Giannis Antoniou: Judo, Obsession, and the Price of Greatness

An Interview with Giannis Antoniou By Ollimono Magazine | October 2nd 2025

“I cannot be aggressive to this man. But that is wrong, you need to believe in yourself.” At just 20 years old, Giannis Antoniou has already faced some of the toughest judokas in the world. In one match, he squared off against an older fighter he personally admired, a man whose skill and reputation made it almost impossible for Giannis to attack with full force. It was a lesson he had to learn the hard way: he could fight him, and he could even win.

That moment shaped his mindset of obsession and self-belief, forged through sacrifice, cultural dislocation, and a relentless hunger for recognition. His story is not simply about fighting, it is about what it takes to become a high-performer.

“Every day I wake up and go to sleep with judo in my mind.”

Beyond the dojo, Giannis carries the firm discipline of someone who has been brought up with deep respect, gratitude, and a sense of duty. “My parents taught me that nothing comes without hard work,” he says. “They showed me how to respect people, to be humble, and to value every opportunity.” That upbringing is woven into the way he trains, competes, and approaches life, it is a foundation for the mental toughness and humility that define him.

For Giannis, judo is not simply a sport, it is an obsession. “If I don’t train at least two or three hours a day, I can’t even sleep,” he explains. His life revolves entirely around the tatami, where repetition, discipline, and mental resilience shape his identity. While many of his peers in Cyprus pursue studies, social lives, or early careers, Giannis has committed to the rhythm of training and competing. For him, there is no halfway: either he gives himself fully to judo, or he risks losing the fragile edge that keeps him among the world’s best.

“To survive in Georgia at 15 years old was very hard.”

The path to international competition forced him far beyond the island. At 15, Giannis moved alone to Georgia, a country where judo is not just a sport but a way of life. This was not a comfortable camp for foreign athletes, he was the only foreign judoka training there. All the other athletes were Georgian. He did not speak the language, did not know anyone except his coach, and had to navigate life entirely on his own. He learned to cook, to care for the house, to be a grown-up adult, all while carrying the weight of intense training and competition.

Socially isolated for long stretches as a teenager, he endured an experience that was not for the faint-hearted. “I would have never even visited this country if it wasn’t for judo,” he admits, recalling the cultural shock and loneliness he faced. “The only good thing they have there is judo and wrestling. But to survive there at 15, 16 years old, it was very hard.” Those years stripped away comfort and replaced it with resilience, giving him both the physical sharpness and the psychological armour to compete against judokas forged in that environment from birth. All for the love of judo, for the dream to be different, to make a difference, to become a great champion one day.

“I want to be known here, where I live.”

There were moments when the temptation to switch national allegiance was real. With offers to fight for Greece or even Georgia, Giannis could have chosen an easier path to resources, recognition, and competitive opportunities. Cyprus offers very little support to its athletes, especially during international competitions, no dedicated medical staff, limited coaching presence, and scarce logistical backing.

In contrast, countries like Georgia and Greece have full support camps in place, with coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, and the structure that allows an athlete to focus entirely on performance. Since Giannis trains in Georgia, the Georgian national team treats him like one of their own, offering vital support during competitions, something he deeply values. “I thought about it many times, but I believe it would feel like a betrayal. I want to be known here, where I live. I want to build my name in Cyprus.” Representing the island means fighting not just for medals but for visibility, respect, and the hope of inspiring the next generation of Cypriot judokas.

“We knew I was going to be in Paris. I was just two places away.”

The biggest heartbreak of his career so far came in 2024, when Olympic qualification for Paris slipped away by the narrowest margin. “Only 26 athletes qualify in each weight category. I was ranked 28th,” he says, the frustration still clear. At the time, Giannis was still very young, barely qualified as an adult competitor. In judo, the average age for Olympic qualification is much higher, because experience matters so much in the sport. “When the qualification period started, everyone was saying I was only 18 years old. In judo, it’s almost impossible to have senior-level results at that age,” he explains. That reality meant Giannis was not just fighting his opponents on the mat, but also fighting against the weight of time and maturity in a sport where age brings a decisive edge. “When we missed out, I took it really badly. But now I see it gave me so much experience.”

That perspective fuels his ambition for Los Angeles 2028, where his aim is not simply to participate but to fight for the podium. The near miss, rather than breaking him, sharpened his focus and deepened his belief that he is still at the beginning of his Olympic journey.

“Unless you are ready to suffer, this sport will eat you alive.”

Judo demands everything, and Giannis does not romanticize it. “Don’t do it, unless you are ready to suffer. This sport will destroy your life. But if you are ready, it can also give you everything.” The words are blunt, but they reflect the sacrifices he continues to make: living away from home for months, training through injury, being socially isolated and balancing international competition with his business studies. While his friends in Limassol enjoy the freedoms of youth, Giannis chooses discipline, structure, and an uncertain pursuit of excellence. For him, the reward is not immediate comfort but the possibility of legacy.

Beneath the medals and results lies a deeper drive, the desire to be remembered. “I’ve never imagined myself without judo,” he reflects. “I want respect. I want people to know my name.” His vision of the future is deceptively simple: a house in Limassol, a television, steak dinners with family. Yet behind that modest dream is the determination to ensure that his name, and by extension Cyprus, resonates in the global judo community.

Giannis Antoniou’s journey is not finished. At 20, he is only at the beginning of a career that could carry him to Olympic glory.

We interview high-performing athletes all the time at OLLIMONO, and when we’ve spoken with Giannis, it was unmistakable, the way he spoke, with firm yet slightly naive honesty, made it clear, that he definitely belongs to the tribe of high-performers, he was one of them! He is one of them. Young though he is, his conviction to judo runs deeper than most — an obsession shaped by sacrifice, discipline, and a dream. Giannis is determined to become a great champion, and he is willing to put everything on the line.

In truth, he already has…

Whether on the tatami in Tbilisi, or representing Cyprus on the world stage, Giannis continues to fight for respect, for recognition, and for the chance to leave a mark far bigger than himself.