Sailor Pavlos Kontides Wins Cyprus' First Medal at the Paris Olympics

34-year-old Cypriot sailor Pavlos Kontides won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This is the second Olympic medal in the history of the Republic of Cyprus, both of which were won by Pavlos Kontides.

On August 7, Kontides made history again by finishing second in the Laser yacht race in Marseille's harbor. The Olympic gold was won by Australian Matt Wearn, and the bronze by Peruvian Stefano Peschiera.

The final race was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. Despite this, Kontides managed to secure second place overall, bringing Cyprus its second Olympic medal in history.

Limassol-based sailor Pavlos Kontides remains the only Cypriot athlete to have reached the Olympic podium. He won his first medal on August 6, 2012, at the London Games, and his second 12 years and one day later in Paris.

Cyprus has been participating in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games since 1980. Athletes from Cyprus first competed at the Winter Games in Lake Placid in 1980 and later that year at the Summer Games in Moscow. Pavlos Kontides won Cyprus' only Olympic medals, taking second place in the Laser class at the 2012 Olympics and again in 2024, becoming the first in the country to win a silver medal.