Gianniotis to enter Hall of Fame
Greece’s Spyros Gianniotis will be inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in May 2020.
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Gianniotis, who retired from the sport in 2016 at age 36, competed in five Olympic Games during his career. In his last three Olympics (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016), he took part in marathon swimming, which first became an Olympic event in 2008. He competed in the pool in 2000, 2004, and 2008 as well, most notably finishing fifth in the 1500 metres freestyle and seventh in the 400 metres freestyle in 2004.
From 2008 on, the swimmer from Kerkyra was extremely successful in marathon swimming. At the World Championships, he won two gold, three silver, and two bronze medals throughout the course of his career. At the European Championships, he won two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. In 2011, he was named World Open Water Swimmer of the Year. In 2012, he won the FINA Marathon Swim World Series.
Gianniotis went into the 2012 Olympics as the favorite to win gold, but left the race in tears after finishing in fourth place. He was later selected as Greece’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony. Despite the disappointment in London, Gianniotis stuck around for another four years, and ultimately won his first (and only) Olympic medal in 2016 by winning silver in Rio.
Gianniotis, along with three other swimmers, will officially enter the Hall of Fame on May 2, 2020, at an official ceremony in New York. He will be the second Greek in the Hall of Fame, after the late Jason Zirganos.
