Kostelidis: “When I heard our National Anthem, I felt chills!”

For Yannis Kostelidis, the month we are going through will be deeply etched in his memory. On the one hand, because he won his first medal in an organization of the European Judo Union-EJU (Naples Cadet European Cup) and on the other hand, because this distinction was also accompanied by our national anthem, upon hearing which he admitted that he felt “shivering”.

At the same time, a few 24 hours later, in Thessaloniki this time, he celebrated winning the heavyweight title of the Panhellenic championship of young men and young women, opening in the best possible way a year during which the young athlete looks up, having the advantage of the excellent psychology in which he finds himself after recent successes.

In the statements he made on the official website of EO Judo, Kostelidis, who turns 17 next month, did not hide that he has high goals, but due to his young age, he would like to implement them step by step.

The word to Ioannis Kostelidis:

For his first medal in an EJU event: “My psychology has improved after the success in Italy and it was also seen in the Panhellenic Championship in Thessaloniki. You feel that the hard training is not wasted.”

To manage such successes from an athlete of his age: “I try not to think about it. After all, it is only a beginning. I don’t want to stop at this medal alone. There are balances that I have to keep because there are so many matches waiting for me and I have to be ready. I haven’t taken it upon myself. I put my head down and work harder.”

For his choice to become a champion, losing some things from his personal life: “You make your choices. You have to make sacrifices. You chase your goals, leaving behind some things your peers are doing. It is necessary otherwise it distracts you from the goals you want to achieve. It’s not easy, but it’s mandatory.”

About his dreams about judo: “It’s no secret that every athlete’s dream is the Olympic Games. And when they are accompanied by a medal, this dream is even more exciting.”

For the sacrifices he will have to make until 2028, when he will have the necessary experience to claim qualification for the Olympics: “The course will show. I don’t know what might change in the future. I don’t want to think about it right now. We continue like this and wherever it goes. May I be strong and ready at that moment to make a dream come true.”

For his racing goals in 2023: “Games and medals. I want to be in the medals of the European Youth Olympic Festival and also in the World Championship. But I’m going step by step.”

About how he started his practice of judo: “At the age of four I started for fun, when my parents took me to a club. To do something and not sit at home. Along the way they saw that I can achieve something more and I started to take it more seriously. I changed clubs, went to EOS Acharnon and since then I’ve been climbing slowly”.

For the way he combines school and judo: “The truth is that I don’t like reading. I’ve already got the university entrance fee, but I don’t know if I’ll use it. My family owns a business (including building materials), with which I will logically be involved in the future.”

On how he felt when our national anthem was played in Naples, on the occasion of his own gold medal: “I was excited to raise the Greek flag high in such a big match. Excited. A chill. I was thinking at that moment that this medal is a reward for my efforts.”