Born 2008. Balkan champion at 16. This is the timeline of a journey still being walked — step by step.
Panagiotis Saltis is born on 20 June 2008 in Karditsa, Thessaly — a town with a proper race walking tradition.
He joins the local Fokianos Karditsa club — a genuine school of Greek race walking — and starts training under Thanasis Deligiannis, coach of the national team.
December: he lines up in Dublin for his first international 10km, finishing in 52:04. A number he will demolish within two seasons.
His first national title in the 5km race walk. The generation has a new reference point.
European U18 Championships, Banská Bystrica: 6th in the 5000m race walk with a 21:44.72 personal best — despite an extra lap forced by a judging error.
December, Dublin: 21:16 — the fastest European 5km of 2024 in his category, fourth-fastest in the world. SEGAS names him Greece's top male U18 athlete.
Gold at the Balkan Race Walking Championships in Astros (45:23). His first international title.
Back-to-back national titles (22:13.75 in Patra) — and a 43:14 personal best for 10km wearing the national vest at the European Team Championships in Poděbrady.
Undefeated domestically in 2026 so far — four races, four wins, and a 43:28.03 track PB for 10,000m. The build-up years: European U20 Championships, World U20 Championships, senior debuts.
The goal: the Olympic Games of Los Angeles, at 20 years old. And beyond — Brisbane 2032, at 24, in an athlete's prime.
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