Elisavet Teltsidou has added yet another impressive achievement to her extensive record by winning the silver medal in the -70 kg category at the European Judo Championships Senior Podgorica 2025.

The 29-year-old judoka once again showcased her fighting spirit at the top event for the sport in Europe, giving her best performance, winning tough matches against the biggest names in the field, and hanging the silver medal around her neck for the second consecutive year, following her accomplishment at Zagreb in 2024.

Concluding a remarkable day filled with intense and closely contested matches, Elisavet Teltsidou came within a breath of the podium’s highest step, narrowly missing out on the gold medal to Hungarian Zsofia Ozbas. Earlier, Teltsidou easily surpassed Lithuanian Aida Vasiliauskaitė and Israeli Maya Kogan, reaching the quarterfinals in the -70 kg category.

In the quarterfinals, she faced German Miriam Butkereit, ranked No. 5 in the world and silver medalist from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Delivering a stunning performance, she managed to secure a spot on the medal podium, where she encountered 28-year-old French judoka Marie-Iv Gaie, ranked No. 4 in the world. Gaie has a collection of various medals and accolades at both the European and global levels, with her latest achievement being a silver medal at the 2024 World Championship in Abu Dhabi. Despite Gaie’s impressive resumé, Teltsidou demonstrated her extraordinary talent and celebrated her advancement to the final, proving that she is one of the best judokas in her category.

The silver medal will once again bring her into the top five of her category in the World Ranking, which at least for this year plays a role only in the seedings (note: the marathon for the 2026 Los Angeles Olympic Games begins).

Theodoros Tsilidis, competing in the -90 kg category, successfully overcame the challenge posed by German Edward Trippel, a silver medalist at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, but was subsequently eliminated in the Round of 16 by Bulgarian Ivailo Ivanov.

Greece Reaches 13 Medals

With this silver medal in Podgorica, Greece has achieved a total of 13 medals in European Championships for both men and women since 2004. The significant success of Elisavet Teltsidou in the -70 kg category added to the rich accomplishments of Greece, bringing the country’s total to 13.

The tally began with Ilia Iliadis and Revazi Zindziridze’s gold and silver medals in -81 and -60 kg at the 2004 Bucharest Championships, while last year in Zagreb, Elisavet Teltsidou secured 2nd place in the -70 kg category.

It is worth mentioning that among the Greeks participating in the Podgorica event, apart from Teltsidou, Theodoros Tsilidis has also reached the winners’ podium twice, specifically taking third place in Tel Aviv in 2018 and in Sofia in 2022.

As for the most Greek medals in European Championships, they are held by Ilia Iliadis (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