The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced the 54 athletes selected to represent Team GB at the Skopje 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
Running from the 20th – 26th July, Team GB’s young athletes, all aged between 13 and 18, will compete in 10 of the 15 disciplines on the programme: artistic gymnastics, badminton, basketball 3×3, canoe slalom, judo, mountain bike, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.
It is the largest squad Team GB have selected for an EYOF since 2009, with the majority of athletes taking to the field-of-play in venues across the North Macedonian capital, while the cyclists will be competing a short distance away in the country’s second largest city Kumanovo and the gymnasts set up in Osijek, Croatia.
EYOFs play an important role in the development of young British athletes, providing crucial multi-sport event experience and guiding them towards realising their Olympic ambitions as they compete alongside over 4,000 athletes from 48 countries.
Team GB will be featuring in basketball and canoe slalom for the first time at an EYOF, with seven athletes competing across the two disciplines.
Basketballer Irene Oboavwoduo was delighted to make the squad: “It’s always an honour to represent Great Britain when competing but being selected for Team GB specifically takes it to another level and that feels amazing.
“I’ve never been to a multi-sport event like this before, so it feels very different. I’m really excited to meet lots of different people from different backgrounds and sports.”
This year’s British delegation will follow in the footsteps of some of Team GB’s most recognisable stars who themselves represented Team GB at youth events before going on to compete at a senior Olympic Games, including Nile Wilson, Dina Asher-Smith, and Duncan Scott, who’s eight Olympic medals make him Britain’s most successful EYOF alumni.
These names provide huge inspiration for many, including 15-year-old swimmer Kaiden Hitchins, who said: “I’m over the moon to be selected for Team GB. I’m sure I could speak for every British athlete when I say it’s one of those things you dream about happening.
“It feels surreal to be following in Duncan’s [Scott] footsteps, but hopefully I can use this experience as a huge stepping stone for the rest of my career like he did.”
Rachel Smith, who captained Team GB’s rhythmic gymnastics team during London 2012 and has now been selected as Chef de Mission for Skopje 2025, said: “It is a genuine honour to be named Chef de Mission for Team GB at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje. For many of our athletes, this will be their first opportunity to wear the Team GB kit and connect with the Olympic Movement. A truly memorable experience and significant milestone in any athlete’s journey.
“The EYOF represents more than just a competition; it is where many of our Olympians began their journey with Team GB. Skopje 2025 will provide our next generation of athletes with a valuable introduction to a multi-sport environment and a platform to continue exploring their own version of extraordinary. I am looking forward to seeing the team in action and hope it proves to be a memorable and rewarding experience for everyone involved.”
Two-time Olympic swimmer Anna Hopkin will take on the role of Athlete Ambassador for Skopje, offering advice and support as the athletes come together as one Team GB.
The gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 said: “I am very proud to be named the Athlete Ambassador for the Skopje European Youth Olympic Winter Festival. I have always been very passionate about sport and Team GB is such an incredibly special team. To have the chance to hopefully inspire and pass on knowledge to the next generation is something that I am really looking forward to.”
“Having been just like our young athletes working hard and dreaming of the future, I know exactly how they are feeling. So, I’ll be looking to give them some useful information to make sure they can best use this opportunity to further their careers.”
Full squad:
Artistic Gymnastics –
Helena Finc, 14, Bedworth
Lexi Holmes, 14, Cardiff
Jenitha Johnson, 13, Milton Keynes
Uzair Chowdhury, 15, Harpenden
Zakaine Fawzi-Mccaffrey, 17, Nottingham
Evan McPhillips, 17, Bury
Badminton –
Ishasriya Mekala, 16, Cardiff
Kalyan Manoj, 16, Milton Keynes
Basketball (3×3) –
Bo Guttormsdottir-Frost, 16, East Moseley
Haley Wright, 17, Valencia
Irene Oboavwoduo, 17, Manchester
Maisie Keyes, 17, Stockport
Canoe Slalom –
Chloe Holmes, 14, Northwich
Jake Mitchell, 15, Hereford
Sophie Forster, 15, Nottingham
Judo –
Coen Gilbert, 16, Bathgate
Jack Milligan, 16, Wallasey
Lenny Tancock, 17, Bishop’s Stortford
Sara Coni, 16, London
Taylor Chrisp, 16, Blyth
Vasiliy Menshykov, 17, Inverurie
Mountain Biking –
Luke Trafford, 15, Holmfirth
Orla White, 17, Tavistock
Road Cycling –
Daniel Davies, 16, Penarth
Finlay Storrie, 16, Bridgend
Melanie Rowe, 16, Banchory
Peggy Knox, 16, London
Rose Lewis, 16, Birmingham
William Coles, 15, Llandovery
Swimming –
Austyn Manley, 15, Derby
Benjamin Beale, 15, Durham
Darcey Smith, 15, Fareham
Gisella Silano, 15, Haslemere
Jasmine Hall, 15, Old Harlow
Josephine Lawn, 15, Bromley
Kaiden Hitchins, 15, Smethwick
Lili Mundell, 15, Galashiels
Lois Child, 15, Leeds
Lydia Cordle, 14, Derby
Nikolai Sisnett, 15, Glasgow
Olivia Robins, 15, Stourbridge
Patryk Przyczyna, 15, Eastbourne
Tyler Stone, 15, Norwich
William Wilson, 14, Leeds
Xander Tovey, 15, Dunchurch
Table Tennis –
Abraham Sellado, 15, Bradford
Sienna Jetha, 16, Watford
Taekwondo –
Antonio Buonaiuto, 16, London
Fabio Carvalho, 14, London
Lauren Dunsmore, 17, Cumbernauld
Lily Kingsley, 17, Southampton
Max Cartwright, 16, Larbert
Monica Ilieva, 15, Craigavon
Paige Vincent, 15, Poole
With thanks to Team GB
