Each year, runners from across the globe retrace the legendary path from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, carrying stories of endurance, struggle, and hope. Among them this year stood a man whose victory told a story far deeper than athletic success. Panagiotis Karaiskos, who crossed the finish line first at the 42nd Authentic Athens Marathon with a time of 2:20:10, is not only the 2025 champion but a man who has conquered life’s steepest climb, his battle with drug addiction.
His story moved thousands, as the General Director of OAKA, Konstantinos Chalioris, put it:
“Panagiotis Karaiskos is not simply the winner of the Athens Marathon. He is the man who proved that no path, however steep, is impassable when you run with your soul. From the fight for survival and recovery, he reached the race of transcendence and inspiration. Above all, he is a victor of life.”
Chalioris praised him as “a living example that greatness lies not only in victory but in the rebirth of the soul.”
Karaiskos’ path to redemption was anything but easy. Speaking in a 2024 interview with Gazzetta TV, he revealed the raw truth of his past, the years lost to substance abuse, the near-death experiences, and the turning points that pushed him toward healing.
“I started judo when I was four and trained competitively until I was sixteen. After losing a match, I spiralled, within an hour I went from athlete to drug user,” he said. “It started with cannabis, but within six years, I had tried everything—even heroin.”
He described three “blows” that woke him up: his arrest at age 18 when police found drugs at his home, the death of a close friend from an overdose, and his own brush with death after taking an excessive dose.
“I remember my mother fainting on the couch while police searched our house. That broke something inside me,” he recalled. “Later, a friend died next to me during use. Then one night, I overdosed. My family found me just in time. Those three moments were enough. I knew I had to change.”
His parents sought help from KETHEA’s “Strofi” rehabilitation program, encouraging him to join. “At first, I thought I could quit on my own. I didn’t want to admit I needed help. But after a court case and the risk of prison, I decided to try,” he said.
What followed was a long, humbling journey. “It was hard at first—when you’ve lived on a park bench and suddenly you’re in a clean, safe space where people look you in the eyes. I stayed one week, then another. I started setting small goals,” Karaiskos said.
He remained in the program for 14 months, completing its full residential phase. “There, I learned honesty, trust, and self-acceptance. I started to love Panagiotis as he is,” he shared.
Reintegration into society wasn’t easy. “When you get out, you expect people to be like in the community, honest and kind. But outside, it’s not always like that. I got burned a few times,” he admitted.
Still, he stayed committed. “I used the skills I learned—talking things through instead of reacting with anger or violence.”
Slowly, Karaiskos rebuilt his life job by job, step by step. And then he began running again. What started as a form of therapy became a purpose.
“Running saved me,” he said. “It gave me back the discipline and peace I had lost. When I run, I remember who I truly am.”
A message for all who struggle
Today, Panagiotis Karaiskos runs not only for medals but for meaning. His story is a beacon for those battling their own demons, a reminder that redemption is possible.
“I used to think people who ran were crazy,” he laughs. “Now I know—they were free. Never say never.”
As he lifted his arms at the Panathenaic Stadium, cheered by thousands, Karaiskos crossed not only a finish line but a threshold of transformation—from addiction to triumph, from darkness to light.
“Panagiotis doesn’t just run for victory,” said Chalioris. “He runs for life.”
Photo: AMNA/Orestis Panagiotou
