In a great ceremony held at the Olympic House of Cyprus, the Cyprus Olympic Committee honored the top junior male and female athletes of 2025.

During the event, 72 young athletes from 36 sports federations were awarded for their achievements in 2025, confirming the breadth and strength of Cypriot sport at the developmental level.

The ceremony, which was broadcast live on Cablenet television, included not only the awards presented to athletes but also the presentation of the Cyprus Olympic Committee’s Highest Distinction, as well as the institutional awards “Antonis Papadopoulos,” “Marianna Zachariadou,” and “Pefkios Georgiades.”

In his address, the President of the Cyprus Olympic Committee, Georgios Chrysostomou, congratulated the winners of the awards, emphasizing that their distinctions are the result of systematic effort, perseverance, and dedication to the values of Olympism. He also reiterated the longstanding policy of the Cyprus Olympic Committee to consistently support all federations without discrimination, providing equal opportunities for all athletes.

Special mention was made of the awarding of the Highest Distinction of the Cyprus Olympic Committee to the pioneering woman of Cypriot athletics, Ivi Zachariadou Vasilopoulou, as the highest act of honor for a personality who paved the way for the presence of women in Cypriot sport.

The “Glafkos Clerides” Awards for 2025 were presented to the top male and female athletes of the year. Sailor Pavlos Kontides was named Best Male Athlete for the 12th time in the 13 years since the awards were established, while high jumper Elena Kulichenko was named Best Female Athlete for the third consecutive year.

In the Individual Sports category, the top junior athletes were Vera Tugolukova (Rhythmic Gymnastics) and Alexandros Gamraoui (Hammer Throw/Athletics). Vera Tugolukova took the first place at the World Cup in Baku. Alexandros Gamraoui was a member of the Cyprus Olympic Committee delegation at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, where he won the gold medal.

In Team Sports, Filippos Chrysostomou (Volleyball) and Ourania Cheimonidou (Volleyball) were honored. Both young volleyball players were part of the delegation that competed at the Games of the Small States of Europe in Andorra in May 2025, where both the men’s and women’s teams won the silver medal. Chrysostomou is a key member of the men’s team of APOEL, while Cheimonidou plays for the women’s team of Anorthosis.

The “Antonis Papadopoulos” Award was presented to the top junior male athlete in athletics, Alexandros Gamraoui. The “Marianna Zachariadou” Award was presented to the top junior female athlete in athletics, Marina Hatzikosta.

The “Pefkios Georgiades” Award was presented to sailor Aimilios Max Poero (ILCA6), whose major international achievements in 2025 included 8th place at the Men’s World Championship in Kiel and 5th place at the Portugal Grand Prix.