Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis" (Greek: Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Θεσσαλονίκης «Ηρακλής», Greek pronunciation: [iɾa'klis], English: Thessaloniki Athletic Club "Heracles"), commonly referred to as Iraklis Thessaloniki, is a Greek multi–sport club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded on 29 November 1908 as Makedonikós Gymnastikós Sýllogos (Macedonian Athletic Club) and is one of the oldest and most historic sport clubs in Greece. It is named after Heracles, the mythical Greek demigod. Their colours are blue or cyan and white, inspired by the flag of Greece.[1]
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| President | Ephraim Kyrizidis |
| Website | iraklis.club |
G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis traces its roots back on 1 July 1899 when Ómilos Filomoúson (Music Friends Club) was established. The club was established as a cultural union of the Greeks of Thessaloniki (then under Ottoman sovereignty), and in 1902 was founded also a sport department. After a merger with a local team, the club was refounded on 29 November 1908, called Makedonikós Gymnasticós Sýllogos (Macedonian Athletic Club). Two years later, "Iraklís" (Heracles) was added to the club's name as an honour to the ancient Greek hero.[1]
Later on, the club faced financial problems, but members of the club joined forces with another Greek athletic club of the city, called Olýmpia.[2] The result of this union was the foundation of a new club on 29 November 1908, called Makedonikós Gymnastikós Sýllogos (Macedonian Athletic Club), that gained a permission to operate by the Ottoman authorities.[3] The new club's first president was a Greek doctor, Alkiviadis Maltos.[3] The name of the club had a direct reference to the ethnic tensions that took place in the area at that time.[3]
Due to the revolt of 1908 of Young Turks and their promises for ease of ethnic tensions in the area, the club was forced to change its name.[3] Thus a new name was decided for the club, Ottomanikós Ellinikós Gymnastikós Sýllogos Thessaloníkis "Iraklís" (Thessaloniki Ottoman Greek Athletic Club "Heracles").[3] The new name was approved, together with a new statute and a new board of directors, by a general assembly of the club on 13 April 1911.[3] After the integration of Thessaloniki in the Kingdom of Greece, the operation of the club was accepted by the Greek courts in 1914 and on 11 January 1915 Gymnastikós Sýllogos Thessaloníkis "Iraklís" (Thessaloniki Athletic Club "Heracles") became a fully registered sports club.[3]
Sections
edit
G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis is considered one of the most historical and important Greek sport clubs and maintains sections in many sports, including:[4]
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's association football) (founded in 1908) – Association football
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's basketball) (founded in 1921) – Basketball
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (women's basketball) (founded in 1926) – Basketball
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's volleyball) (founded in 1921) – Volleyball
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (women's volleyball) (founded in 1926) – Volleyball
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's water polo) (founded in 1924) – Water polo
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (women's water polo) (founded in 1989) – Water polo
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's rugby) (founded in 2004) – Rugby football
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (women's rugby) (founded in 2013) – Rugby football
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's handball) (founded in 1994) – Handball
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (athletics) (founded in 1908) – Athletics
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's table tennis) (founded in 2013) – Table tennis
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (swimming) (founded in 1912) – Swimming
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (synchronized swimming) (founded in 1995) – Synchronized swimming
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (diving) (founded in 2019) – Diving
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (open water swimming) – Open water swimming
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (fencing) (founded in 1972) – Fencing
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (judo) (founded in 1979) – Judo
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (ju jutsu) – Ju Jutsu
Former Sections
edit- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (cycling) (founded in 1931) – Cycling
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (wrestling) (founded in 1924) – wrestling
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (boxing) (founded in 1965) – Boxing
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (weightlifting) (founded in 1920) – Weightlifting
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (inline hockey) (founded in 2008) – Inline hockey
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (ice hockey) (founded in 2008) – Ice hockey
