Cyprus to participate in the Winter Olympics with two athletes for the first time in 12 years

Cyprus will be represented by two athletes — one man and one woman — at the 25th Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Cyprus Olympic Committee announced. This is the first time since 2014 that the country participates in the Winter Olympics with two athletes simultaneously.

The Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics will take place in Italy from February 6 to 22.

The Cypriot team will include:

• Yannos Kouimtzian — giant slalom (February 14) and slalom (February 16) in Livigno and Bormio;
• Andrea Loizidu — slalom (February 18) in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The Olympic delegation will fly to Italy on Wednesday.

Cyprus Olympic Committee President Georgios Chrysostomou described the qualification of two athletes as "a special honor and a great success," noting that the result is the outcome of systematic work by the skiing federation, coaches, and technical staff.

According to him, Cyprus returning to the Winter Olympics with both male and female representatives confirms the policy of equal opportunities and support for all sports. The participation will cost approximately €30,000, which is a significant financial burden for the federation. Chrysostomou thanked sponsors and the Minister of Education for their support, which enabled proper preparation conditions for the athletes.

Italian Ambassador to Cyprus Antonella Cavallari also congratulated the athletes, emphasizing that their qualification is particularly impressive given that Cyprus is not a country with winter sports traditions.

President of the Cyprus Ski Federation Dinos Lefkaritis noted that the Olympics will provide valuable experience for both athletes, highlighting the important role of families in their sporting development.

For Andrea Loizidu, this will be her Winter Olympics debut — she described her participation as a great honor and the result of many years of hard work. Yannos Kouimtzian, who previously competed at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, thanked the federation, his family, and Olympic solidarity programs for their continuous support.