The Most Famous
ATHLETES from Albania
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Albanian Athletes of all time. This list of famous Albanian Athletes is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Pyrros Dimas (b. 1971)
With an HPI of 44.72, Pyrros Dimas is the most famous Albanian Athlete. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages on wikipedia.
Pyrros Dimas (Greek: Πύρρος Δήμας; pronounced [piros ðimas]; born 13 October 1971) is a Greek politician and former weightlifter. He is currently the technical director for USA Weightlifting, having taken that position in June 2017. Dimas has also been involved in politics as a member of the Hellenic Parliament, representing the Panhellenic Socialist Movement from 2012 to 2015. Dimas is the most decorated Greek athlete in the Olympics and is widely considered one of the greatest weightlifters of all time, having been three times Olympic Gold Medalist (in his fourth Olympiad, a knee injury notwithstanding, he won the bronze medal), and three times World Champion. He was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year, for the years 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996.
2. Mirela Maniani (b. 1976)
With an HPI of 37.26, Mirela Maniani is the 2nd most famous Albanian Athlete. Her biography has been translated into 28 different languages.
Mirela Maniani (Greek: Μιρέλα Μανιάνι, [miˈrela maˈɲani], born 21 December 1976) is a Greek retired track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. She was named the Greek Female Athlete of the Year for 2003.
3. Luiza Gega (b. 1988)
With an HPI of 34.69, Luiza Gega is the 3rd most famous Albanian Athlete. Her biography has been translated into 27 different languages.
Luiza Gega (born 5 November 1988) is an Albanian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase since 2016.
4. Romela Begaj (b. 1986)
With an HPI of 29.29, Romela Begaj is the 4th most famous Albanian Athlete. Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages.
Romela Aleksandër Begaj (born 2 November 1986) is an Albanian weightlifter. On 11 November 2014 in Almaty she became world champion in the Snatch style for the category up to 63 kg. Previously Begaj represented Albania at the 2008 European Weightlifting Championships where she took home the silver medal. She also represented Albania at 2008 Olympic Games in China where she finished 6th in the under 58 kg category. In the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships she got bronze medal in snatch. Begaj, 28, became the first Albanian woman to win a World Championship gold medal by lifting 113 kg in the snatch. However, Begaj failed an anti-doping test for this event and her results will likely be expunged.
5. Izmir Smajlaj (b. 1993)
With an HPI of 23.33, Izmir Smajlaj is the 5th most famous Albanian Athlete. Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Izmir Smajlaj (born 29 March 1993) is an Albanian athlete who specialises in the long jump. He won the gold medal at the 2017 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, the first gold medal for his country at a major athletics competition, setting a new national and personal record of 8.08 metres in 2017. His personal bests in the long jump are: 8.16 metres outdoors (NWI, 2021) in Tirana. (new national record) 8.11 metres outdoors (–0.7 m/s wind, 2019) in Shkodër. (new national record) 8.08 metres indoors (2017) – First place in long jump competition, gold medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, Belgrade, Serbia 7.93 metres indoors (2018) – First place in long jump competition, gold medal at the Balkan Indoor Championships, Istanbul, Turkey 7.89 metres outdoors (2018) – First place in long jump competition, gold medal and best olympic athlete of the match at the Albanian Athletics Outdoor Championships, Elbasan, Albania 7.89 metres outdoors (2018) – 7.83 metres outdoors ( 2024 ) First place in long jump competition, gold medal and title of "Best athlete male of the competition" at Small States of Europe,The Championships of the Small States of Europe (CSSE) is a biennial competition in outdoor track and field organised by the Athletic Association of Small States of Europe (AASE). First held in 2016, the competition is held on alternate years with the Games of the Small States of Europe. Liechtenstein In addition, in the triple jump, he has a personal best of 16.30 metres outdoors (-0.2 m/s wind; 2016; Elbasan, Albania) and 15.15 metres indoors (2014; Tirana, Albania). All the first three marks are current national records.
6. Erkand Qerimaj (b. 1988)
With an HPI of 22.69, Erkand Qerimaj is the 6th most famous Albanian Athlete. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Erkand Mehdi Qerimaj (born 10 August 1988) is an Albanian weightlifter.
7. Daniel Godelli (b. 1992)
With an HPI of 19.16, Daniel Godelli is the 7th most famous Albanian Athlete. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Daniel Godelli (born 10 January 1992, in Peqin) is an Albanian weightlifter, and Olympian competing in the 69 kg and 77 kg categories until 2018 and 81 kg starting in 2018 after the International Weightlifting Federation reorganized the categories. He has won various medals, most notably the gold medal at the 2014 World Championship in Almaty, but his results at Almaty were later disqualified due to testing positive for doping.
8. Briken Calja (b. 1990)
With an HPI of 19.06, Briken Calja is the 8th most famous Albanian Athlete. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Briken Calja (born 19 February 1990, Elbasan) is an Albanian weightlifter, Olympian, and European Champion competing in the 69 kg category until 2018 and 73 kg starting in 2018 after the International Weightlifting Federation reorganized the categories. He won the silver medal in the men's 73 kg event at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
9. Lester Lescay (b. 2001)
With an HPI of 0.00, Lester Lescay is the 9th most famous Albanian Athlete. His biography has been translated into different languages.
Lester Alcides Lescay Gay (born 15 October 2001) is a Cuban athlete who competes in the long jump. He won silver at the 2017 IAAF World U18 Championships long jump competition behind teammate Maikel Vidal. He won gold at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics long jump competition. Lescay was included in Cuba's squad for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics based on his 8.28m jump on the 23 February 2020 in Camagüey. It was the fourth longest men's senior outdoor long jump of 2020. It also placed him tenth on the Cuban all-time list, as well as the sixth u20 in the world of all time.
People
Pantheon has 9 people classified as Albanian athletes born between 1971 and 2001. Of these 9, 9 (100.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Albanian athletes include Pyrros Dimas, Mirela Maniani, and Luiza Gega. As of April 2024, 3 new Albanian athletes have been added to Pantheon including Daniel Godelli, Briken Calja, and Lester Lescay.
Living Albanian Athletes
Go to all Rankings
Pyrros Dimas
1971 - Present
HPI: 44.72
Mirela Maniani
1976 - Present
HPI: 37.26
Luiza Gega
1988 - Present
HPI: 34.69
Romela Begaj
1986 - Present
HPI: 29.29
Izmir Smajlaj
1993 - Present
HPI: 23.33
Erkand Qerimaj
1988 - Present
HPI: 22.69
Daniel Godelli
1992 - Present
HPI: 19.16
Briken Calja
1990 - Present
HPI: 19.06
Lester Lescay
2001 - Present
HPI: 0.00
Newly Added Albanian Athletes (2024)
Go to all RankingsDaniel Godelli
1992 - Present
HPI: 19.16
Briken Calja
1990 - Present
HPI: 19.06
Lester Lescay
2001 - Present
HPI: 0.00
