Four days of intense competition, vibrant home support, and unforgettable memories have come to a close as the North Macedonian judo team officially concluded its participation in the Millennium Team European Judo Championships Cadets 2025 in Skopje. While the event brought both victories and defeats, what stood out above all was the remarkable dedication and determination shown by this young, ambitious home team.
In the individual competition, Teodora Ilioska led the national side with two winning contests in the -57 kg category, demonstrating impressive technical maturity. She competed on the same day as her twin sister, Tamara Ilioska, making it a truly special moment for the family and the local fans. Adding to their story, the Ilioska twins were winners of the “Win a Ticket” campaign earlier this year, which took them to the Senior European Championships in Podgorica, where they had the chance to meet some of the sport’s elite champions. That experience, as they later shared, became a major source of motivation and inspiration. Reflecting on her performance and the emotions of competing on home soil, Teodora had the following to say:
“I had four fights, I won two and lost two. Still, I was very happy because I was the first judoka from the Macedonian team to win a fight. At the same time, I felt a lot of pressure. I really wanted to win a medal. For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s gold, silver, or bronze, I just wanted to stand on the podium. I didn’t get it this time but I am determined to work even harder. I want to prepare even better for the next European Championships and fight for a medal. This experience has given me so much motivation. It pushes me forward in every way, going to more training camps abroad, gaining experience, competing more, and training harder. Fighting here at home, in front of our own crowd, was something I will never forget. Amazing. Unbelievable. Once-in-a-lifetime.“
During the mixed-team event, the host nation faced a tough loss against France, who later brought them back into contention via the double repechage system, setting up a match against Greece. Despite a determined effort, North Macedonia had to bow out, with Greece emerging as the winners. With that, the home team’s official participation in the event came to an end. Following the competition, Mr Vladimir Trpanoski, President of the National Judo Federation of North Macedonia, expressed his pride in the team’s performance and spirit.
“I believe the organisation of this event was excellent across all four days. Everything ran smoothly from our side, but of course, we now await the official evaluation from the European Judo Union. Their feedback will confirm how well we truly performed. We witnessed many high-quality matches and saw the emergence of a promising new generation. I believe Skopje is now officially part of cadet judo history.”
On the performance of the home team, he added: “It is true that we didn’t win a medal this time but when I became president, I chose a different path. At the time, we lacked strong competitors and didn’t have a large base of judoka in Macedonia. So, I focused on popularising the sport and bringing major events to the country.
“We started by successfully hosting European Cups. After demonstrating strong organisational capabilities, the EJU placed its trust in us to host the European Championships. This is not just an event, it’s a turning point. With it, we are building visibility, bringing judo into the public eye, and encouraging more young people to join our clubs. We are writing a new chapter in Macedonian judo.
“I am incredibly proud. Our organising team worked for two months straight, day and night, focusing on every detail. We are a small team, but very compact and efficient. I believe the level of organisation speaks for itself. Same for our judoka, I am proud of them too. Most of them had never experienced a competition of this level before. They showed discipline, courage, and real potential. I believe this experience has motivated them, and they will return to training with even greater commitment and focus for future results.”
Author: Szandra Szogedi