Bronze Olympic medallist in rowing at Paris 2024, Petros Gaidatzis, will be the first Torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, 26 November 2025.
The change was made because Alexandros Ginnis, who had initially been selected, was injured during training and is unable to fulfil the duties of Torchbearer as he strives not to miss his participation in the Winter Olympic Games.

Petros Gaidatzis, together with Antonis Papakonstantinou, won the bronze medal in the lightweight men’s double sculls at the 2024 Olympic Games. He was born in Thessaloniki on 25 November 2000 and grew up in Kalamaria. He is an athlete of the Nautical Club of Kalamaria and a medical student at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

At the 2023 European Rowing Championships in Slovenia, he won the bronze medal with Antonis Papakonstantinou, while in 2022 he was crowned U23 European Champion in Belgium.

Petros Gaidatzis stated regarding his selection as first Torchbearer:
“Being chosen by the Hellenic Olympic Committee to be the First Torchbearer for the Winter Olympic Games is a tremendous honour. When I received the phone call from the President, Mr. Kouvelos, I truly couldn’t believe it, and I was overwhelmed with joy. I consider the fact that I will be the first runner to carry the Olympic Flame just as honourable as the bronze medal I won at the 2024 Olympic Games. I will do everything in my power to express the Olympic ideal in the best possible way and to represent my country proudly around the world.”

The Chairman of the HOC Olympic Torch Relay Commission, Thomas Tokas, stated:
“We were saddened by the unfortunate development concerning Alexandros Ginnis, but the athlete’s health and his participation in the Winter Olympic Games must come first. However, the selection of Petros Gaidatzis is also significant — an Olympic medallist in rowing who lifted the Greek flag high at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and who embodies excellence, Greek spirit, and the Olympic values in the best possible way.”

Alexandros Ginnis, in a letter sent to the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, expressed his deep sorrow that he cannot fulfil his childhood dream, but noted that he “needs to begin physiotherapy and a training programme immediately, so that not a single day of recovery is lost, in order to be ready to compete in January and be 100% prepared in February for the Winter Olympic Games.”