Cyprus Paralympic Committee Appoints Flag Bearer for Paris Games

Carolina Pelendritou, a six-time Paralympic medalist swimmer, has been named the flag bearer for the Cyprus team at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The opening ceremony will take place on August 28. According to the International Paralympic Committee, the event will start with a public parade along the iconic Champs-Élysées. The main part of the ceremony will be held at Place de la Concorde.

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the ceremony, said, "From the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde, I am eagerly anticipating creating a spectacle that will transform the heart of Paris with performances never seen before."

Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, added that the opening ceremony will “highlight the achievements of Paralympians.”

Cyprus will send three athletes to the Games in 2024. Weightlifter Maria Markou is preparing to compete in her second Paralympic Games, while long jumper Viktoras Pentaras will make his Paralympic debut.

This year, Carolina Pelendritou will be competing in her sixth Paralympic Games. She has previously won medals in four of the five previous Games: one gold each in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and Tokyo 2021, a silver in London 2012, and two bronze medals in Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2021.

Pelendritou will compete in the 50 meters freestyle S11, where she won bronze in Tokyo, and the 100 meters breaststroke SB11, where she won gold in Tokyo.

In the history of the Paralympic Games, Cyprus has won a total of eight medals, six of which belong to Pelendritou. The remaining two were won by sprinter Antonis Aresti in Beijing 2008.