Olympic champion and multiple gold medallist Michael Diamond will be competing again, this time at the Commonwealth Games for Australia.
The Greek Australian shooter is one of the five Greek Australian athletes hoping to achieve career bests.
Melanie Panayiotou will be competing in the marathon, Katherine Katsanevakis will race in the 800 metres, Holly Takos will debut for the first time in cycling and Tom Pappas will fight in judo.
They join 412 athletes representing Australia in the largest contingent yet to head to a Commonwealth Games.
All eyes might be on Sally Pearson in the hurdles and James Magnussen in the pool, but many of these Greek Australians represent the new age of up and coming athletes.
Apart from Diamond, most of the Greeks will be having their debut at the Games. Melanie Panayiotou is hoping to do a couple better than her Melbourne marathon third place, while cyclist Holly Takos’ national third place will place her in good stead to take on some of the best in the Commonwealth.
For the Cyprus contingent, 51 athletes (30 men and 21 women) will take part in 17 different events, hoping for an even better result than their Delhi four gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
Some of the athletes expected to clinch a medal include weightlifter Demetris Minasides – who has served his drugs ban, shooter Georgios Achilleos, high jumper Leontia Kallenou, Apostolos Parellis (discus) and Nektaria Panagi (track).
Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) Ouranios Ioannides said there was “belief” that the athletes can outshine their previous showings at the Commonwealth Games.
“We feel confident that we will secure three to five medals,” he said.
“All of our athletes have a chance of a podium finish. We all face a tough task in excelling at these Games but we have full faith in them and we believe that we showcase our homeland abroad.”
The Commonwealth Games get underway on July 23 in Glasgow and will finish on August 3.