Cypriot sailors Pavlos Kontides and Marilena Makri are set to compete in the ILCA class at the Paris Olympics today.
Kontides, the only Cypriot with an Olympic medal to his name, is aiming for a top-10 finish despite expecting challenging wind conditions. The 34-year-old has been training intensively for the past year and is confident in his preparation.
“I feel good, ready. The preparation went well, and we drew useful conclusions about wind behaviour and the weather. We expect a variety of conditions and wind directions over the six days of the race, which historically leads to high scores, so it’s crucial to avoid mistakes because we can only discard one race,” the two-time World Champion (2017, 2018) and two-time European Champion (2018, 2022) said.
Makri, making her second Olympic appearance, is targeting a top-10 spot but acknowledges the tough competition. The 21-year-old has undergone rigorous training since April and is determined to improve on her 33rd-place finish at the Tokyo Games.
“I’ve been here since July 11. We had full-on training and gym sessions. I’m ready. I’d like to make it to the top 10, but it depends on many things. We’ll see what happens. Strong winds may not be the best for me, but whatever happens, I’ll make it work,” Makri who is ranked 40th in the world said.
Today’s schedule shows Kontides’ races at 1:15 p.m. Cyprus time and Makri’s at 4:35 p.m., but there may be delays depending on wind conditions.
Both sailors will compete in ten races over the next six days, with the top nine scores counting towards their final ranking. Medal races will be held on August 6.
