G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki


Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis", commonly referred to as Iraklis Thessaloniki, is a multisports club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece.
G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis was founded on 29 November 1908 and is one of the oldest and most historic sporting clubs in Greece, hence the nickname "Gireos". In 1910, the name "Iraklís" was added to the club's name to honour the ancient Greek demigod Heracles, hence the nickname "Imitheos". The club's colours are blue and white, inspired by the flag of Greece.
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History

G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis traces its roots to 1 July 1899 when Omilos Filomouson was established. The club was established as a cultural union of the Greeks of Thessaloniki, and its sports department was founded in 1902. In 1903 the club joined forces with Olympia, another Greek Gymnastic Club of Thessaloniki. Football was a new sport at the time, but rapidly increasing in popularity and thus the board of directors decided to line up a football team. The first football match by the Omilos Filomouson team was held on 23 April 1905 which won by 3–0 against Union Sportive, a team of the Western European diaspora of Thessaloniki.
Later on, Omilos Filomouson faced financial problems. As a result, members of Omilos Filomouson founded on 29 November 1908 a new sporting club, called Makedonikos Gymnastikos Syllogos, that gained a permission to operate by the Ottoman authorities. The new club's first president was a Greek doctor, Alkiviadis Maltos. The name of the club had a direct reference to the ethnic tensions that took place in the area at that time.
Due to the Young Turks revolt of 1908 and their promises for ease of ethnic tensions in the area, the club was forced to change its name. Thus a new name was decided in 1910 for the club, Othomanikos Ellinikos Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis". Τhe name "Iraklís" was added to the club's name as an honour to the ancient Greek demigod. The new name was approved, together with a new statute and a new board of directors, by a general assembly of the club on 13 April 1911.
After the integration of Thessaloniki in the Kingdom of Greece on 26 October 1912, the operation of the club was accepted by the Greek courts in 1914 and became a fully registered sports club on 11 January 1915 as Gymnastikos Syllogos Thessalonikis "Iraklis".

Crest and colours

The crest of G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis depicts the demigod Heracles in a moment of rest leaning on his gnarled club, a scene inspired by the statue of Farnese Hercules, itself a copy of a statue crafted by Lysippos in the 4th century BC. Throughout the entire club's history, its colours are blue or cyan and white to resemble the colours of the flag of Greece given the fact that G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis was established while Thessaloniki was a part of the Ottoman Empire. The club is so known in Greece as "Kianolefkoi".

Sections

G.S. Iraklis Thessalonikis maintains sections in many sports including:

Former Sections

Honours

Football">Iraklis F.C. (Thessaloniki)">Football

Source:Greek Cup: 1

Basketball

Source:

Men">G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's basketball)">Men

Greek Championships: 2
  • * 1928, 1935

Women">G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (women's basketball)">Women

Greek Championships: 4
  • * 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972

Volleyball

Source:

Men">G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (men's volleyball)">Men

Greek Championships: 5

Αthletics

Source:

Men

Greek Championships: 6
  • * 1975, 1976, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986Greek Cups: 2
  • * 1979, 1990

Women

Greek Championships: 1
  • * 1991Greek Cross Country Championships: 6
  • * 1967, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2009Greek Cups: 3
  • * 1989, 1990, 1991

Rugby">G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki (rugby)">Rugby

Source:

Men

Greek Rugby Union Championship: 1
  • * 2013
  • Greek Rugby Sevens Championship: 2
  • * 2013, 2014

Women

  • Greek Rugby Sevens Championship: 2
  • * 2014, 2024

Fencing

Source:

Men

Greek Épée team championship: 1
  • * 1983

Women

Greek Foil team championship: 1
  • * 1978

Freestyle wrestling

Source:

Men

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

Notable supporters