Road Marathon Champion

Georgios Karagiannis is a Greek marathon and long-distance road race champion.

He attended the Greek Navy’s Permanent Officers’ School from 1978 to 1981. After graduation, he served in the Greek Navy on destroyers and minesweepers until 1984. In 1985, he was transferred to a NATO base in Naples, Italy, where he remained until 1987. This move to Naples marked a significant milestone in his athletic career, ushering in a decade of success.

Athletic Career

In parallel with his military career, he displayed a talent for sports from a young age, particularly in classical sports and long-distance running, both of which he loved. His first victories in the 5- and 10-kilometer races at the military school attracted the attention of renowned coaches, prompting him to begin more systematic training, eventually earning a spot on the national team.

However, the strict regulations of the Navy posed an insurmountable obstacle to his training. After returning from Naples and NATO, he struggled to continue his athletic career, but eventually left the navy. He returned to Italy, settled in Rome, and during this time competed for the historic club FAZZI BATTAGLIA. He won the Italian Club Championship in road running three times and was runner-up at the 1988 Italian Marathon Championship in 2:18:31 in Milan.

He competed in long-distance races, marathons, and cross-country races from youth to men. His career honors include:

Balkan Gold Medal on the Rough Track

Greek Champion in the first Panhellenic Half Marathon (1995)

Participating in the Balkan Games, Mediterranean Games, World Championships, and World Marathon Championships.

He also won major victories in classic road cycling and marathon races in Greece and Italy, including:

Vivicittà, Stramilano, Spaccanapoli, Matesina, Saint Moritz Classic, Castelbuono, Lago di Garda, Cinque Mulini, and Le Figaro.

Top Performances and Records

Some of his best performances and accolades include:

Boston Marathon (1988): 2:20, 13th place

Chicago Marathon (1988): 2:20:52, 21st place

Roma-Ostia Half Marathon (1991): 1:03:38, 7th place (second best Greek all-time)

Turin Marathon (1992): 2:16:07 (personal record)

Hamburg Marathon (1992): 2:16:17, 3rd place

Las Vegas Marathon (1997): 2:17:11, 5th place

Bangkok Marathon (1996): 2:28, 3rd place

After the Championships

After his racing career ended, George Karagiannis became actively involved in organizing various races. He held the following positions:

Technical Director of the Alexander the Great Marathon and the Thessaloniki Night Marathon

Director of the Limassol Marathon

Marketing and Promotion Manager at AIMS (International Association of Marathons and Distance Races) from 2010 to 2016

In 2014, he and his wife, former Greek track and field champion Eleftheria Papadopoulou, co-founded Golden Marathon Tours. Recognizing the rapid growth of running worldwide and the gap in specialized sports tourism support, they established a company focused on sports tourism.

Golden Marathon Tours specializes in comprehensive travel packages for major marathons and sporting events worldwide, with a particular focus on the six Abbott World Marathon Majors. The company offers specialized tour guides, guaranteed entry, and accommodations to ensure runners from around the world have the perfect race experience.