Greece celebrated a stunning double success yesterday, with swimmer Apostolos Christou and pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis both writing new golden pages in the history of Greek sport.

Two great champions, competing in two different European championships, carried the Greek flag onto the podium and delivered moments of unique pride for Greek fans.

Apostolos Christou won gold in the 100m backstroke at the European Swimming Championships, confirming his place among Europe’s elite swimmers, while Emmanouil Karalis took silver in the pole vault at the European Athletics Championships, in a thrilling final against Swedish world record holder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis.

Christou’s gold

Christou showed once again why he is considered the finest Greek swimmer of his generation. Two days after the disappointment of finishing fourth in the 50m backstroke, where he missed out on a medal by just one hundredth of a second, the Greek champion responded like a true champion.

In the 100m backstroke at the European Championships in Paris, Christou produced an outstanding swim to win gold, successfully defending the title he had won in 2024 in Belgrade.

His opponent had, until yesterday, been his biggest obstacle: Italian Olympic and world champion Thomas Ceccon, the current world record holder. This time, though, Christou achieved something he had never managed before at a major event: beating him.

After his triumph, the Greek champion spoke about the importance of composure and experience.

“This is my fourth time as European champion. I defended the title I won in 2024, and I’m delighted to have finished this championship with a gold medal,” Christou told Greek state broadcaster ERT.

“I tried to stay calm, and I think I managed that; that was the secret,” he added, explaining that handling the disappointment of the previous race had been key to his success.

“I didn’t expect to win today. Yesterday I was very tired and didn’t feel well. But with the composure and experience I now have, I’m able to handle difficult situations and get the most out of every race,” he said.

The medal ceremony

The Greek champion stepped onto the top of the podium to collect his gold medal, sealing another great chapter in his career.

‘Manolo’ back on the podium

Shortly afterwards, at the European Championships in Birmingham, Emmanouil Karalis put on a show of his own. Known as “Manolo,” he won silver in the pole vault with a clearance of 6.00 metres, in a thrilling final against Duplantis.

Throughout their duel, the two athletes once again showed the mutual respect between them. Even as they competed for gold, neither stopped encouraging or applauding the other.

Duplantis took first place, but the Greek champion proved once again that he now ranks among the best pole vaulters in the world. Karalis cleared 6.00m and fought hard until the end, even chasing a new Greek national record.

The clearance that secured his silver:

After his success, “Manolo” sent a clear message that there are no longer any limits for him.

“I’m hungry, very hungry for what’s next… there’s no height that scares me anymore,” he said.

“I’m extremely pleased and happy. When an athlete believes in himself and has a team around him, his family and the people who support him, he can surpass himself,” he added.

Asked whether any height still frightened him, he said: “Nothing, nothing at all. There’s no height that scares me anymore, I don’t want to set limits. I’ve managed to prove to myself that you have to see things positively. Whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve.”

Finally, asked to rate how happy he was with the night’s competition out of 10, Karalis sent a clear message that gold is now only a matter of time: “Ten, but without an exclamation mark, because I’m hungry, very hungry for what’s next.”