Papaflessia-International Sports Meeting

The "Papaflessia" International Sports 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 matches occur at the Municipal Stadium of Kalamata, on the city's southeast side.

During the 1930s, the "Messenian Gymnastics Association" organized the "Eleftheria" track and field competitions, from which the "Papaflessia" later emerged. The event's name was given in honour of Papaflessas, the Messenian hero of the Revolution of 1821. The first historical organisation of the Sports Meeting took place in 1956 (under Panagiotis Kaisaris’ chairmanship) 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 "Papaflesseia" was upgraded to an International Sports Meeting. From 1996 until 2014, the event was held under the auspices of the European Athletics Federation (EAA).

In Kalamata's leading 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 Club" is the long jumper Louis Tsatoumas, with important international distinctions.

An integral part of the organisation is the events in honour of Papaflessas, who was sacrificed on May 20th, 1825, in the historic battle in Maniaki. The events begin with the ritual touching of the Holy Flame in the place of sacrifice in Maniaki, Messenia. The flame is then transported to the outskirts of the Municipal Stadium of Kalamata, where a torchbearer picks it up to bring it to the Stadium and light the altar, thus triggering the start of the sports competitions.