Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi- sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Macedonikos Gymnasticos Syllogos" (''Macedonian Gymnastics Club'') and is one of the oldest and most historic sports-clubs in Greece. It is named after Heracles, the mythical Greek demigod. Their colours are blue or

cyan Cyan () is the color between green and blue on the visible spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 490 and 520 nm, between the wavelengths of green and blue. In the subtractive color system, or CMYK color ...

and white, inspired by the

Greek flag The national flag of Greece, popularly referred to as the "blue and white one" ( el, Γαλανόλευκη, ) or the "sky blue and white" (, ), is officially recognised by Greece as one of its national symbols and has nine equal horizontal strip ...

. Iraklis traces its roots back in 1899 when ''Omilos Filomouson'' (meaning ''Friends of Music 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 sports department. After a merger with a local team, the club was re-founded on 29 November 1908, called ''Macedonikos Gymnasticos Syllogos'' (meaning Macedonian Gymnastics Club). A year later, "Iraklis" ( Heracles) was added to the club's name as an honour to the ancient Greek hero.

Departments

Iraklis is considered one of the most historical and important Greek sport clubs and maintains departments in many sports, including: * Iraklis F.C. (''founded in 1908, ceased to compete as a part of the club in 2011'') -

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

Iraklis B.C. Gymnastikos Syllogos Iraklis Basketball Club ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής Κ.Α.Ε., ) is a Greek professional basketball team that is located in Thessaloniki. It serves as the senior men's basketball section of the ...

(''founded in 1924'') - Basketball * Iraklis V.C. (''founded in 1921'') - Volleyball * Iraklis Track and field (''founded in 1908'') - Track and field * Iraklis Handball (''founded in 1994'') -

Handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

* Iraklis Rugby union (''founded in 2005'') - Rugby union * Iraklis Ice hockey (''founded in 2009'') - Ice hockey * Iraklis Water polo (''founded in 1975'') - Water polo *

Iraklis Swimming Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1975'') - Swimming * Iraklis Synchronized swimming (''founded in 1995'') -

Synchronized swimming Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédérati ...

* Iraklis Freestyle wrestling (''founded in 1967'') - Freestyle wrestling *

Iraklis Judo Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1979'') - Judo *

Iraklis Amateur Boxing Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1965'') -

Amateur boxing Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration, comprising three rounds of three ...

Iraklis Weightlifting Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1967'') - Weightlifting *

Iraklis Cycling Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1972'') - Cycling *

Iraklis Fencing Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...

(''founded in 1972'') - Fencing *

Iraklis Table tennis Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi- sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "M ...

- Table tennis

Honours

Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

* Greek Cup: 1 **1976 *

Balkans Cup The Balkans Cup was an international football competition for clubs from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. It was introduced in 1961 and was very popular in the 1960s (the 1967 final attracted 42,000 spectators), being t ...

: 1 **1985

Basketball

Men * Greek Championships: 2 **1928, 1935 Women * Greek Championships: 3 **1968, 1971, 1972

Volleyball

Men *Greek Championships: 5 **2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012 *Greek Cups: 6 **2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012 *Greek Super Cups: 4 (record) **2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 *Greek Cup A1 Ethniki: 1 (record) **1999

Αthletics

Men *Greek Championships: 6 **1975, 1976, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986 *Greek Cups: 2 **1979, 1990 Women *Greek Championships: 1 **1991 *Greek Cross Country Championships: 6 **1967, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2009 *Greek Cups: 3 **1989, 1990, 1991

Rugby union

Greek Championship Rugby Union The Greek Rugby Union Championship is the most important domestic competition of rugby union in Greece. It started in 2005 and is organised by Greek Rugby Federation. During the period that championships were held, the most titles were won by Ath ...

: 1 **2013

Freestyle wrestling

Men *Greek Championships: 11 **2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Fencing

Men *Greek Épée team championship: 1 **1983 Women *Greek Foil team championship: 1 **1978

European honours of team sports

Notable supporters

Grigoris Arnaoutoglou Grigoris Arnaoutoglou ( el, Γρηγόρης Αρναούτογλου; born December 17, 1973) is a well-known Greek television host. He is known for hosting morning daily entertaining show, Omorfos Kosmos To Proi as well as Sunday show Pio Poli ...

, TV presenter *

Thodoris Atheridis "Riot dog" is a term used by English-speaking media denoting any of the stray dogs that accompanied street protesters in Athens, Greece, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, when the country was plunged into a severe recession by the Gre ...

, actor * Ieroklis Michailidis, actor * Antonis Remos, singer *

Dimitris Starovas Dimitris (Δημήτρης) is the Modern Greek form of the older forms Demetrios, Dimitrios (Δημήτριος, usually Latinized as Demetrius) and may refer to: *Dimitris Arvanitis (born 1980), Greek professional football defender who plays for ...

, musician *

Paschalis Terzis Paschalis Terzis ( el, Πασχάλης Τερζής; born 24 April 1949) is a popular Greek singer. Biography Terzis was born in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki. In his early teens, he began to sing with friends, some of whom helped him in his ...

, singer

Gallery

File:Iraklis 1930 31.jpg, The team for the 1930–31 season File:Kaftantzogleioexterior.jpg, Kaftanzoglio Stadium File:IraklisTeam2000.jpg, The team for the 1999–00 season File:Vasilis Xatzipanagis.jpg, Vasilis Hatzipanagis File:Papodopoulos.jpg, alt=Papadopoulos playing for Greece,

Lazaros Papadopoulos Lazaros Papadopoulos (Greek: Λάζαρος Παπαδόπουλος; born 3 June 1980) is a Greek former professional basketball player. He was listed at 7 ft (2.13 m) 265 lbs (120 kg), and he played the center position. During hi ...

File:Sofoklis Schortsanitis naional team (cropped).jpg, Sofoklis Schortsanitis File:Diamantidis.jpg, alt=Diamantidis playing for Greece, Dimitris Diamantidis File:Tom Hoff 2008.jpg,

Thomas Hoff Thomas John "Tom" Hoff (born June 9, 1973) is a retired American volleyball player. He was a middle blocker and has been with the U.S. national team from 1996 until 2009. He is a three-time Olympian in volleyball Olympics: 2000, 2004 and 2008 ...

File:Rolando Despaigne.png,

Rolando Jurquin Despaigne Rolando Jurquin Despaigne (born June 7, 1987) is a Cuban volleyball player, who plays as a wing-spiker. He was a member of the national squad of Cuba that claimed the bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sporti ...

File:Matej Černič 4.jpg,

Matej Cernic Matej is a given name that originates from the Slavic nations of Central and Eastern Europe. It is one of the most common male names in Slovakia and Slovenia, and is also common in Croatia. The name is originally derived from Matthias the Apostle. ...

File:Frantz Granvorka.jpg,

Frantz Granvorka Frantz Granvorka (born 10 March 1976) is a former France, French volleyball player, a member of France men's national volleyball team in 1996–2007, a participant of the Volleyball at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament, 2004 Olympic G ...

References

External links

;Official websites
Iraklis Gymnastics ClubIraklis Football Club

Iraklis Basketball ClubIraklis Volleyball ClubIraklis Track and fieldIraklis Swimming
;Press
Blue Arena
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iraklis Multi-sport clubs in Thessaloniki Athletics clubs in Greece Sport in Thessaloniki