The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) Maribor 2023 came to a spectacular close in the beautiful Trg svobode Square on Saturday evening, as the best young European athletes’ came together to celebrate their achievements after a memorable week of sport.

The Closing Ceremony followed a fantastic final day of sporting action which was highlighted by breathtaking performances and the Italian team finishing at the top of the medal table with a total of 46 medals. Germany finished second in the final standings and France in third.

Germany’s Helen Keveric certainly tried to help her country close the gap on Italy during the last day with a fantastic gymnastics display at the Tabor Sports Hall. The gymnast rounded off an outstanding Festival with gold medals in both the beam and floor exercise adding to the gold and three silver medals she won earlier in the week. Keveric finished highest in the ‘multi-medallist’ table at the Festival.

In the boys’ floor event Tommaso Brugnami (ITA) won another gold to add to his EYOF total collection of four golds and two silver; Yoan Ivanov (BUL) took the parallel bars title; and Zala Zambori (HUN) won on the vault apparatus.

The tennis competition concluded with Julie Pastikova (CZE) beating Giulia Popa (ROU) in the girls’ singles. In the girls’ doubles, the gold went to Slovenia beating Romania two sets to one, this adding a second silver to Popa’s collection. Pastikova also won a second medal, this time the bronze as part of the Czechia doubles partnership. In the boys’ category, the individual title went to Italy’s Vito Darderi, beating Austria’s Thilo Behrmann two sets to love and in the doubles the gold medal went to the Polish pair beating Romania two sets to one.

At the Poljane Athletics Stadium Ella Obeta (GER) won the girls’ high jump jumping 1.83m, the same height as second placed Valeria Smirnova (EST), but the count back of previous attempts determined the final positions. Volunteer Ana Šalamon was given the honour of presenting the girls’ high jump medals on behalf of all the volunteers, a tradition the European Olympic Committees (EOC) started at the European Games in 2019. In the other girls’ finals in the athletics, Shirin Kerber (SUI) won the 1500m; Nafy Thiam (BEL) topped the podium in the shot put; and Adela Holubova (CZE) took the 800m title.

In the boys’ events, Samuel Conjungo-Taumhas (FRA) threw an impressive 61.71m in the discus to take the gold; Alin Savlovschi (ROU) won the 2000m steeplechase; and Ioannis Gkartsios (GRE) triumphed in the triple jump. To complete the athletics action the medley races took place. In the boys’ medley, France won gold with Switzerland taking silver and Italy the bronze. In the girls’ medley Romania conquered with Italy coming in just behind in silver and Czechia taking the third spot.

Elsewhere, Türkiye succeed over Azerbaijan in the judo mixed team event. Germany beat Slovenia in the boys’ handball final and France took the honours against Romania in the girls’ handball final.

The volleyball medals were the last to be handed out at the end of the Festival. In the girls’ event, Slovenia overcame Germany in the final and Netherlands beat Hungary to take the bronze medal. In the boys’ section a very exciting game took place between Italy and France with France coming out on top. Czechia beat Belgium to secure the bronze.

The Festival came to its conclusion with a wonderful Closing Ceremony in Trg svobode Square in Maribor. Five Slovenia athletes, some of which competed this week, officially marked the end of the EYOF by lowering the EOC flag.

A Fair Play award was presented to Mate Gvelesiani (GEO) for his wonderful show of respect to his opponent after the judo -66kg final against Luke Katic (CRO). Due to a knee injury Katic was struggling to walk to the podium to collect his silver medal, without hesitation Gvelesiani picked Katic up and carried him to the podium.

During the Closing Ceremony EOC President Spyros Capralos congratulated the athletes on their brilliant performances and thanked the Maribor 2023 Organising Committee for delivering a markedly successful event.

Spyros Capralos said: “Thank you for making the 17th edition of the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival such a wonderful success. Maribor has opened its heart to the European Olympic family and showed us that it is a true sporting city. The facilities, the organisation and the welcome we have received have made this a memorable week. This is a moment for all Slovenians to look back on the past seven days with pride.

“I would like to express our gratitude to the Mayor of Maribor Saša Arsenovič, President of the Slovenian National Olympic Committee Franjo Bobinac, and the whole organising committee, congratulations.

“Congratulations to all of you who will leave Maribor as EYOF medallists. Many EYOF records have been broken and your performances have been streamed live with over one million views, which is also a new record.”

At the end of the ceremony President Capralos handed the EOC flag over to the Mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska who received the flag on behalf of Skopje in North Macedonia which will host the Summer EYOF in 2025.