Cyprus Paralympic athletes to arrive in Paris on Sunday
The Cyprus Paralympic delegation will arrive at the Paralympic Village in Paris on Sunday, just three days before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Head of the delegation Andreas Theophylaktou and deputy head Savvas Lakerides have already been at the Paralympic Village since Thursday.
They have prepared the accommodations and set up the office and physiotherapy rooms for the team. The Cypriot delegation will be housed on the fifth floor of a building that also hosts the Greek team.
A meeting on Friday covered procedural matters related to accreditations and participation. There has been a slight delay in the delivery of equipment by the organisers, but this will not affect the arrival of the Cypriot team.
The arrival in Paris is particularly significant for Karolina Pelendritou, Cyprus’ most decorated Paralympian. Pelendritou, who has won six medals in previous Paralympic Games, will be competing in her sixth Paralympics and will serve as Cyprus’ flag bearer.
The swimmer will also celebrate her 38th birthday on Sunday.
Pelendritou’s Paralympic achievements began in Athens 2004, where she won gold in the 100 metres breaststroke, marking the first time the Cypriot national anthem was heard at the Paralympic Games.
She continued her success in Beijing 2008, winning another gold in the 100 metres breaststroke and a bronze in the 200 metres. In London 2012, she added a silver medal in the 100 metres breaststroke to her collection.
Although she narrowly missed a medal in Rio 2016, finishing fourth, she came back strong in Tokyo in 2021, securing a bronze in the 50 metres and a gold in the 100 metres breaststroke, bringing her total to six Paralympic medals, three gold, one silver, and two bronze.
Two other Cypriot athletes will be taking part in the Paralympic Games, namely powerlifter Maria Markou and Viktor Pentaras, who will compete in the track and field events.