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Navarino Challenge: 109 years later, one more Gold Olympic Medal in Pylos

Featured Navarino Challenge: 109 years later, one more Gold Olympic Medal in Pylos

The top sports tourism fest of Navarino Challenge is approaching and will unite people of all ages and abilities for the 9th year, at Costa Navarino and Pylos, Messinia, on October 15-17, 2021.
Special Honorees

Navarino Challenge honors each year role-model athletes for their contribution to sports and society. This year, the Gold Paralympic medalist in 100m. Nasos Ghavelas and his guide Sotiris Garaganis will be honored. They both offered emotional moments and pride for Greece at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, while they also set a world record (with a time of 10:82) in the final. This is the second gold medal coming from Pylos, Ghavelas’ place of origin, after that of Kostis Tsiklitiras.

As part of this year’s event, Navarino Challenge will also honor the top international basketball player of all time, Olympian & Eurobasket MVP Evina Maltsi. Basketball fans will have the opportunity to meet her at the 4on4 tournament, while children will learn the sport’s basic principles by the great athlete, together with the Euroleague Legend, Joe Arlaukas.

What really is the Navarino Challenge?

Run the Greek Half Marathon in Voidokoilia along the picturesque coastline to Pylos, the only running route that combines sand, soil and asphalt.

Try the 10km & 5km trail runs and enjoy the facilities of Costa Navarino, with more than 10 Olympic sports and numerous indoor and outdoor wellness activities like pilates, yoga, spinning, crossfit, HIIT and more! Join the renowned multi-sports event and live an unforgettable sporting experience!

Sports Unite People

Through its core message #sportsunitepeople, Navarino Challenge brings together people of all ages and different backgrounds. Young or middle-aged, children or elder, families or individuals, everyone is welcome!

The event follows the ideals of the Olympic Movement, contributing towards the development of a peaceful and better world without any discrimination, through sports, promoting the benefits of exercise. Navarino Challenge promotes the Olympic ideal highlighting that the important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.

Promoting sports for all with the participation of role-model athletes (Olympic Medalists, World Champions) the event focuses on the respect for equality and diversity through sports, and the education of youth through sports, without any kind of discrimination, maintaining the principles of the Olympic spirit and ideals, which require mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship and brotherhood.

Furthermore, considering the global issue of youth inactivity, the event exhorts young people to get involved in games and sports, through the Active Kids program, by adding even more kids ’activities.

The causes

For yet another year, the sporting event will support the fight against childhood obesity through raising awareness on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. The ambassadors and instructors of Navarino Challenge will introduce kids to sport and a healthy lifestyle through exercise.

Regarding sustainability, the event adopts eco-friendly strategies to protect nature and create the ideal sport ecosystem. Finally, Navarino Challenge cooperates with charitable organizations and invites everyone to make their… challenge count, by helping those in need.

Navarino Challenge will be held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the General Secretariat of Sport of the Ministry of Culture & Sport, the International Olympic Academy and the Greek National Tourism Organization. 
The event has joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2021 programme of the European Commission and is held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports. The event is organized by ActiveMedia Group which is also responsible for the event’s Sports Production.

All running races are co-organized with Messiniakos Gymnastic Club and EAS SEGAS Peloponnese Region.