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Seven Cypriot track and field athletes have been selected for the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Scholarships for Athletes Los Angeles 2028 program, following a proposal by the Cyprus Olympic Committee.
The athletes are high jumper Elena Koulichenko, sprinters Olivia Fotopoulou and Filippa Fotopoulou, hammer throwers Valentina Savva and Iosif Kesidis, high jumper Styliana Ioannidou, and shot putter Petros Michailidis.
The IOC-funded scholarship program, administered through Olympic Solidarity, supports elite athletes in their preparation for qualification and participation in the Olympic Games.
Koulichenko, one of Cyprus’ most accomplished athletes, holds the national women’s and under-23 high jump record at 1.97 meters. She finished seventh at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and is ranked 11th in the world. She is also a three-time NCAA champion in the United States.
Olivia Fotopoulou holds the Cypriot national record in the 100 meters at 11.25 seconds and owns the second-fastest 200-meter time in national history. She reached the semifinals at the Paris Olympics and won silver in the 200 meters at the 2023 European Games in Krakow.
Filippa Fotopoulou, a long jumper with a personal best of 6.79 meters, has competed in two European Championship finals and placed eighth at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She has won multiple medals at Balkan championships, including silver at the 2025 Balkan indoor meet.
Savva has emerged as a rising force in the hammer throw, breaking the 70-meter barrier this year and setting the national women’s and under-23 record at 70.22 meters. She won silver at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships and bronze at the 2025 European Under-23 Championships.
Ioannidou recorded a personal best of 1.91 meters in the high jump in 2025. Her career highlights include a bronze medal at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships and fourth-place finishes at the 2025 European Under-23 Championships and World University Games.
Kesidis holds the Cypriot under-23 hammer throw record at 74.87 meters and is considered one of the world’s top young throwers. He won gold medals at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships and the 2025 European Under-23 Championships.
Michailidis, a shot putter, recorded a personal best of 19.28 meters this year. He won bronze at the 2024 Small States of Europe Athletics Championships and placed eighth at the Balkan Championships in Izmir.
According to the Cyprus Olympic Committee, the scholarship program will provide part of a broader financial support package totaling $320,000 for 24 Cypriot athletes. The funding is in addition to scholarships offered through partnerships with the A.G. Leventis Foundation, private sponsors and other Olympic Solidarity initiatives.
The committee said the scholarships will strengthen athletes’ preparation as they pursue qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
