Cyprus is sending 16 athletes in seven different sports to the Rio Olympics.
According to the Union of Cyprus Sports Writers, despite the Cyprus team being smaller this year, it is considered strong since it is made up of athletes of an international standard.
Some of the athletes are seeking a medal while others said they would like to reach the finals of their respective events.
From the 16 Cypriots, seven will compete in track and field, two each in sailing, shooting and swimming and one each in cycling, gymnastics and weightlifting.
The Cypriot team will enter the legendary Maracana Stadium which will stage the opening and closing ceremonies with Pavlos Kontides as the flag bearer.
The Athletes are as follows:
Sailing:
Pavlos Kontides, who won a silver medal in the Laser Class at the London Olympics, is now seeking gold in Rio.
Andreas Kariolou in the RS-X, an experienced yachtsman who participates in his fourth Olympic Games.
Athletics:
Kyriakos Ioannou in the high jump. He is described as one of the greatest Cypriot athletes with three medals in the World Championships and the only track and field athlete who has made an Olympic final.
Demetris Chondrokoukis in the high jump. He is competing with Cyprus` National Team for two years now and after going through to the World Championships in Beijing, he is considered one of the elite athletes.
Leontia Kallenou in the high jump. She competes for the Georgia Bulldogs, while studying at the University of Georgia, and is the reigning American collegiate champion in women`s high jump, in both outdoor and indoor. Her ambition is to get as much experience from the Olympics as possible.
Apostolos Parellis is a track and field athlete specializing in the discus. He is the current Cypriot national record holder with 65.69m since May 2016.
Eleni Artymata is a track and field sprint athlete, who will compete in the 200 metres. She aims to reach the semi finals. One of the most experienced sprinters, she is ready to take her participation at the Olympic Games a step further.
Ramona Papaioannou is a sprinter who will compete in the 100 and 200 metres. She has had an impressive record in the last years and has the capabilities to reach the semi-finals.
Milan Trajkovic is a Serbian-born Cypriot athlete specialising in the sprint hurdles. He has won two gold medals at the Games of the Small States of Europe. He will compete in the 110 metres hurdles.
Shooting:
Andreas Hasikos will compete in men`s skeet. After winning a bronze medal in the 2015 ISSF World Cup, he is now aiming for an Olympic medal.
Andri Eleftheriou will compete in women’s skeet. She is considered one of the leading shooters in the world with a number of medals in international and European championships. Eleftheriou is aiming to get an Olympic medal.
Cycling:
Andri Christoforou is a professional racing cyclist and will compete in the women’s road race. A young mother, in 2016 she became the National Champion for Cyprus in both the road race and individual time trial.
Gymnastics:
Marios Georgiou is competing in gymnastics. He has claimed his Olympic spot in the men`s apparatus and all-around events at the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro.
Weightlifting:
Antonis Martasides will compete in the Men`s −85 kg. He is an experienced sportsman with participation in world and European championships.
Swimming:
Iacovos Hadjiconstantinou will compete in the Men’s 400m freestyle. He aims to register a personal record during the Rio Games.
Soteria Neofytou will compete in the women’s 100m butterfly. The youngest Cypriot athlete at the Games, her aim is to improve her personal performance.
