Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus will be represented by one male and one female athlete at the 25th Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, the Cyprus Olympic Committee announced on Monday. It will be the country’s first two-athlete participation in the Winter Games in 12 years.
Competition schedule and locations
The games will run from February 6 to 22 in Italy. Yiannos Kouyoumdjian will compete in the giant slalom on February 14 and the technical slalom on February 16 in Livigno and Bormio. Andrea Loizidou will take part in the technical slalom on February 18 in Cortina.
Delegation departure
The delegation departs for Italy on Wednesday.
Olympic committee remarks
President of the Olympic committee George Chrysostomou described the qualification of two athletes as “a special honour and a great success”, adding that it reflected sustained work by the ski federation, its coaches and technical staff. “Our athletes are qualifying for the Games and that in itself is a huge achievement,” he said.
Chrysostomou said Cyprus was returning to the Winter Olympics with both a male and female athlete for the first time since 2014. “This confirms our policy of equal opportunities and support for all sports,” he said.
Costs and support
The total cost of participation is estimated at around €30,000, which Chrysostomou described as a demanding financial effort for the federation. He thanked sponsors and the education minister for their support, saying this backing allowed athletes to compete under the best possible conditions.
What do you think Cyprus’s two-athlete qualification for the Winter Olympics indicates about the country’s winter sports development?
