The European Men’s and Women’s Sumo Championships, K23 and K21, were concluded with complete organizational and competitive success in Loutraki.
The Panhellenic Sumo Federation deserves to be congratulated for making history, as it became the first federation to undertake an international event in just 16 months of its existence.
More than 400 athletes from 15 different countries took part in the event and enjoyed the beauties of Greece and the beautiful city of the Corinthian Gulf.
The Greek delegation with 10 medals, including the first gold in the history of the Federation, with Theodoros Michaelidis at 115 kg of the K23, made an ideal start for the sport that with the “good morning” showed that it has a great present and a bright future.
“We are proud of the organizational and competitive level of Greece”
The President of the Panhellenic Sumo Federation (POS) Grigoris Papadopoulos gave the competitive and organizational report of the event:
“After an action-packed three days with more than 400 athletes from 15 countries, we received congratulations from all missions for a flawless event.
We are proud that our Federation, despite being only 16 months old, successfully organized a demanding European Championship.
In the competitive part, we exceeded all expectations by winning 10 medals, while many of our athletes placed in very good positions. Overall, the Greek team made a big breakthrough, as the matches were generally of a very high standard.
This European Championship is a strong legacy for the newly established Panhellenic Sumo Federation and a strong starting point for the future and development of the sport in the country.”
European and World just around the corner…
The competitive activities of the Panhellenic Sumo Federation have just begun. Between 21-23 June in Poland the European Championship K18 and K16 will be held with the Greek delegation consisting of 6 athletes, while between 6-10 September in Poland the big event of the World Championship will take place with Greece its maiden participation among 40 countries.
Candidacy for the 2026 European Championships
The flawless organization of the European Championships in Loutraki and the momentum that Greek Sumo has, have created a very positive climate, so that the Panhellenic Sumo Federation will undertake other major events in the near future. Specifically, at the Board of Directors of the European Sumo Federation held in Loutraki as part of the event, President Grigoris Papadopoulos submitted a nomination on behalf of P.O.S. for taking over the European Championships U21, U18, U16 of 2026.
Sumo coaching school
The new sport of Sumo in Greece will soon have certified coaches from the General Secretariat of Sports, as a 3rd class coaching school is planned for June and will last 6 months.
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
