Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos

In addition to being a doctor Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos was a champion in athletics in Greece and France, won a medal at the first modern Olympic Games, and was a successful cyclist. Paraskevopoulos studied medicine in Athens and Paris, becoming a microbiologist and epidemiologist. While working in Volos he was tasked to help with an outbreak of malaria that originated from Lake Karla. After spending time volunteering his services in Paris with his wife during World War I, they both returned to Greece to work at the hospital in Volos. Paraskevopoulos and his wife again volunteered their services during World War II when he was 65-years-old.

At the 1896 Athína Olympics Paraskevopoulos won the silver medal in the discus throw with 28.955 metres. Three years later at the Panhellenic Games he won gold in the 100 metres, long jump, shot put, and the stone throw. Paraskevopoulos competed in the discus at the 1900 Paris Olympics where he finished in fourth place, just six centimetres behind the third-place throw. He also took part in the shot put at the Paris Games, finishing in fifth place.

While Paraskevopoulos was in Paris as a medical student he competed in the French athletics championships. From 1901 to 1904 he was champion in both the shot put and the discus. His success in France earned him a cover feature on the sports magazine La Vie au Grand Air.

Paraskevopoulos was an accomplished cyclist, winning multiple road and track races in Greece. In 1898 he finished in second place in a race from Athína to Palaio Faliro behind the German cyclist Anton Gödrich. Later the same year Paraskevopoulos won a sprint race that was also held in Palaio Faliro, along with a 25km race and a 3km handicap race.