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ATHENS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Greece hailed the victory of gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias in the men's rings on Monday at the Rio Olympic Games.
Petrounias produced a flawless performance to impress both the judges and the crowd, earning the country's second gold medal at these Games in Rio de Janeiro. Shooter Anna Korakaki last week gave Greece the first Olympic gold medal after 12 years and received a hero's welcome.
Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos was the first to express Greek people's gratitude to the 26-year-old gymnast.
"The culmination of your already excellent athletic course with the conquest of the gold medal in the Olympic Games makes you a real role model as an athlete and person. Our country, and especially your generation, is proud of you," Pavlopoulos said Monday night in a statement.
Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras also sent his congratulations on the rings specialist's victory.
Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted "great combination of power, flexibility and calm! Well done Eleftherios!"
"Compliments to Eleftherios Petrounias!!! Bravo!!! Second gold for Greece, let's go again ...," Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said.
Petrounias was honored to carry the Olympic Flame as first torch bearer after it was lit in Ancient Olympia in April.
He is the third Greek gymnast in Olympic history to win the rings title. The first was Ioannis Mitropoulos at the 1896 Olympics in Athens, while the second gold went to Dimosthenis Tampakos at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.
Petrounias won the rings title the 2015 European Championships in Montpellier and at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow. He also won the rings gold at the 2016 European Championships in Bern, Switzerland.
