A number of Greek athletes and famous names will feature in this year’s edition of the Navarino Challenge as they continue to spread their message, “sport unites people”.
The prominent multi-sport event in Europe enters its 11th year, taking place on October 13-15, 2023, at Costa Navarino and Pylos, with many notable sportspeople involved, such as, Antigoni Ntrismpioti, Michalis Mouroutsos and Giorgos Karagounis.
The event will bring together various athletes and more than 40 sports activities as part of its mission to promote the benefits of sport, exercise and health.
The event itself entails a wide range of activities, mostly sport-related but also two cooking masterclasses run by Greek chef Panos Ioannidis as part of the Navarino Challenge’s message “eat well, run well, live well”.
The multi-sport event has a particular focus on engaging children with sport with over 17 activities planned specifically for young people.
Activities include, a taekwondo workshop by Olympic Gold Medallist Michalis Mouroutsos, that is being conducted in memory of two-time Olympic silver medallist Alexandros Nikolaidis, a football clinic run by former Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis, a basketball clinic with Olympian Evina Maltsi and EuroLeague champion Joe Arlauckas and many others.
The Navarino Challenge is highlighted by its running races, including a 1km route for children up to the age of 14.5 km and 10 km routes, as well as a half marathon and for the first time ever, a full marathon, where participants will be able to run alongside American ultramarathon runner Constatine “Dean” Karnazes.
All the proceeds from the marathon race, as well as 50% of the proceeds from all the other running routes, will be donated through the initiative “That Gorilla Brand’s Adventures For A Cause”, by the grand sponsor ‘That Gorilla Brand’, the world’s biggest lifestyle brand dedicated to the protection of mountain gorillas and the improvement of sanitation facilities in Uganda.
The schedule also includes a seminar organised by global pharmaceutical company ‘Novo Nordisk’ to inform and raise public awareness about the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, with keynote speaker Dr. Konstantinos Manolopoulos, a human metabolism expert and consultant endocrinologist and Oxford graduate.
Novo Nordisk will also be hosting a 2km walk, which will take place in the municipality of Pylos-Nestor and Messinia, overlooking the Navarino Bay, starting from the residence of Olympian Kostis Tsiklitiras’ residence in Pylos and finishing at fortress Niokastro.
Outside of the activities, Antigoni Ntrismpioti (two-time European gold medallist, bronze medallist in world athletics championships, and Olympian) will be honoured by the event for her overall contribution to sport.
The Navarino Challenge, organised by ActiveMedia Group, is held under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organization.
The event has also joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2023 program of the European Commission and is held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports.
More information on the various events (including registration) can be found at the following links:
