The Cyprus Weekly - Rio 2016

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 FREE WITH THE ‘CW’

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE XXXI OLYMPIC GAMES

Everything you need to know about the greatest sporting event in the world!

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2 • Nations participating: 206 • 201 Countries have qualified at least one ath lete • Two Independent tea ms - 10 Refugee Olympic Athlet es and 2 Independent Olympic Ath letes • Athletes Participating: 11,086 confirmed • Host City - Rio da Janeir o, Brazil

Millions tune in to Rio

All eyes on Brazil as they host the XXXI Olympic Games

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ne of the grandest sporting events in the world gets underway again with the Olympic flame set to be lit on August 5 in Rio da Janeiro, Brazil.

As in the previous events, this year too will witness a large number of countries participating in the event.

It has been estimated that more than 11,000 athletes in 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Kosovo and South Sudan would be participating for the first time while the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would allow refugees to compete as under the Olympic Flag as Independent Olympians.

The Games will be held between August 5 and August 21.

Big players As is usually the case, the US will be the big favourites to come first in the medals ranking and their task has been given a huge helping hand by the doping scandal ban slapped on Russia.

China and Great Britain are expected to have a strong showing with Australia, hosts Brazil and Germany.

The Games logo represents three figures: in the colours of the Brazilian flag, joined together with the overall shape reflecting that of Sugarloaf Mountain.

The Olympic mascot Vinicius, named after musician Vinicius de Moraes, apparently carries design traits of mammals and represents Brazilian wildlife.

The Paralympic mascot is called Tom, named after the musician Tom Jobim.

The mascots’ fictional backstories state that they were both born from the joy of Brazilians after it was announced that Rio would host the Games.

US headscarf first It doesn’t always take a medal to make history at the Olympics. Ibtihaj Muhammad will do just that in Rio as she will be the first US athlete to compete in the Games in a hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women.

The fencer has also been very vocal about state of Islam and

Islamophobia in the US. Rugby makes its return to the Olympics for the first time since 1924, albeit in a different form. In Rio, powerhouses like Australia, Fiji, Great Britain, New Zealand and South Africa will suit up for rugby sevens, a wide-open version of the game that moves much quicker.

Gender controversy Last summer, the Court of Arbitration for Sport suspended the “female hyperandrogenism” policy, which was adopted in 2011 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (track and field’s governing body) and deemed high levels of natural testosterone as a competitive advantage.

One star affected by this ruling will be South Africa’s Caster Semenya: The ‘09 world champion and ‘12 silver medalist at 800 meters was subjected to gender testing in ‘10. She may be a favourite for gold at 800 metres but just a year after the CAS ruling, a win will not be without controversy.

Age before beauty Want to feel old? Kanak Jha will be the first US Olympian born in the 2000s. The 15-year-old will compete in table tennis, where he has consistently been a member of the US national team since 2014.

Moon beam United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for the Olympic Truce to be upheld during the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Ban, calling on all Olympic athletes and officials to “work closely for global harmony and peace,” said in a video news release that “in that spirit, we proclaim the Olympic Truce and we call on all warring parties to lay down their weapons and put aside their differences during the games.”

The Olympic Truce dates back to ancient Greece. Its aim was to ensure that the host city was not attacked and that athletes and spectators could travel safely to the games, before returning to their respective countries.

The UN adopts a resolution before each Summer and Winter Olympics calling for the truce to be instituted, although it has not always been upheld.

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It’s that time again!

Cypriot athletes seeking to a pack a punch in Rio

“From high jump to sailing to tennis, e Cypriots will b e looking to leav their mark in Brazil ”

PROGRAMME FOR CYPRIOT ATHLETES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

ATHLETE

SPORT

CATEGORY

Marcos Baghdatis Antonis Martasides Marios Georgiou Pavlos Kontides Andreas Cariolou Sotiria Neofytou Iacovos Hadjiconstantinou Andri Christoforou Eleni Artymata Ramona Papaioannou Leontia Kallenou Kyriakos Ioannou Demetris Chondrokoukis Milan Trajkovic Apostolos Parellis Andri Eleftheriou Andreas Chasikos

Tennis Weightlifting Gymnastics Sailing Sailing Swimming Swimming Cycling Track Track Track Track Track Track Track Shooting Shooting

Men’s Single 85kg Apparatus/All Round Laser RS:X 100m Butterfly 400m Freestyle Road Race 200m 100m & 200m High jump High jump High jump 110m Hurdles Discus Skeet Skeet

ports enthusiasts around the world will have their eyes firmly fixed on Rio this month as the Olympics Games get under way once again.

And little Cyprus will be once more looking to rub shoulders with the world’s elite in the greatest sports spectacle in the world.

