Leaders from the EOC and Organising Committee, together with North Macedonia’s Minister of Sport Borko Ristovski and starring athletes of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), reflected on the sporting success of Skopje 2025 at today’s midway press conference.
EOC President Spyros Capralos, Chair of the EOC’s EYOF Commission Liney Rut Halldórsdóttir, Skopje 2025 Organising Committee President and National Olympic Committee (NOC) of North Macedonia Daniel Dimevski and Minister Ristovski addressed the media at the Press Conference.
They were joined by Estonian athlete Allika Inkeri Moser, who set an under-18 world best in the Girls’ Pole Vault on the first day of the EYOF, and Matea Poposka, North Macedonia’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony and a member of the Girls’ Volleyball team.
“I am really happy for this opportunity to first of all compete here, and I am really happy to bring home a gold medal,“ Moser said. “That world record also still seems so unreal to me!”
Poposka discussed the importance of competing at an international multi-sport event in front of home fans for a large team of nearly 200 athletes representing North Macedonia.
“As an athlete, I can say the conditions are excellent – everything is organised to the highest standard, and the atmosphere is truly inspiring. These conditions allow us to fully commit and give our best”, Poposka said.
“I’m grateful to the Ministry of Sport and the Minister for making sure our national teams are fully supported to perform at their best. Our goal is clear: we want to make North Macedonia proud.”
In the first two days of competition at Skopje 2025, 31 of the participating 50 delegations won medals, showcasing the strength and diversity of young sporting talent across the continent.
Competitions are being streamed live through EOC TV, and President Capralos revealed strong engagement already including 100,000 views of athletics, 80,000 views of badminton, 60,000 views of basketball and 45,000 views of swimming on day two of the EYOF.
President Capralos also highlighted athletes at previous EYOFs who have gone on to become Olympic champions, including Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, 400m and 400m hurdles runner Femke Bol of the Netherlands, and Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon.
“The EYOF is a unique sporting Festival. For many of the athletes, it is their first experience of an international multi-sport event, and an important chance to compete on the field of play, and make friendships and connections off the field of play,” President Capralos said.
“This comes at an important moment for European sport one year after the Olympic Games in Paris. NOCs across Europe are continuing to build after a successful Paris 2024 and the EYOF is helping to prepare their next generation of athletes for future European Games and Olympic Games.”
Ms Halldórsdóttir added: “Our measure of success is the joy on the athletes’ faces in the competition venues and around Skopje.
“We have the best young athletes in Europe, maybe even the best young athletes in the world, competing at the EYOF this week. Most importantly, they are giving the best account of themselves and making friendships which we hope will last for a lifetime.”
Skopje 2025 is the largest edition of the EYOF with 15 sports on the programme and more than 4,000 athletes and officials participating. It is also the biggest sport event ever held in North Macedonia, and President Dimevski and Minister Ristovski share their perspectives on the start of competition.
“We are proud that North Macedonia is hosting one of the most important youth sporting events in Europe. This is not just an organisational success, but also a sporting one,” President Dimevski said.
“We already have a new national swimming record, and I believe we’ll see North Macedonia among the medal winners in the coming days.
“The EYOF is more than sport – it’s a platform for connecting our young generation with Europe and presenting our country in the best possible light.”
Minister Ristovski said: “As a country, we have a historic opportunity to host over 4,000 athletes and coaches – something that rarely happens and is not easy to organise. This is not just a sporting event, but an investment in the future of Macedonian sport.
“I’m especially pleased that our athletes have the chance to compete on home ground against the best in Europe. This is a huge opportunity for all of us – institutions, athletes, and citizens.”
Competition at Skopje 2025 will run until 26 July, and the full schedule can be found here.
All competition can be streamed live or watched on demand through EOC TV.
