A promising new generation of Greek athletics

AGONAsport takes a look at the talented new generation of Greek track and field stars, who have already won a plethora of medals in major competitions at the junior and youth levels.

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MILTIADIS TENTOGLOU

The 20-year-old long jumper from Grevena in Macedonia has already made his mark on the senior level, winning gold at this year’s European Championships in Berlin. He had also been a gold medalist at the 2017 European U20 Championships, and a silver medalist at the 2016 World U20 Championships. Additionally, he represented Europe at the 2018 Continental Cup where he won silver. Furthermore, he holds the Greek national records at the U20 and U18 levels. He is just four centimeters away from the U23 national record, which he will surely break in 2019. Having made his Olympic debut in 2016 at the age of 18, Tentoglou will likely contend for a medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

EMMANOUIL KARALIS

The Greek-Ugandan made headlines early in 2018, breaking the U20 world record in the pole vault. Although he no longer holds that record, it is clear that he is a huge talent and is destined for future success. His first big result came in 2015, when he won bronze at the World U18 Championships at the age of 15. In 2016, he won gold at the European U18 Championships and placed fourth at the World U20 Championships as a 16-year-old. His first big result on the senior level came at the 2018 World Indoor Championships, where he finished fifth overall as an 18-year-old. Unfortunately, he missed he 2018 outdoor season due to injury. Still, things look bright for the U20 and U18 Greek record holder (both indoor and outdoor), and will have a great 2019 provided he can stay healthy and avoid injury.

ODYSSEAS MOUZENIDIS

The 19-year old shot putter from Halkidiki has consistently proven himself as one of the future stars of Greek athletics. In 2016, he won gold at the European U18 Championships and set a personal best of 17.27 m. In 2017, he won bronze at the European U20 Championships and set a personal best of 18.46 m. In 2018, he won bronze at the World U20 Championships and set a personal best of 19.46 m. If he continues such progress, he will surely qualify for the 2020 Olympics. First though, he will need to look ahead to 2019 where he will take part in the European U23 Championships for the first time in his young career. It must also be noted that Mouzenidis is the shot put national record holder at both the U20 and U18 levels, and for both indoor and outdoor events.

ANTONIOS MERLOS

The 19-year-old high jumper from Corinth made history in 2018, becoming the first Greek athlete in 20 years to win a gold medal at the World U20 Championships. Merlos, who studies in the U.S. at the University of Georgia, also won silver at the European U18 Championships back in 2016. The U18 indoor national record holder recently announced that he will take a break from his studies and return to Greece to prepare for the 2019 season, which includes the European U23 Championships.

ELINA TZENGKO

2018 was a big year for the javelin thrower, who was born and raised in Halkidiki. In June, she received Greek citizenship. In October, she won gold at the Summer Youth Olympics and set the Youth Olympic world record. It must be noted that she already holds the Greek U18 record. Now being eligible to compete for Greece in major competitions, it is expected that this 16-year-old will win many more medals in future events.

OTHERS

Of course, there are various other Greek athletes that deserve to be mentioned.

17-year-old Olga Fiaska of Lesvos is certainly one of them, as the race walker was a silver medalist this year at both the European U18 Championships and the Summer Youth Olympics.

17-year-old Spyridoula Karydi of Kerkyra is another promising talent. Karydi won bronze in the long jump at the 2018 European U18 Championships, and also placed fourth in the triple jump. She currently holds the U18 national records in both events. She saw massive improvements in 2018, improving her personal bests in both the long jump (from 5.95 m to 6.23 m) and the triple jump (from 12.18 m to 13.27 m). Another big year in 2019 could see her make her Olympic debut as early as 2020.

Ioannis Kyriazis was a silver medalist at the 2017 European U23 Championships and finished sixth in the World Championships at the senior level later that year, despite being just 21. He is also the Greek national record holder at the U23 and U18 levels. The javelin thrower did not compete much in 2018 due to injury, but is set for a big 2019 as long as he can stay healthy. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018, and can now focus on his athletic career full-time.

Gerasimos Kalogerakis was a silver medalist at the 2018 European U18 Championships in the javelin throw, and will hope to follow Kyriazis’ footsteps as he moves up to the U20 and U23 levels in the coming years.

Panagiotis Mantzourogiannis of Kerkyra is considered to be Greece’s next best young long jumper, after Tentoglou. He announced himself by breaking the U18 national indoor record in 2016. Later that year, he won gold at the 2016 European U18 Championships, but since then, has failed to impress. However, he is still just 19, so time is on his side.

Stavroula Kosmidou won a bronze medal at the 2018 European U18 Championships in the hammer throw as a 16-year-old, and will hope to build on this in 2019’s European U20 Championships. She also holds the U18 national record in the hammer throw.

Despina Maltabe was a bronze medalist at the 2016 European U18 Championships in the high jump. However, she has not improved her personal best in three years, so the now 19-year-old will have to start making significant improvements in order to fulfill her potential.

Konstantina Romaiou of Kerkyra won silver at the 2016 World U20 Championships in the triple jump. She is now 21 and has not improved on her personal record in two years, so like Maltabe, she will also need to start improving to reach her full potential. She currently studies at Kansas State University, where she is a member of the track and field team.

by Andrew Stamas

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