More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will take part in the global sporting event which will, this summer, feature 28 sports — including rugby sevens and golf, which were added by the International Olympic Committee in 2009.

Hopes for a medal finish will once again be pinned on the broad shoulders of sailing athlete Pavlos Kontides, who made history in London 2012, clinching a first-ever medal for the island with his second-place finish in the Laser event.

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Kontides has been a consistent performer K in the world championships in 2015 and 6-14 will w be looking to once again climb the 12 podium in August. He will be joined by p fellow sailing athlete Andreas Cariolou. fe 6 & 10 & 14-15-16 High H jumper Kyriakos Ioannou – a former 8,9,10,12,13 & 15 silver and bronze medal winner at the s 8,9,11,12 & 14 world championships – will also be a w 6 top to contender for Cyprus as he aims to 6 become the second athlete from the b 7 island to mount the podium at the Olympic is 14, 16, & 17 Games.

G 12 & 13, 14, 16, & 17 Ioannou, who will be accompanied in the Io 18 & 20 high h jump event by Greek-born Demetris 14 & 16 Chondrokoukis, has endured injury C 14 & 16 problems since 2009 – something which p stymied his chances for medal finishes in s 15 & 16 past p Olympiads.

12 & 13 Skeet shooters Andreas Chasikos and S 12 Andri Eleftheriou will be leading the island’s A 12 & 13 charge in the shooting event, while discus c thrower Apostolos Parellis could emerge th as a Cyprus’ dark horse.

A fully-fit Marcos Baghdatis will also staking his claim for a podium finish after failed to meet expectations in his last few attempts.

Elsewhere, Ramona Papaioannou – who has Brazilian ancestry – will run for Cyprus in the women’s 200m, while Dhali-born Leontia Kallenou, who competes for the Georgia Bulldogs while studying at the University of Georgia, will join Ioannou and Chondrokoukis in the high jump events.

Kallenou had a brilliant year in 2015 at the College Nationals in the US. Others who will also be flying the island’s flag in Rio include track and field athletes Eleni Artymata and Milan Trajkovic, road race cyclist Antri Christoforou, weight lifter Antonis Martasides and gymnast Marios Georgiou, as well as swimmers Iacovos Hadjiconstantinou and Sotiria Neofytou.

DATE (AUGUST)

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The participating nation and stateless athletes the dressage the tteam eventt att th the 2014 th team t d bby winning i i medals d l iin th FEI World Equestrian Games.

As host nation, Brazil has received automatic entry for some sports including in all cycling disciplines and six places for weightlifting events.

The 2016 Summer Olympics are the first games in which Kosovo and South Sudan are eligible to participate.

A total of 201 National Olympic Committees have qualified at leastt one athlete.

Two Independent teams will also participate, a Refugee Olympic Athletes team and an Independent Olympic Athletes team.

The first three nations to qualify athletes for the Games were Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands who each qualified four athletes for

Countries Participating in 2016 Rio Summer Olympics Participating Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil (Host) British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chile China Colombia

No of Athlete

1 5 65 2 5 23 4 212 33 7 410 68 56 25 25 3 12 135 101 3 6 6 2 12 11 10 465 2 1 51 1 7 6 23 313 4 3 2 42 413 147

Participating Country

No of Athlete

Comoros Congo DR Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Finland France Gabon The Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Great Britain Greece Grenada Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland

2 6 3 7 8 86 116 17 107 122 5 1 20 38 120 5 9 45 34 1 51 56 404 4 3 39 425 11 366 89 4 5 21 2 3 6 8 25 38 157 7

Participating Country

No of Athlete

Independent Olympic Athletes India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg FYROM Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro

2 120 28 63 23 74 48 295 11 63 330 6 103 87 1 8 7 16 1 33 9 7 2 5 3 67 9 5 2 1 31 2 2 2 1 9 124 21 2 40 34

Participating Country

No of Athlete

Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Refugee Olympic Athletes Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino S o TomĂŠ and Pr ncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone

56 4 2 11 2 7 241 199 3 2 63 35 66 3 7 2 4 10 8 11 27 12 238 92 42 35 10 104 TBD 7 7 4 2 6 4 1 10 18 104 5 2

Participating Country

Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Sudan South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Chinese Taipei Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

No of Athlete

22 52 61 1 137 2 205 305 9 4 3 2 152 107 4 57 7 7 46 1 1 3 26 61 98 5 19 183 10 555 17 70 4 86 22 5 2 5 30

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The stuff of legends: Usain Bolt ‘With footballers you can debate who is the best footballer but no one can debate who is the fastest man in the world’ hen Usain Bolt’s legacy is considered in years to come, it might be hard to grasp the significance of the impact the Jamaican has had on his sport.

