Kontides given hero’s welcome at Larnaca airport

Cyprus’ sole Olympic medallist Pavlos Kontides was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to the island at Larnaca airport on Friday.

The aeroplane on which he flew home was greeted by a water salute as it taxied towards the terminal after landing and he was then greeted by Deputy Shipping Minister Marina Hadjimanoli, members of the Limassol nautical club and many of his friends and family.

Larnaca Deputy Mayor Iasonas Iasonidis was also at the airport and presented Kontides with an olive wreath and a gift from the Larnaca municipality.

The Cypriot Olympic Committee’s deputy chairwoman Kalli Hadjiosif then presented him with a silver wreath.

Speaking in the arrivals’ hall, he said, “the emotion is huge, tears were shed by many people these days … after we experienced very magical moments in Marseille.”

“Despite the small size of our country, we have a big heart, we just have to believe it and work towards it.”

He then thanked the people of Cyprus “for all the positive energy, strength, and pride you gave me”, as well as his coach, his backroom staff, and his family.

Kontides’ arrival in Cyprus will hail the continuation of celebrations which began on Wednesday night in the house near Marseille in which he had been staying during the Olympic Games.

Family and friends had joined him in the house on Wednesday night for music and dancing, as well as a speech in which he hailed the success of his coach Jozo Jakelic.

“I present to you the only coach in the history of this discipline to win medals in four consecutive Olympic Games!”, Kontides told his guests, referencing Jakelic’s previous silver success with Hungarian Zsombor Berecz in 2021, Slovenian Vasilij Zbogar in 2016 and with himself in 2012 and 2024.

Earlier, he had told journalists he had not yet taken a decision on whether or not he will compete at the next Olympics in 2028.

“We are having a party tonight. I am going on holiday and then I will tell you what will happen in the future. Pavlos certainly has a lot to give,” he said.

He was also asked about why he had a beard, having been unshaven when he last won an Olympic medal twelve years ago.

“In 2012, I was asked why I was unshaven in the race and shaved in the press conference. I had told them that I shaved to show my age. I’ll say the same now, I am unshaven to show my age,” he responded. At 34, Kontides was older than the next-oldest in the top 10 of his event by four years.

He also reflected on his agonising fourth-place finish in 2021, saying that he now feels “vindicated”.

“When I came fourth in Tokyo, my coach told me that today’s bitterness will pass when I get my next Olympic medal. That is true,” he said.

On the feelings of winning his second Olympic medal, he said, “it is very difficult to put it into words. I was meditating these days and thinking about the moments of 2012 and so they have now come and tied together with what I am living now.”

He also reflected on the competition itself and the difficulties he faced during a stop-start competition which had been plagued by weak winds.

“It is not easy at all. It is very easy to fall into a trap. The fact that we were taken to the beach, where there are people, music, televisions and the heat made the job more difficult,” he said.

He added, “making three starts is soul-crushing but it is part of the game. Here, you have to stay mentally stronger than the others and not let it affect you. In the end, I saw a weakness in others and I believe I took advantage of that.”

Kontides secured his silver medal in the final race of the event, finishing in second place behind eventual winner Australian Matt Wearn.

Kontides and Wearn embraced at the end of a race which was described by observers as “emotionally exhausting”.

Immediately after the race, Kontides said he had “shed tears of joy with my coach, my wife and my child” and expressed his pride in securing his and Cyprus’ second ever Olympic medal.