Elisavet Teltsidou has once again added to her impressive achievements by securing a silver medal in the -70 kg category at the European Judo Championships held in Podgorica in 2025.
The 29-year-old judoka demonstrated her resilience at this premier event, delivering outstanding performances and defeating notable opponents. This marks her second consecutive year earning silver, following her achievement in Zagreb in 2024.
On a remarkable day filled with tightly contested matches, Teltsidou came close to taking gold but ultimately finished just short against Hungary’s Zsofia Ozbas. She advanced to the quarterfinals after easily defeating Lithuanian Aida Vasiliauskaitė and Israeli Maya Kogan.
In the quarterfinals, Teltsidou faced German competitor Miriam Butkereit, the world’s fifth-ranked judoka and a silver medalist from the 2024 Paris Olympics. With an exceptional performance, she secured her place on the medal podium, where she met Marie-Iv Gaie of France, who is ranked fourth globally and previously claimed a silver medal at the 2024 World Championship in Abu Dhabi. Despite Gaie’s impressive credentials, Teltsidou showcased her exceptional skill, making it to the finals and solidifying her status as one of the top judokas in her weight class.
This silver medal will also boost her ranking into the top five, impacting seedings for the upcoming competitive season as the race towards the 2026 Los Angeles Olympic Games begins.
Theodoros Tsilidis, competing in the -90 kg category, successfully defeated German Edward Trippel, a silver medalist from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, but was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Bulgaria’s Ivailo Ivanov.
Greece Collects 13 Medals
With Teltsidou’s silver in Podgorica, Greece has now amassed a total of 13 medals at European Championships for both men and women since 2004. Her success has significantly contributed to the nation’s rich history in judo.
The medal tally began with gold and silver medals from Ilia Iliadis and Revazi Zindziridze in the -81 kg and -60 kg categories at the 2004 Bucharest Championships. Last year, Teltsidou ensured her spot on the podium with a second-place finish in Zagreb.
Notably, besides Teltsidou, Theodoros Tsilidis has also reached the podium on two occasions: taking third place in Tel Aviv in 2018 and in Sofia in 2022.
Ilia Iliadis holds the record for the most medals earned by a Greek judoka at European Championships, with a total of four.
Summary:
- 2025 Podgorica Elisavet Teltsidou -70 2nd
- 2024 Zagreb Elisavet Teltsidou -70 2nd
- 2022 Sofia Theodoros Tsilidis -90 3rd
- 2019 Minsk Georgios Azounidis -73 3rd*
- 2018 Tel Aviv Theodoros Tsilidis -90 3rd
- 2015 Baku Ilia Iliadis -90 3rd*
- 2012 Chelyabinsk Julie Boukouvála -57 2nd
- 2011 Istanbul Ilia Iliadis -90 1st
- 2010 Vienna Ilia Iliadis -90 3rd
- 2008 Lisbon Lavrentis Alexandidis -66 3rd
- 2005 Rotterdam Lavrentis Alexandidis -60 3rd
- 2004 Bucharest Ilia Iliadis -81 1st
- 2004 Bucharest Revazi Zindziridze -60 2nd
*within the framework of the European Games
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