The festival commemorated the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, in which the ancient Greek Phidippides ran 42 kilometres from the Plains of Marathon to the centre of Athens to announce Greece had defeated Persia.
Mr Kakogeorgiou and marathon runner Yvonne Notaris-McKean, of Sans Souci, paid tribute to the battle by running from the Sydney Opera House to the festival.
The pair were greeted on arrival by Rockdale mayor Bill Saravinovski.
He presented Mr Kakogeorgiou, who ran in full panoply, with the keys to the city before he handed his helmet to the mayor.
Festival committee member and head of the council’s mayoress committee, Christine Stavropoulos, said the event was a ‘‘beautiful coming together’’ of Greek and Australian cultures.
‘‘The most beautiful moment was when Aristotle ran into the stadium as the [Orpheas] choir sang an ancient Greek ceremonial song,’’ Ms Stavropoulos said.
‘‘The Battle of Marathon was the first victory in Europe to create democracy and change the whole course of civilisation.’’
About 5500 people visited the festival during the day to help raise funds for the St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation.
Foundation CEO David Tipler competed in the Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday to raise $100,000 for research in pregnancy-related disorders and women’s health.
Funds raised from the events will go towards the Leader 50th anniversary appeal for medical research.
Total money raised from the festival is being calculated.
The appeal aims to raise $750,000 for the foundation by next April.
So far, $500,000 has been collected for new research into areas such as intensive care and emergency medicine, trauma and infection.
Kogarah MP, Cherie Burton, presented festival committee president, Chris Paxinos, with a $10,000 cheque to help cover the cost of the event.
