Periklis Iakovakis
A Greek hurdling stalwart who dominated the national scene for over a decade and held his country's record for nearly twenty years.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Greek hurdler·Birthday: March 24·Generation X
Biography
For fifteen years, Periklis Iakovakis was the unchallenged king of Greek hurdling. His career was a model of national dominance and steady, high-level performance on the international stage. Specializing in the grueling one-lap barrier race, the 400-meter hurdles, Iakovakis didn't just win Greek championships; he owned them, claiming fifteen national titles in a row. His crowning moment came in 2005 when he blasted to a time of 47.82 seconds, a Greek record that would stand for generations. That speed carried him to three Olympic Games and four World Championships, where he was a consistent semifinalist, often finishing just outside the medal rounds. Iakovakis was not a flash-in-the-pan talent but a durable craftsman, his technique and strength making him a fixture in a brutally demanding event. He represented a golden era of Greek athletics, providing a constant, reliable standard of excellence that inspired a generation of track athletes in his home country.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Periklis was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Periklis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Periklis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set the Greek national record in the 400-meter hurdles (47.82 seconds) in 2005, a record that stood for over 18 years.
- Won fifteen consecutive Greek national championships in the 400m hurdles from 1999 to 2013.
- Competed in three consecutive Olympic Games: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008.
- Reached the semifinals of the 400m hurdles at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki.
Did You Know?
His national record of 47.82 seconds was finally broken in 2023 by Konstantinos Nakopoulos.
He is an officer in the Hellenic Air Force.
He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games in the 400m hurdles.
He served as the flag bearer for Greece at the opening ceremony of the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.
“My focus was always on the rhythm between the hurdles, not the clock.”
