Two young Greek Australian athletes have been selected to compete in the 2023 Oceania Cup.

Nicholas Kollias (men’s high jump) and Leyla Liakatos (women’s 3000m sprint) will both don the green and gold for Australia against New Zealand and the combined teams Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

The two, alongside 14 other emerging athletes will travel to Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands from June 23-24 for the competition.

These events act as a valuable step for aspiring athletes like Kollias and Liakatos, providing them with the opportunity of international competition.

Succeeding in events like the Oceania Cup go a long way in seeing athletes break into senior ranks.

Liakatos is a record-breaking athlete, setting a new benchmark in 2021 in the under-20 4x1500m relay at the NSW Relay Championships.

Kollias meanwhile has performed well over the years, including his school days at St Spyridon College in Sydney.

The college wished their former student well ahead of the Oceania Cup next month, and revealed he will return to the Greek Orthodox school as a coach and mentor for younger aspiring high jump athletes.

The sporting prowess of St Spyridon students doesn’t end there, with current Year 12 Sophia Karatasos recently being selected to compete in the NSWCIS Secondary Girls Championships.