Returning to Cyprus, with the silver medal of the Olympic Games around his neck, our two-time Olympian, Pavlos Kontidis, declared that “despite the small size of our country, we have a big heart, we just have to believe it and work in this direction” . And he himself is exactly the embodiment of this statement. With his big heart and even bigger effort, he put our little place on the podium, because he believed in big things.
The medal that was a source of joy and pride for everyone in our country. Apart from the congratulations of the politicians, who throughout time do not take care of our high-level athletes, there was that dispassionate and honest reaction of the common people, who saw on television one of our own people achieving for the second time something extremely rare for Cypriot data: To take a place among the top athletes of the planet. Given, in fact, that Contides' medal race had taken place after a number of other Cypriot athletes distinguished themselves in their own events, with excellent efforts and very honorable positions, his face reflected the collective effort that for days the public admired, which usually forgets, due to the lack of relevant culture, the existence of these sports.
That first reaction to social media, the instinctive one, had in many cases a common denominator. How, in contrast to the famous, now iconic saying “this is Cyprus”, in reality this is the Cyprus we have and this is the Cyprus we want. Of hard work and great reward. Of the proud moments and not the moments of shame. Of the blue, clean sea and not of corruption and scandals.
Huge victories like Contidi's are deeply personal. However, they are also common. Because they remind us all of the beautiful things that exist in the ugliness of everyday life. They remind us of the value of strength, effort and will, in a world that has learned that the dilemma is between comfort and injustice.
People like Pavlos Kontidis they are valuable for Cyprus. Not only because they are our best ambassadors, but also because they lift our morale. They remind us how much we need to dream and how important it is to set goals. They are role models.
That is why the state must be their helper and not their applause. To invest in the Cyprus we want and not to rest in the Cyprus we do not deserve. High-level championships require a lot of sacrifice in training, not athletes sacrificing training for a living. If we want role models, we have to create them and the right conditions for them to work. This means substantial support at all levels, so that they can, without stress and unnecessary obstacles, continue their journey to the top.
We must not let petty interests, personal agendas or even that well-known, Cypriot indifference, destroy talent and bend determination. We must take care to create the most ideal conditions for the people who want and can raise our country higher.
After the completion of the Olympic presence of all Cypriot athletes, the President of the Republic, along with the congratulations, repeated his promise to meet with them to discuss the issues that concern them and how we will lead Cypriot sports to greater heights. A statement in the right direction, which however means nothing if in practice what is not done for Cyprus to invest in its great sports talents.
“Both me personally and the Government as a whole will essentially stand by our sportsmen and women who, among many others, are a role model for the new generation and show us all the way of dedication and continuous effort to improve and discrimination”, said Nikos Christodoulidis and the movements of himself and all the involved bodies are expected with interest. Because in Cyprus, words come easily to us, but it was our top athlete, Pavlos Kontidis, who, in the midst of preparation, collected money with the slogan Towards Paris for the financial support of our athletes, some of whom represented us in the last few days at the Olympics.< /p>
Our athletes, as well as the people of our culture, all those who in their own way make Cyprus bigger and more beautiful, finally deserve attention us. After the applause and the photos, after the selfies and the videos, after the lights go out, they need a state present to continue to shine.
See Also “I've had a difficult 12 years, but our second medal has come.. We experienced magical moments”
