International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey and IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge were among the dignitaries in attendance.

Gymnast Petrounias was honoured for his triple success in 2015, as the 30-year-old earned the men’s rings European Championship title in Montpellier before repeating the feat at the inaugural European Games in Baku.

He then capped off a superb year by earning his first World Championship gold medal in the discipline in Glasgow during October.

Open water swimmers Kalliopi Araouzou and Spyros Gianniotis were honoured for winning silver and bronze medals in their respective five kilometre and 10km races at the World Aquatics Championships in Kazan.

The men’s water polo team, who achieved their joint best finish at the World Championships by claiming bronze, were also recognised.

Meanwhile, women’s double sculls rowing duo Aikaterini Nikolaidou and Sofia Asoumanaki joined taekwondo’s Andriana Asprogeraka in receiving awards, having won silver and bronze medals at their World Championships.

“Greek athletes made us proud once again in 2015, by winning 82 medals in World and European Championships,” said Spyros Capralos, HOC President.

“It’s these athletes who we are awarding because they are worth it, from our side, we, the Hellenic Olympic Committee, have done our utmost to be by the side of our athletes and to help them as much as we can.

“We have mobilised a wide part of our society who have really understood the problems of the athletes and have supported them.”

Athletes were also honoured for medals received at various European Championships, Baku 2015 and the European Youth Olympic Festival, while those who had already earned Rio 2016 berths were also celebrated.

The ceremony also saw the IOC Trophy 2015 for Sport and Innovation awarded to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, a philanthropic organisation.