Motion to have street named after Kontides

Cyprus’ Olympic champion Pavlos Kontides was welcomed to his ‘second home’ at the Limassol Nautical Club to a stream of fireworks, thunderous applause and flares on Friday night, as he urged people to fight for their dreams.

Kontides won a silver medal in sailing at the Olympic Games on Wednesday, prompting a slew of celebrations and commendations for his achievements.

He reached the Nautical Club by sea on Friday night, flanked by younger athletes as he was welcomed back to his ‘second home’ where he trained for years.

Amathunda Mayor Kyriakos Xydias praised Kontides’ feat and said he would submit a motion to rename the coastal avenue Georgiou A to Pavlos Kontides.  

An evidently moved Kontides said he was reliving extremely emotional times 12 years after his first medal, despite difficulties and challenges he faced along the way.

He thanked Xydias for the suggestion saying that he would have been considered crazy if as a small child he wrote in his notebooks that he was an Olympic champion, an international athlete with a statue in Limassol and an avenue named after him.

This goes to show “that no matter how unimaginable our dreams are, when someone is patient, persistent and has the right people next to them and works hard, then anything is possible. Only our mind can stop us, no one else.”

Chairman of Limassol’s Nautical Club Andreas Papadopoulos embraced him “with tremendous pride” and he called Kontides “a role model athlete who stands out not only for his sports accomplishments but also for his ethos.”

He congratulated him, his parents, family and trainer.

“What you offer to our club, sailing, and Cyprus’ sports has no unit of measure.”

Kontides said Cyprus’ society needs role models, people for the young generation to look up to and aim high.

“We must actively invest in maritime education and we have the best stadium which is free, our sea and all schools must know where the wind blows from and how to tie knots.”

This is Kontides’ second Olympic medal. He won his first silver in the London 2012 Olympic Games, which was also Cyprus’ first medal.