The Greek delegation and the program for the U17/U20 European Fencing Championship

In the junior and junior category Greece will have a full team at the U17 and U20 European Fencing Championships in Tallinn, 21-28/2. Between 21-22/2, four athletes and four athletes will compete in each of the three weapons, while the same athletes will form the National teams for the team tournaments on 23-24/2.

Of the 24 fencers in the U17 category, eight will compete between 25-26/2 and in the larger category of young men and young women (U20) along with another eight fencers who belong exclusively to this age group. In the team events of the U20 category, we will have a Greek presence only in the young women’s epee and dueling sword.

The head of the mission is Giorgos Passas, representative of the coaches on the Board of Directors of EOX and accompanying coaches are Petros Tsokas, Michalis Konstantinopoulos (dueling sword) Nikos Kontochristopoulos, Konstantinos Adasis, Stathis Gerosideris, Ilias Bouzikas (exercise sword), Giorgos Tsouroutas, Yiannis Notaras , Nikos Psychas, Nikolai Zaporochenko (swords).

The Greek referee of the Olympic Games, Andreas Doubis, received an invitation from the European confederation to referee the games.

Youth category (U17)

Three athletes and two athletes stand out from the Greek entries in the youth category (U17), based on the places they occupy in the European ranking of the 2022-2023 season:

• Stavrina Garifallou (AOX Aigaleo) had an excellent course in the European Swordsmanship Cups, she is No. 1 in the European ranking of juniors and is of course one of the big favorites for the title. Since last September, the athlete of Nikos Kontochristopoulos has won two golds (Sato Mare, Samorin) and one bronze (Manchester) in European Junior Cups and had three more placings in the top 16 (5th, 9th, 12th).

•Konstantinos Karambasis (AO Ariston Paanias) has twice reached the podium in European Cups in dueling sword, he is No. 5 in the European ranking of teenagers and No. 4 among the participants in the European. The athlete of Giorgos Passas has won a silver (Leipzig), a bronze (Bratislava) and a ninth place (Thessaloniki) in European cups.

• Panagiotis Theodoropoulos (AO Ariston Paanias) is ranked No. 20 in Europe and No. 17 on the European list in junior dueling sword, Alina Kouroussi (AO Apollon Vrilission) is No. 25 in Europe and No. 16 on the European list in junior epee and Dimitris Gikas (VALUE) is ranked No. 45 in Europe and No. 21 on the list of the European youth swordsmanship.

With claims, the U17 National teams will compete in the junior dueling sword (No. 9 in Europe, No. 6 on the board), junior epee (No. 10 in Europe, No. 7 on the board) and junior epee (No. 20 in Europe, No. 11 on the board). The National Junior Epee Sword Team may not have a good place in the rankings due to lack of competitions, but last year they took 6th place in Europe and in fact 3 of the 4 gymnasts (Garifallou, Ballou, Bouzika) are showing up again this year. It should be noted, however, that the ranking of the teams for the formation of the team tables will be based on the individual rankings of the fencers in the European championship.

Here is the detailed table with the sportsmen and women who will take part in the European U17 Championship:

Teenage dueling sword

Konstantinos Karambasis – AO Ariston Peanias

Panagiotis Theodoropoulos – AO Ariston Paanias

Vassilis Tsokas – OXIF

Alexandros Syros-Thurman – AOFIPS Iris

Junior dueling sword

Nefeli Rasspotsi – OXYF

Vasiliki Biza – AOFIPS Iris

Maria Pagoni – LO Varis

Danai Kasimati – AL Xifaskias Chania

Adolescent practice sword

Artemios Tzovanis – AOX Aegaleo

Sotiris Gerosideris – GE Florinas

Manos Apostolopoulos – VALUE

Dimitris Gikas – VALUE

Junior practice sword

Stavrina Garifallou – AOX Aigaleo

Eleni Ballou – AOX Aigaleo

Iliana Daria Buzika – Florina University

Anna Pilioura – VALUE

Teenage swords

Nikos Pergamalis – AO Aspida

Accompanying Paschalidioglou – AO Aspida

Gyorgos Leoton – Aris Thessaloniki

Thomas-Avraam Grollios – Aris Thessaloniki

Junior swords

Alexandra Papapetropoulou – E Kostea Geitona

Alina Kouroussi – AO Apollon Vrilissio

Katerina-Maria Hatzikokkinou – AO Aspida

Kalliopi Hatzakou – E Kostea Geitona

Youth Men’s/Young Women’s Category (U20)

For young men and women, the competition is inevitably greater. Nefeli Rodopoulou in last year’s U20 Championship had the best placing for Greece with 20th place in dueling sword and in the current competition season she is the only one who has placed in the best 32 in a World Cup with 21st place in Laupheim in Germany.

