Antaeus7

Expecting another first round exits : D

The future for Greek football is looking very promising.

Maria Rafailidou was the only Greek athlete to medal at the Under 20 European Athletics Championship in Tampere, Finland. She won gold in women's shot put with a winning mark at 16.16. I think we got ourselves a good shot putter.

August 24 will be the last day to update it's final world rankings The current Greek athletes to take part in Tokyo are one of the following: Miltiadis Tentoglou - 8.46 (Entry Standard and Defending Champion) Emmanouil Karalis - 6.08 (Entry Standard) Angelos Mantzouranis - 78.61 (Entry Standard) Christos Frantzeskakis - 16/36 (World Ranking) Kostas Zaltos - 20/36 (World Ranking) Alexandros Papamichail - 50/50 (World Ranking - 20 km Race Walk), 43/50 (35 km Race Walk) Elina Tzengko - 64.90 (Entry Standard) Antigoni Drisbioti - 2:47:49 (Entry Standard - 35 km Race Walk), 40/50 (World Rankings - 20 km Race Walk) Polyniki Emmanouilidou - 35/48 (World Ranking - 200 Meters) Tatiana Gusin - 21/36 (World Ranking) Ariandi Adamopoulou - 26/36 (World Ranking) Oxana Koreneva - 30/36 (World Ranking) Stamatia Scarvelis - 25/36 (World Ranking) Olga Fiaska - 39/50 (World Ranking) Sofia Alikanioti - 48/50 (World Ranking) Greek athletes who are in the hunt, but not in qualification currently Polyniki Emmanouilidou - 55/48 (100 Meters) Georgia Despollari - 65/56 Anastasia Retsa - 48/36 Natalia Besi - 42/36 Chrysoula Anagnostopoulou - 41/36 Anastasia Dragomirova - 34/24 Antonios Merlos - 37/36 Dimitris Pavlidis - 37/36 Dimitris Tsitsos - 41/36 Angelos-Tzanis Anderoglou 36/24

On the bright side, two other Greek hammer throwers achieved their respectful medals. Sliver for Giorgios Papanastasiou and bronze for Ioannis Korakidis. Anastasia Dragomirova fell short of a medal in the women's heptathlon as she broke the Under 23 Greek National Record of 6045 points. Georgia Despollari could not repeat for a medal at the women's 800 meters, she also achieved an Under 23 Greek National Record at 2:00.90.

There goes the gold medal hope Angelos Mantzouranis fouled on all three attempts, he did this in the Under 20 European Athletics Championship as well two years ago. Talk about epic failure from an athlete who threw 78.61 this season.

Even if she fails to medal in the women's 200 meters, it's not a disappointment as she already won bronze 2 years ago in Espoo, Finland.

Polyniki Emmanouilidou finally won her first ever medal at the women's 100 meters and it's BRONZE!

Well done Greece!!! 12th place finish at 253 points Beat four opponents (Finland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Hungary) in the 1st division. The whole team really picked it up after Karalis absence and responded well. There are still a few question marks of the selections, in 2027 we believe they will get better.

Tentoglou broke the European Athletics Team Championship record by jumping 8.46.

Greece are currently at 14th place with 77.5 points, 14.5 behind Switzerland Had Karalis given Greece the 16 points needed, Greece would be 1.5 points ahead of Switzerland.

The 100 meters Greek sprinters did quiet well Emmanouilidou finished 7th place overall 11.26 SB (10 points) Sotirios Garagiannis finished 9th place overall 10.26 PB (8 points)

Canadian born Melissa Anastasakis got a personal best today at the women's 5000 meters with a time of 16:21.01. Finished 7th place and grabbed 10 valuable points for Greece!!! BRAVO!!!!!

It turns out he felt a discomfort in his leg while he was in training during the run up and was forced to withdraw from the competition. He will need to rest more so he doesn't make the injury worse.

How? Did he get injured?

