Pavlos Kontides, the first ever Greek-Cypriot athlete to win an Olympic medal will be in Australia this month for the ILCA World Championship competition.
The sailor will be arriving in Adelaide this week from Cyprus for training prior to the event, which will be held January 26 to 31.
Having been to Australia several times throughout his career, Sydney in 2008, Perth in 2010 and Melbourne, where he won a championship in 2016 and again participated in the 2023 ICLA World Championship, Kontides is looking forward to the Hellenic welcome many athletes get when they come to Australia.
“I’m aware of the large Greek community, especially in Melbourne and Sydney, but I didn’t know that there was also so many Cypriots,” he told Neos Kosmos.
“The love I receive from the community, it’s enormous, and I’m very grateful and thankful for all of that.”
In all time ILCA 7 World Championship standings, formerly the Laser World Championship, Kontides has two gold and two silver medals.
He has been in contact with many in the community as he prepares to travel to Australia, with South Australian MP Andrea Michaels arranging for him to connect with their local Cypriot Community Club.
The competition in Adelaide will also serve as preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the Limassol born athlete hopes to replicate or better his historic 2012 efforts.
“This will be my fifth Olympic Games, so I pretty much know what to expect and in such big events where the stakes are high, it’s really important to have this experience,” he said.
“I would love to have a chance to win a medal. I’m doing my best throughout this period to come as ready as possible for the big battle and what will be, will be. I hope that I’ll be successful.”
Since winning silver at the London games, the 33-year-old has placed seventh in Rio and just missed out on a podium finish in Tokyo, finishing fourth.
At the 2016 games in Rio, he was the flag bearer for Cyprus during the Parade of Nations.
To this day, 12 years on from getting Cyprus its first Olympic medal, he still holds great pride.
“That will always be part of history, something special and stories I could share with my children,” the 2018 Rolex World Sailor of the Year said.
“Even when all of us pass away, the next generations will probably be learning in schools that I was the first ever Olympic medallist.”
That part of history will always belong to him, so he finds it very special.
Kontides is also looking for support on his journey to Paris, saying that the fuel of every Olympic athlete, especially in sailing where expenses are really high, comes from these external supports.
“Of course, the government is supporting the effort, but these extra funds are always necessary to be able to compete against the huge countries with the enormous budgets in sailing, like Australia and the UK, which are let’s say the two powerhouses.”
“You need to create a big team around you with a lot of professionals to try and have the same support the other athletes get and then have equal chance to compete against them and beat them.”
He’s always open to new collaborations with sponsors, which he says is a “win-win situation”.
“They get the huge international exposure through my trainings and competitions around the world, and the publications and all the stuff I do with social media.”
For more information about Pavlos, or to get in touch, visit his website at https://pavloskontides.com/
