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Greek pole vault star Emmanouil Karalis has surprised and delighted Indian social media users by sharing a new Instagram reel with a popular Punjabi track by Karan Aujla, a well-known Canadian-Indian singer and songwriter whose chart-topping hits have built a massive global fan base.

Emmanouil Karalis recently featured in the Greek National Championships, where he won the gold medal with his best jump of 5.80 in July this year. Before that, the Greek pole vaulter finished fourth at the London Diamond League with an impressive clearance of 5.95m. Karalis recorded his season best at the Greek Indoor Championships, with a national record jump of 6.17m.

However, Emmanouil Karalis grabbed attention off the field by sharing an Instagram reel featuring Karan Aujla’s popular Punjabi track, surprising Indian fans across the world, as the Greek star showed his love for Punjabi music through the viral post.

Emmanouil Karalis’ Reel with Punjabi Music Goes Viral

Athletes across the world use social media, especially Instagram, to post highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, and personal updates to connect with fans across international borders. However, the Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis stood out by sharing content featuring regional Indian music.

Taking to his official Instagram handle, Karalis posted a reel of his performances and training moments, giving his followers a glimpse of his life beyond the pole-vaulting arena. However, the Greek star added Karan Aujla’s Punjabi track, ‘52 Bars’, to the reel, giving the post a distinctly desi touch to his training and competition highlights.

Since Aujla’s Punjabi track contains high-energy, a vibrant rhythm, and motivational lyrics, it served as a perfect soundtrack to Emmanouil Karalis' impressive pole-vaulting highlights, making it more engaging and instantly relatable to his growing international audience.

Emmanouil Karalis’ use of the Punjab track on his Instagram reel has delighted the Indian audience, who were left surprised by the Greek pole vault star embracing the music and flooding his comments with appreciation.

Since Karan Aujla’s popularity is not just restricted to India or Canada, his cross-continental appeal continues to reach unexpected corners of the globe, bridging cultures through viral moments like this.

Who is Emmanouil Karalis?

Emmanouil Karalis hails from Athens, Greece, and has firmly established himself as one of the world's elite pole vaulters. He is the son of a Greek father from Pyrgos and a Ugandan mother. The Greek star also has a twin sister, Angeliki, who participates in heptathlon.

Emmanouil Karalis rose through the ranks of youth competition, winning a gold medal at the 2016 European Youth Championships, a bronze medal at the 2015 World Youth Championships, and two silver medals at the 2019 and 2021 European U23 Athletics Championships.

From the youth level, he continued to excel at the senior level, winning gold medals at the 2019, 2021, and 2025 Balkan Athletics Championships, a gold and a silver medal at the European Indoor Championships in 2025 and 2023, respectively, two silver medals (2025 and 2026) and a bronze (2024) at the World Indoor Championships.

Emmanouil Karalis shot to fame when he won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the following year, the 26-year-old won his first World Championships medal, securing silver at the Tokyo edition of the prestigious athletics competition. Apart from international medals, Karalis also won several medals at the Greek National Championships.

At the Greek Indoor Championships this year, Emmanouil Karalis made a massive leap of 6.17, making him the second-highest jumper in the history of pole vault, behind Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, who holds the record of 6.31m. Karalis also continues to push the boundaries of the sport, inspiring fans worldwide with his exceptional athleticism and vibrant personality.