Christos Meletoglou SEGAS athletics director believes Greece should survive the first division. He emphasized there are certain events Greece can get valuable points including the relay teams. One can hope. I do know 3 Greek athletes who are ranked in the world's top 5 (Tzengko, Karalis, and Tentoglou) should get maximum 16 points in their respective events. The competition also hands out individual medals to athletes who perform the top three in that event from all three divisions.

Franks recently became a Greek citizen and is actually among the fastest top 5 in the men's 400 meters. He can be under dark horse of this competition. I don't know much about him, does he have Greek ancestry?

Having Korakidis on the roster over Frantzeskakis or Zaltos is not a good move. I don't think he will get anywhere close to his personal best. I can understand the other athletes to take over their usual athletes because of injuries or maternity leave.

This years European Team Championship 1st division will have 16 nations Italy, Poland, Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, Ukraine, and Lithuania.

Greek team to head to Madrid This is not a very strong group in my opinion I like the fact they are using many young athletes to perform Men's 100 Meters - Sotirios Garagannis 200 Meters - Vasilis Myrianthoupoulos 400 Meters - George Franks 800 Meters - Charilambos Lagos 1500 Meters - Giorgios Matzaridis 5000 Meters - Kostas Stamoulis 3000 Meter Steeplechase - Nekatrios Kolios 110 Meter Hurdles - Anastasis Iliopoulos 400 Meter Hurdles - Dimitris Levantinos High Jump - Antonios Merlos Pole Vault - Emmanouil Karalis Long Jump - Miltiadis Tentoglou Triple Jump - Andreas Pantazis Shot Put - Kostas Gennikis Discus Throw - Dimitris Pavlidis Hammer Throw - Ioannis Korakidis Javelin Throw - Dimitirs Tsitsos 4x100 Relay - Garagannis, Myrianthopoulos, Panagiotopoulos, Vrontinos, Papamargaritis, Volikas Women's 100 Meters - Polyniki Emmanouilidou 200 Meters - Polyniki Emmanouilidou 400 Meters - Alexia Papavassiliou 800 Meters - Georgia Despollari 1500 Meters - Anthi Kyriakopoulou 5000 Meters - Melissa Anastasakis 3000 Meters Steeplechase - Vasiliki Kallimogianni 100 Meter Hurdle - Sofia Iosifidou 400 Meter Hurdle - Laura Zenegia High Jump - Tatiana Gusin Pole Vault - Ariandni Adamopoulou Long Jump - Natalia Besi Triple Jump - Oxana Koreneva Shot Put - Maria Rafailidou Discus Throw - Chrysoula Anagnostopoulou Hammer Throw - Stamatia Scarveli Javelin Throw - Elina Tzengko 4x100 Relay - Emmanouilidou, Spanoudaki, Tsoukala, Kamperidou, Iosifidou, Michaelidou 4x100 Mixed Relay Franks, Andreadis, Papavassiliou, Zenegia, Simoni, Ferra

Can we throw Ioannis Korakidis into the mix for leading Greece in the hammer throw? He throw a Personal Best of 76.14 today in Trikala.

Mantzouranis is focusing on the European Under 23 Championship and the World Championship. Zaltos would definitely be a good choice, but I respect his decision. I think Franzeskakis should get the nod. He did well in 2021. Anastasakis isn't doing so well this season he is likely the odd man out for Tokyo since only three Greek hammer throwers can go unless he somehow throws over 78.20.

Zaltos won the NCAA title with a new personal best of 78.08, just 12 cm short of the entry standard for Tokyo 2025. Mantzouranis finished second at 76.96. Both were outstanding this season. Question now is who will lead the charge for Greece at Madrid this coming late June?

4 Greek athletes are competing in Eugene, Oregon for the NCAA outdoor track and field finals tomorrow June 10. The participants Angelos Mantzouranis (Minnesota) - Men's Hammer Throw Kostas Zaltos (Minnesota) - Men's Hammer Throw Dimitris Pavlidis (Kansas) - Men's Discus Throw Andrea Mita (Houston) - Men's High Jump

In the last 3 games, Greece looks virtually unstoppable.