1st	400 m hurdles	49.15
2009	European Team Championships	Leiria, Portugal	2nd	400 m hurdles	50.09
2009	World Athletics Final	Thessaloniki, Greece	3rd	400 m hurdles	48.90
2013	Mediterranean Games	Mersin, Turkey	3rd	4 × 400 metres relay	3:07.36

See also

In Spanish: Periklís Iakovákis para niños