Apollofanous Filoxenos

“The club of champions”

Apollofanous Filoxenos is a recognized club by the Greek general secretariat of sports having taken special recognition from the athletic federations of Ju-Jitsu and the Pankration.

Who is the Filoxenos?

In the Olympics of fourth century BC in the sport of wrestling, winner was the Zakynthian Filoxenos, son of Apollofanous. In commemoration of his victory, the city of Zakynthos dedicated an inscription, which was saying:

“The city of Zakynthos, town of the Filoxenos Apollofanous the Zakynthian, won in Olympia the sport of wrestling DII Olympia”

The inscription was found in Olympia, in the excavations of 1827 and was inscribed on a statue’s pedestal, probably Zeus’s or Filoxenos’s. Its fate is missing. (From the book of the Student’s Group, Historical research, first elementary school of Zakynthos 1997)

The Athletic club Apollofanous Philoxenos was founded in 1994 by the master and founder of the Okinawa Karate School in Zakynthos, Dimitris Panagiotopoulos. Established under the name Athetic Club Okinawa Te Tai Karate Do Seidokan, Kobudo. In 2000 with a change on the statute, it took its present name.

The club is active in the Greek federation of Ju-Jitsu E.F.E.O.Z-Z and the last years has managed to reach the first position in the number of medals won all over Greece.

Especially in the years 2009, 2010 was proclaimed as a champion club, while in 2011 got the second position.

It is a club where every year its athletes get distincted at an international level, participating in the Balkan, European and Worldwide Championships of Ju-Jitsu, winning medals and gaining important positions in an international level.
For example in 2011. Apollofanous Filoxenos participated at the Balkan Championship held in Larnaca, Cyprus with 15 athletes winning 5 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. The effort and determination will be continued in the years to come.

International participation of the club’s athletes.

  • The club participates every year in the Balkan Championchips, getting medals in Ju-Jitsu.
  • 2009. World Championship of Ju-Jitsu in Athens, 3 athletes.
  • 2010. European Championship of Ju-Jitsu, Vienna, Austria, 4 athletes. Also at the European Championship of Security Forces that was held in Spain a policeman athlete of Apollofanous Filoxenos won the first place.
  • 2011. World Championship of Ju-Jitsu 18-21 years old, Belgium, 7 athletes.
  • The club participates annually in the national championships of Okinawa Karate, where in the last 10 years, it has gained first place.