“Silver” Hamalidis, bronze for Telikostoglou in Belgium

Konstantinos Hamalidis, third at the 2021 European Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, won the silver medal at -68 kg, while the “silver” world champion of 2019 in Manchester, Apostolis Telikostoglou, took the bronze at -80 kg. Furthermore, the pre-Olympic team introduced by the Hellenic Taekwondo Federation, had two fifth places with protagonists Nasia Mitsopoulou (-67kg) and Phaedra Kaltekis (-57kg).

Hamalidis, No-1 on the board and No13 in the world, on the way to the final had four victories, specifically 2-0 (10-4, 6-5) over the American Young, 2-1 (4-3, 1- 4, 7-6) over the Belgian Aliou, 2-0 (7-1, 7-6) over the French Tselamootto, while in the semi-finals he had a bye, after the Turkish Cavurat did not compete due to injury.

In the gold medal match, he faced Uzbeko Pulatov, whom he defeated 2-0 (4-1, 9-0), thus taking second place in the -68 kg category. where a total of 57 athletes participated.

At -80 kg, Telikostoglou (No. 6 in the world ranking) did not lose a set until the semi-finals. He defeated Björgvinsson (Iceland / 3-2, 12-1), Antilkhanov (Kazakhstan / 14-6, 9-5) and Domenech (Spain / 7-1, 6-3) 2-0, only to lose with 2-1 (3-2, 5-7, 6-4) in the foursome by Uzbek Salaev, 2022 Asian champion.

Kaltekis and Mitsopoulou had two wins in three matches. Caltechi (No. 13 in the world) defeated Croatia’s Dinkovic 2-0 (2-0, 7-2) and Thailand’s Harnsugin 2-1 (2-4, 7-2, 8-8), but was defeated in the quarterfinals by the Hungarian Marton with 2-0 (5-1, 4-0).

Mitsopoulou (No. 18 in the world ranking) defeated France’s Yukoubova 2-1 (3-0, 7-12, 8-5) and Indonesia’s Lamanda 2-0 (4-3, 5-4). but lost in the round of 16 to the 2022 world champion in Guadalajara, Mexico’s Soltero 2-0 (6-2, 8-4).

The “silver” world champion in 2022 in Mexico, Thenia Sarvanakis, made her “maiden” appearance at -67 kg, with one win in two matches, after losing 2-1 to the No-1 on the board, the French holder of two world medals and nine European, Viet Ninh.

The seventh Tokyo Olympian, Fenia Tzeli (-62kg), reached the round of 16 with two wins, where she was defeated 2-0 by the 2022 world champion in Guadalajara, Belgium Tsaari.

Dionysis Rapsomanikis was left out of the round of 16 in the -58 kg category.