Papaflessia. The Kalamata International Athletics Meeting

The "Papaflessia" International Athletics Meeting is organised annually by the "Messenian Gymnastics Association" in collaboration with SEGAS, the Region of Peloponnese, the Municipality of Kalamata and the Chamber of Messenia. The games occur at the Municipal Stadium of Kalamata, on the city's southeast side.

During the 1930s, the "Messenian Gymnastics Association" organised the "Eleftheria" track and field competitions, from which the "Papaflessia" later emerged. The event's name was given in honour of the Messenian hero of the Revolution of 1821, Papaflessas, and in memory of his sacrifice in Maniaki (May 20th, 1825). The first historical organisation of the Athletics Meeting took place in 1956 (under the chairmanship of Panagiotis Kaisaris) at the Messeniako stadium. The games had a Pampeloponnesian character and took place systematically until 1969. After a significant pause, the event was revived in 1984 at the Municipal (then National) Stadium of Kalamata. The actual "launch" of the event took place in 1996 when the "Papaflessia" was upgraded to an International Athletics Meeting. From 1996 until 2014, the event was held under the auspices of the European Athletics Federation (EAA).

In Kalamata's top sports event, personalities of the world's classical sports participate, offering fans a spectacle of high aesthetics and performance. The leading modern athlete of the "Messenian Gymnastics Association" is long jumper Louis Tsatoumas, who has important international distinctions.