Cyprus will compete with two athletes in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in 12 years, it was announced on Monday.
The two athletes who will represent Cyprus at the 25th Winter Olympic Games Milan–Cortina 2026, taking place from February 6-22 in Italy are: Giannos Kougioumtzian, who will compete in the Giant Slalom (February 14) and Slalom (February 16) in Livigno/Bormio, and Andrea Loizidou, who will compete in the Slalom (February 18) in Cortina.
President of the Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC), Georgios Chrysostomou, said: “It is a special honour and a great success for the Cyprus Ski Federation and, by extension, for the Cyprus Olympic Committee to have the opportunity to participate with one male and one female athlete in the Winter Olympic Games.”
He noted that Cyprus is participating with two athletes for the first time in 12 years. Chrysostomou noted the total cost of participation is “around €30,000 for just two athletes,” referring also to the “difficult task the Ski Federation faces financially”.
Qualification alone is a ‘great’ achievement
The Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus Antonella Cavallari congratulated the two Cypriot athletes on their qualification, noting: “Just qualifying for such an event is a great achievement.”
“I know how difficult your sport is and I truly admire you, especially because you come from a country where training is not so easy,” she said.
“Cyprus is not known as a snowy country. So really, you are very admirable,” said the Italian diplomat.
The role of parents and grandparents
The Cyprus Ski Federation head Dino Lefkaritis acknowledged that “a large part” of the athletes’ success comes from their parents.
“Without the help of the parents, as a Federation we could not have helped our athletes reach where they are today,” he added.
Andrea Loizidou, an athlete of the Limassol Ski Club who will make her first appearance at the Winter Olympics, said she felt “great honour and emotion” to represent her country at the world’s biggest sporting event.
This “is the reward for many years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice,” she added.
Giannos Kougioumtzian, an athlete of the Nicosia Ski Club and a member of the National Team since 2008, returns to the world’s biggest sporting stage for his second consecutive Olympic participation after Beijing 2022.
He noted that he got involved in the sport thanks to his grandparents who introduced his mother and uncle to skiing.
The COC Athletes’ Commission Representative Dino Lefkaritis Jr. expressed his readiness to support the two Alpine Ski Athletes wherever needed, adding that Cyprus did not manage to have a female athlete qualify for the previous two Winter Games.
Source: CNA