Giorgos Roubanis, Greece’s oldest living Olympic medalist, passed away Tuesday at the age of 95.
He won bronze in the pole vault at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, earning Greece’s first post-war Olympic medal – a moment of much-needed joy for a nation still recovering from World War II and the subsequent civil war.
Roubanis secured his bronze medal with a 4.50-meter leap, setting a national record at the time.
On his return to Athens, Roubanis was welcomed as a hero. Greek sports fans flooded the airport, eager to celebrate the athlete who had brought them a moment of pride and joy in a time of national recovery. His triumph in pole vaulting was more than just a personal victory—it was a symbol of resilience and hope for a country still reeling from the devastation of the bloody civil war.
Banners waved, cheers echoed through the crowd, and admirers gathered to catch a glimpse of the champion who had lifted their spirits on the world stage. Roubanis’ success was not only a testament to his dedication and skill but also a unifying moment for a nation seeking to heal and move forward.
The son of a gymnast who encouraged his children to pursue sports, Roubanis was initially involved in boxing, basketball, and track and field before discovering his exceptional talent in the pole vault.
Giorgos Roubanis worked with film industry pioneer Spyros Skouras
Roubanis, who was the flag bearer for Greece at the Melbourne Olympics, traveled to Australia from the US, where he had relocated. He later competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics but did not achieve success and retired from athletics the following year.
Roubanis remained in the US, where he founded an advertising company and worked closely with Greek-American film industry pioneer Spyros Skouras, the president of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962.
Skouras was an immigrant from a tiny village in the Peloponnese in Greece who moved to the USA in 1910. He and his two brothers Charles and George would eventually become three of the most influential people in the history of films in the United States.
One of his greatest achievements of Spyros Skouras was his signing of a young model named Norma Jean Baker to 20th Century Fox, who after changing her name to Marilyn Monroe, would rise to fame and become the most famous Hollywood sex symbol of the 20th Century.
Upon returning to Greece, Roubanis established his own film distribution company.
He remained passionate about sports well into his later years, regularly visiting the Panellinios club to support all its divisions. In 1985, Roubanis co-founded the Association of Greek Olympians.