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 4x400 m relay

Periklís Iakovákis (born March 24, 1979) is a famous retired Greek athlete. He was best known for running in the 400 metres hurdles race. He holds the Greek national record for this event, finishing in an amazing 47.82 seconds. He also won the national championship fifteen times!

Periklís competed in four Summer Olympics (in 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. Three years later, he became the European champion in 2006. 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 success, he was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year in both 2003 and 2006.

Periklís Iakovákis: His Athletic Journey

Early Success and World Championships

In 1998, Periklís Iakovákis won his first major gold medal. This happened at the World Junior Championships in Annecy, France. He finished the 400m hurdles race in 49.82 seconds.

Five years later, he achieved another big success. He won a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris, France. In the final race, he finished in 48.24 seconds. He was right behind two other great hurdlers, Félix Sánchez and Joey Woody.

Becoming a European Champion

Periklís set his personal best time of 47.82 seconds on May 6, 2006. This amazing run happened in Osaka, Japan, during the IAAF World Athletics Tour. Just three months later, he won his first major competition.

He became the European Champion in Gothenburg, Sweden. He finished the final race in 48.46 seconds. This was a huge moment in his career.

After winning the European Championships, Periklís continued his winning streak. He won the 400m hurdles event at the Zurich Weltklasse Golden League meet. He also came in first at the Herculis IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in Monaco.

Later Career and Achievements

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

In 2010, he aimed to defend his European title. He had a small injury in March but recovered well. He trained in South Africa and Cyprus to get ready. 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 didn't compete in the World Championships that year. However, he did win the 400m hurdles race for Greece in 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.

Honours and Medals

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

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Greece
1998	World Junior Championships	Annecy, France	1st	400m hurdles	49.82
1999	European U23 Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	3rd	400m hurdles	49.97
2001	European U23 Championships	Amsterdam, Netherlands	2nd	400m hurdles	49.63
2001	Mediterranean Games	Tunis, Tunisia	1st	400 m hurdles	50.21
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 x 400 metres relay	3:07.36

See also

In Spanish: Periklís Iakovákis para niños