No other track athlete has come close to achieving the triple-triple of sprint gold medals, in the 100 meters, 200m and 4x100m relay, that could be his by the time he turns 30 on Aug. 21.

Carl Lewis has nine golds in his collection, but four came in the long jump.

Bolt’s hero Michael Johnson backed up the 400m, but not the 200m.

Neither of those two great Americans dominated as Bolt has done since he claimed his first Olympic clean sweep at Beijing in 2008.

Yet, despite an injury-interrupted couple of seasons in the lead up to the Games in Rio, you can guarantee that one person who will seem serene in the Est dio Ol mpico Jo o Havelange next month is the man

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chasing history himself.

During a candid media session on London’s South Bank recently, Bolt suggested with a smile that his chance of returning from Brazil to Jamaica with three more gold medals were “always the same: great.”

This is a man who revels in his status as the quickest sprinter.

“With footballers you can debate who is the best footballer,” he said, “but no one can debate who is the fastest man in the world.”

Neither does Bolt think his world records for the two sprint distances will be bettered by anyone else for “a long time” - or that any of his rivals have found the form to give him cause for concern in Rio. Bolt oozes confidence, but his views are proffered with a humor and good grace that has enabled him to become the face of his sport and made him so popular.

Back with a splash Phelps still the big fish in the pool Greatness can be hard to define but two words suffice for Olympic swimming - Michael Phelps.

Despite a global cast of world record holders, champions and swim sensations preparing to light up the Rio pool, the greatest of all time will again be the centre of attention at his farewell Games.

Phelps, who retired in 2012 before a rethink, may not win the most medals but his fifth Olympics are about more than that.

“I came back because I wanted to,” he said. “I wanted to do this for me.”

The 31-year-old has three individual events (100 metres butterfly, 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley) plus relays with a younger-looking US team that has rung some changes since London.

Phelps now has a renowned gold-rush as he seeks to add to his record haul of 18 Olympic gold medals and 22 in total.

Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals in

individual events (11) (11), and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13).

Winner of the 100 butterfly and 200IM at the past three Olympics, Phelps can become the first swimmer to win the same individual event at four Games in a row.

He is not the oldest US swimmer in Rio, however, with former bad boy and 2000 gold medallist Anthony Ervin back at 35. Ryan Lochte, 31 and an 11 times medallist, will be at his fourth Games.

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Kenyans fire warning to Mo Bedan Karoki sets his sights on upending Olympic champion Kenyan athletes aim to settle a few scores with their perennial opponents at next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Kenya’s 10,000 metres runner Bedan Karoki reckons he has identified what it takes to finally overhaul British double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah, who has twice denied him a major title with his fast finishes.

Farah, who won 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at the 2012 London Games, repeated the feat at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing with a devastating kick on the final lap that left his rivals in his wake.

“He has always beaten us in the last lap, but we [along with fellow Kenyan runner Paul Tanui] have worked on that and hope to turn the tables against him this time in Rio,” Karoki, 25, said.

“We are very good in lapping -- indeed much better than him -- but he waits until it matters most, and that is what we have worked on this time.”

“He is the only major threat and I am sure we will beat him,” added Karoki, who finished fifth at the London Games and won silver at this year’s World Half Marathon and last year’s World Cross Country Championships.

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“These refugees have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem.

We will offer them a home in the Olympic Village together with all the athletes of the world”

Refugees to pump up Olympics feel-good factor hen record Olympic champion Michael Phelps and the king of sprinting Usain Bolt resume their hunt for world records and gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next month they will not be the only big stories in town.

A team of refugees, hand-picked by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is expected to hog the spotlight from the very first day when they march as an independent team into the Olympic stadium just before hosts Brazil at the opening ceremony on Aug. 5.

The IOC in June unveiled its first team of refugees which will have 10 members and 12 officials and will compete under the Olympic flag, as part of its decision to highlight the plight of refugees worldwide.

More than a million refugees streamed into Europe in the past year alone as they fled fighting in Syria and other countries.

Millions more are housed in camps in countries across the world, having escaped dozens of wars or armed conflicts in their home nations.

The Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) includes five athletes from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Ethiopia.

“These refugees have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem. We will offer them a home in the Olympic Village together with all the athletes of the world,” IOC President Bach said.

“The Olympic anthem will be played in their honour and the Olympic flag will lead them into the Olympic Stadium. This will be a symbol of hope for all the refugees in our world, and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis.”

The athletes, six men and four women, will compete in the sports of swimming, judo and athletics.

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They include swimmer Yusra Mardini from Syria who trains in Germany, South Sudanese middle-distance runner Rose Nathike Lokonyen, living in a refugee camp in Kenya, and Democratic Republic of Congo judoka Yolande Bukasa Mabika who trains in Brazil.