Based on the participation lists, six Greek women are among the best 64 athletes and will fight for the breakthrough.

Here are the gymnasts with their ranking in the European lists and in parentheses their position in the FIE U20 World Ranking:

Nefeli Rodopoulou (AOFIPS Iris) – dueling sword – 39th (89th)

Alexandra Papapetropoulou (E Kostea Geitona) – epee – 43rd (138th)

Stavrina Garifallou (AOX Aigaleo) – sword exercise – 46th (140th)

Andriana Theodoropoulou (AO Ariston Peanias) – dueling sword – 51st (152nd)

Alina Kouroussi (AO Apollon Vrilissio) – epee – 51st (191st)

Marilena Gazepidis (OSFP) – epee – 54th (198th)

Here is the table with the sportsmen and women who will take part in the European U20 Championship:

Teenage dueling sword

Vassilis Tsokas – OXIF

Pantelis Karagiannis – AO Ariston Paanias

Alexandros Syros-Thurman – AOFIPS Iris

Junior dueling sword

Nefeli Rodopoulou – AOFIPS Iris

Andriana Theodoropoulou – AO Ariston Peanias

Christina Boronkai – Lygas OX Pentelis

Konstantina Tsolaki – AO Ariston Peanias

Junior practice sword

Stavrina Garifallou – VALUE

Adolescent practice sword

Dimitris Gikas – AOX Aegaleo

Teenage swords

Vassilis Predaris – AO Ariston Peanias

Nikos Pergamalis – AO Aspida

Accompanying Paschalidioglou – AO Aspida

Thodoris Stragalis – AA Ioannina

Junior swords

Marilena Gazepidi – OSFP

Alexandra Papapetropoulou – E Kostea Geitona

Alina Kouroussi – AO Apollon Vrilissio

The program of the event:

Tuesday, February 21

9:00 – Junior dueling sword – (Karabassis, Theodoropoulos, Tsokas, Syros-Thurman)

11:00 – Junior swordsmanship – (Garifallou, Ballou, Pilioura, Bouzika)

14:00 – Junior sabers – (Papapetropoulou, Kourousi, Hatzikokkinou, Hatzakou)

18:00-20:00 – semi-finals/finals

Wednesday, February 22

9:00 – Junior dueling sword (Raspoptsi, Biza, Pagoni, Kasimati)

11:00 – Youth practice sword (Tsovanis, Gerosideris, Apostolopoulos, Gikas)

14:00 – Junior swords (Pergamalis, Paschalidioglou, Leoton, Grollios)

18:00-20:00 – semi-finals/finals

Thursday, February 23

9:00 – Junior Dueling Sword Team (Juvenile National)

9:00 – Junior Team Epee (Junior National)

12:00 – Junior Team Epee (Junior National)

15:00-18:40 – semi-finals/finals

Friday February 24th

9:00 – Junior Dueling Sword Team (Junior National)

9:00 – Junior Team Epee (Juvenile National)

12:00 – Junior Team Epee (Teen National)

15:00-18:40 – semi-finals/finals

Saturday, February 25

9:00 – Young men’s dueling sword (Tsokas, Karagiannis, Syros-Thurman)

11:00 – Young women’s sword practice (Garifallou)

14:00 – Young women’s swords (Gazepidis, Papapetropoulos, Kouroussi)

18:00-20:00 – semi-finals/finals

Sunday, February 26

9:00 – Young women’s dueling sword (Rodopoulou, Theodoropoulou, Boronkai, Tsolaki)

11:00 – Young men’s sword practice (Gikas)

14:00 – Young men’s swords (Predaris, Pergamalis, Paschalidioglou, Stragalis)

18:00-20:00 – semi-finals/finals

Monday, February 27

9:00 – Junior Men’s Duel Sword Team

9:00 – Young women’s team sword practice

12:00 – Junior Women’s Team Epee (Young Women’s National)

15:00-18:40 – semi-finals/finals

Tuesday, February 28

9:00 – Junior Women’s Duel Sword Team (Young Women’s National)

9:00 – Young men’s team sword practice

12:00 – Junior men’s team saber

18:00-18:40 – semi-finals/finals