Ahead of the Madrid 2025 European Athletics Team Championships First Division from 27–29 June, we are shining a spotlight on each team.
This time, we turn to Greece - a nation with deep athletics roots and a regular presence in the top tier of European team competition. While not ever-present in the First Division since the European Cup evolved into the current format in 2009, Greece has become known for its resilience - and for winning relegation battles when it counts.
Rarely flashy but consistently competitive, Greece arrives in Madrid in strong form and chasing what would be their best-ever finish: ninth.
Flashback to 2023
In Silesia 2023, Greece finished 13th in a characteristic relegation scrap - narrowly beating Belgium by just 6.5 points to avoid the drop. It was a familiar survival story for the Greeks, who once again held their nerve when it mattered most.
The standout moment came from double Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who soared to maximum points in the men’s long jump.
Track Record
- Leiria 2009, Portugal (9th place – Super League)
In the inaugural First Division event, Greece secured a hard-fought ninth place, finishing just above the relegation zone with 223 points, narrowly outscoring Czechia (then Czech Republic).
With only three top three finishes across the whole competition, it was a gritty start that set the tone for Greece’s reputation as steady dwellers at the highest level.
- İzmir 2011, Turkey (1st place – First League)
After suffering relegation in 2010, Greece bounced back in emphatic style. In a tightly contested First League competition, the Greeks edged out hosts Turkey by just 8.5 points, scoring a winning total of 303.
Highlights included victories by Dimitrios Chondrokoukis in the high jump (2.32m), Konstadinos Filippidis in the pole vault, and Paraskevi Papahristou in the triple jump (14.09m).
- Heraklion 2015, Greece (2nd place – First League)
Playing on home soil, Greece delivered a historic performance at the First League in Heraklion, finishing second behind Czechia with 327 points to earn promotion to the Super League.
They dominated the field events, with standout wins from Konstadinos Filippidis (5.80m SB) and Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou (4.65m SB) in the pole vault.
- Bydgoszcz 2019, Poland (10th place – Super League)
Greece finished 10th overall with 256.5 points - a performance that would normally ensure safety. However, under the unique 2019 relegation rules (with five teams demoted), Greece were relegated despite placing outside the bottom three.
Key Athletes
- Miltiadis Tentoglou – men’s long jump
The world’s leading long jumper and Greece’s golden ticket in Madrid, Tentoglou is the reigning Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), world champion (Budapest 2023), and a six-time European champion -both indoors and out. He holds a personal best of 8.65 m, set in Rome 2024, placing him third on the European all-time list.
- Emmanouil Karalis – men’s pole vault
One of the few athletes capable of keeping pace in the Mondo era, Karalis is a proven championship performer. He claimed Olympic bronze in Paris 2024 and European silver in Rome 2024 and gold at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Indoor Championships. Indoors, he cleared a Greek record of 6.05m in Nanjing and has topped 6.00m outdoors - making him one of only a handful in that exclusive club.
- Elina Tzengko - women’s javelin
Tzengko burst onto the senior scene in Munich 2022, becoming the youngest-ever European champion with a throw of 65.81 m. She added another title at the Espoo 2023 European U23 Championships and became the first Greek athlete to receive the European Athletics Female Rising Star award.
Already in strong form this season, she has already won three Diamond League events in Xiamen, Kequiao and Rabat - a clear sign she’s ready to deliver in Madrid.
- Konstantinos Zaltos – men’s hammer throw
Greece’s next-generation powerhouse, Zaltos clinched the 2025 NCAA hammer throw title for Minnesota with a massive 78.08 m - the sixth-longest mark in NCAA history. A former European U20 finalist, he placed 12th at the Rome 2024 European Championships with 74.49 m. Still only 25 and in strong form, Zaltos heads to Madrid as a genuine top five contender.
- George John Franks - men's 400m, mixed 4x400m
Only recently eligible to represent Greece after transferring eligibility from the USA, the 21-year-old has clocked 45.20 for the 400m in US collegiate competotions this year and Madrid wil mark his first competition in Europe. He is set for both the individual 400m and the mixed relay.