| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Spyridon Gianniotis |
Nickname | Spyros |
| National team |  Greece |
| Born | (1980-02-19)19 February 1980 (age 45) |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 72 kg (159 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Open water,freestyle |
| Club | Olympiacos |
Medal record | |
Spyridon "Spyros"Gianniotis (Greek:Σπυρίδων "Σπύρος" Γιαννιώτης; born 19 February 1980) is aGreek competitiveswimmer who specialises in long-distance and open-waterfreestyle events. He is anOlympic silver medalist, two-timeWorld Champion,World Cup gold medalist, and two-timeEuropean Champion.[1] Afive-time Olympian, Gianniotis has won a total of 15 medals in major international long-course competition, totalling 5 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze spanning theOlympics, theWorld Championships, theWorld Cup and theEuropean Championships. In 2011 he won theWorld Open Water Swimmer of the Year award, becoming the first and only Greek swimmer to earn that distinction.
He was named theGreek Male Athlete of the Year, for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013.[2][3] He won the silver medal at the2016 Olympic Games in Rio at the10 km marathon swim. Initially, Gianniotis was given as the gold medalist as he appeared to cross the finish line first, but the DutchmanFerry Weertman touched the timing pad before him.[citation needed] After 15 minutes of deliberations by the judges and the use of photo finish, Weertman was awarded the gold medal and Gianniotis the silver, despite the fact that both were credited with the same time: 1 hour, 52 minutes, 59.8 seconds (1:52:59.8).[citation needed] Gianniotis won the silver medal at the age of 36, being the oldest competitor in the event.[citation needed]
He won three individual medals at the2005 Mediterranean Games. He has represented Greece at five consecutiveSummer Olympics, starting in 2000. In 2011 he became world champion in the10 km open water at theworld championships in Shanghai. Gianniotis also claimed gold at the2013 World Aquatics Championships inBarcelona in the men's 10 km open water swimming.
At the2004 Olympic Games inAthens Gianniotis took the 5th place in the1500 m freestyle and the 7th place at400 m freestyle. At the2012 Olympic Games inLondon, he was 4th at the10 km marathon swim, missing the bronze medal by 5 seconds.
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | World Open Water Swimmer of the Year 2011(with  Thomas Lurz) | Succeeded by |