- G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's cricket) (founded in 2015) – Cricket
Honours
edit_(8310009883).jpg)
Source:[5]
- Greek Cup: 1
- Balkans Cup: 1
Basketball
editSource:[5]
- Greek Championships: 2
- 1928, 1935
- Greek Championships: 4
- 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972
Volleyball
editSource:[5]
- Greek Championships: 5
- 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012
- Greek Cups: 6
- 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012
- Greek Super Cups: 4
- 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008
- Greek Cup A1 Ethniki: 1
- 1999
Αthletics
editSource:[5]
Men
edit- Greek Championships: 6
- 1975, 1976, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986
- Greek Cups: 2
- 1979, 1990
Women
edit- Greek Championships: 1
- 1991
- Greek Cross Country Championships: 6
- 1967, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2009
- Greek Cups: 3
- 1989, 1990, 1991
Source:[5]
Men
edit- Greek Championship Rugby Union: 1
- 2013
- Greek Championship Rugby Sevens: 2
- 2013, 2014
Women
edit- Greek Championship Rugby Sevens: 2
- 2014, 2024
Fencing
editSource:[5]
Men
edit- Greek Épée team championship: 1
- 1983
Women
edit- Greek Foil team championship: 1
- 1978
Freestyle wrestling
editSource:[5]
Men
edit- Greek Championships: 11
- 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
European honours
edit| Season | Men's Association Football | Men's Basketball | Men's Volleyball |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–1985 | Balkans Cup Winner |
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| 1994–1995 | FIBA Saporta Cup Semi-finals |
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| 1996–1997 | FIBA Saporta Cup Semi-finals |
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| 2001–2002 | CEV Champions League 3rd place | ||
| 2003–2004 | CEV Champions League 4th place | ||
| 2004–2005 | CEV Champions League 2nd place | ||
| 2005–2006 | CEV Champions League 2nd place | ||
| 2008–2009 | CEV Champions League 2nd place |
Notable supporters
edit- Grigoris Arnaoutoglou, TV presenter
- Thodoris Atheridis, actor
- Nikos Chatzivrettas, basketball player, former Iraklis player[6]
- Athanasios Giannousis, former Mayor of Thessaloniki
- Konstantinos Karamanlis, former Prime Minister of Greece
- Georgios Lianis, former Minister of Sports, politician
- Georgios Katsanis, former Iraklis athlete, special forces in the 1974 Cyprus war
- Savvas Kofidis, football player and coach, former Iraklis captain
- Nikos Kouvelas, basketball player, former Iraklis player
- Sotiris Kouvelas, former Mayor of Thessaloniki, former MP
- Andrej Kravárik, Slovak volleyball player, Greek champion with Iraklis[7]
- Alekos Leonis, volleyball player and coach, Greek champion with Iraklis[8]
- Giannis Mangriotis, politician, former Minister of Macedonia-Thrace
- Theodoros Karaoglou, politician, former MP
- Lefteris Kakiousis, basketball player and coach, former Iraklis captain and coach
- Konstantinos Kosmopoulos, former Mayor of Thessaloniki
- Lazaros Kyrizoglou, former mayor of Ampelokipi, Thessaloniki
- Theocharis Manavis, former Mayor of Thessaloniki
- Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, former Iraklis athlete, saboteur during German Occupation (1941-44)
- Anastasios Katsabis, footballer, former Iraklis captain
- Ieroklis Michailidis, actor
- Giorgos Orfanos, former Minister of Sports, politician
- Lazaros Papadopoulos, basketball player, 2005 European champion, former Iraklis player[9]
- Michalis Papadopoulos, former Mayor of Thessaloniki
- Daniil Papadopoulos, football player and coach, former Iraklis captain
- Lakis Papaioannou, former football player
- Eleana Papaioannou, singer
- Antonis Remos, singer
- Dimitris Starovas, musician, actor
- Paschalis Terzis, singer
- Polina Trigonidou, model, journalist, volleyball player
- Fanis Toutziaris, footballer, former Iraklis player
- Dimitris Verginis, basketball player, former Iraklis player[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Ιστορία - Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής". Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής - Επίσημο site του ερασιτέχνη Ηρακλή. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ "History". Iraklis FC Official site. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Η Γέννηση του Συλλόγου (in Greek). Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής official site. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ "Αρχική - Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής". Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής - Επίσημο site του ερασιτέχνη Ηρακλή. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Τίτλοι - Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής". Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής - Επίσημο site του ερασιτέχνη Ηρακλή. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Kαι ο Νίκος Χατζηβρέττας δίπλα στην ομάδα!". bluearena.gr.
- ^ "Κράβαρικ : Γριές είμαστε, εκεί θα πεθάνουμε !". iraklis1908.gr.
- ^ "O Αλέκος Λεώνης υπέγραψε διετές συμβόλαιο με τον Ηρακλή και επιστρέφει στην ομάδα της καρδιάς τou". contra.gr. 30 June 2010.
- ^ Papadopoulos: I am Iraklis supporter -makthes.gr
- ^ "Ηρακλειδέας ο Δημήτρης Βεργίνης, φανατική "κυανόλευκη" και η σύζυγός του, Ελεάννα Παπαϊωάννου". bluearena.gr.