“I want all refugees to be proud of me, I want to encourage them that even if we are not in our homeland and had a tough way that we can still do great things,” Mardini said.

An initial 43 potential candidates were identified with final selection of the 10 based on consultation with their host National Olympic Committees (NOCs), international federations, the UNHCR and the NOCs of their countries of origin.

Nomination criteria also included sporting level, official refugee status verified by the United Nations, and personal situation and background.

The team will be housed in the Olympic Village along with the other 11,000 athletes.

The IOC decision to include an entire refugee team made of athletes with different nationalities is unique.

Sy swimmer Syrian Yu Yusra Mardini will be looking to inspire re refugees around the wo world at Rio 2016

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Drug cheats ‘will compete’ in Rio Russia doping controversy casts long shadow over this summer’s Olympic Games ussian drug cheats will be competing at next month’s Rio Olympics, the whistleblowers who helped uncover the country’s doping scandal have stated.

Vitaly Stepanov, who worked for Russia’s anti-doping agency, and his wife, former drugs cheat Yulia Stepanova, helped lift the lid on Russian doping in a series of documentaries by German broadcaster ARD. Their evidence led to a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which uncovered widespread doping in Russian athletics, and was followed by the McLaren report.

The latter found Moscow had concealed hundreds of positive doping tests in many sports ahead of the Sochi winter Games.

However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided not to impose a blanket ban on Russia competing in Rio. The Stepanovs has said that the IOC’s stance of leaving governing bodies to decide whether Russians could take part in the Games meant there would be Russian athletes in Rio whose cheating had previously been covered up.

“Others that have been covered up over the past years by the Russian sports authorities, they will compete as supposedly clean athletes,” the pair said in a joint BBC interview.

“As the report said it involved 20 summer Olympic sports, this system of cover ups, so yes there will be athletes who have used doping from Russia in Rio.” The couple have fled Russia and are living in hiding at an undisclosed location in North America, after they provided evidence of doping.

The IOC decided recently not to impose a total ban on Russian competitors despite the country’s doping history.

They asked sports federations, however, to stop Russian athletes from competing in Rio who were implicated in the McLaren report, or had been previously sanctioned.

This dashed Stepanova’s hopes of running at the Games as an independent athlete, which Vitaly said was unfair.

“You didn’t really have a choice if you wanted to be a member of the

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national team,” he said.

“She has served her ban, fully served her ban, she thinks that she should not be punished a second time for something that she did in the past.”

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the exclusion of Russian track-and-field athletes from Rio was discrimination and that a political campaign had been waged against Russian sportspeople.

Putin, who was addressing members of Russia’s Olympic team in the Kremlin, said that the absence of some Russian sportspeople from the Olympics would damage international sport as well as the Olympics.

He said any medal won in Rio in the absence of Russian athletes would be worth much less than otherwise and that such victories would have a completely different taste.

All Russian track and field athletes have been banned from Rio except any allowed to compete under a neutral flag. Long jumper Darya Klishina is the only athlete to have been cleared to participate in Rio as a neutral athlete.

Whistleblower Yulia Stepanova’s hopes of competing in the Summer Olympics are all but over. Her fight to expose doping and corruption is not.

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Most Brazilians expect Rio Olympics ‘to hurt Brazil’

Most Brazilians are pessimistic about impact on their country of the Olympic Games, scheduled to begin August 5 in Rio de Janeiro, according to a study by polling group Ibope published in the Estado de S.Paulo daily newspaper According to the survey, 60 percent of Brazilians believe the games, expected to cost about 40 billion reais ($12.2 billion), will bring more harm than good to Brazil, while 32 percent believe the games will bring more benefits to the country than losses, the paper reported.

Concern about the games has grown in Brazil as the country falls deeper into its worst recession in decades, Olympic preparations have been delayed or

scaled back, and evidence of widespread corruption in construction contracts for Olympic infrastructure has been uncovered by police and the courts.

A similar study ahead of the soccer World Cup, held in Brazil in 2014, found that 43 percent of Brazilians were optimistic before the event, compared with 40 percent who were pessimistic.

The poll surveyed 2,002 people in all of Brazil between July 14 and 18.

Wiggins backing Froome to shine Fresh from his success at the Tour de France, Chris Froome has now set his sights on Rio Bradley Wiggins has backed Chris Froome (photo) to emulate his 2012 Tour de France and Olympic time trial double success but felt his former Sky team mate’s task is more difficult as next month’s Games are in Rio de Janeiro.

Froome, who will join Wiggins in the Great Britain cycling team, clinched his third Tour de France on Sunday and will now be attempting an unprecedented treble as he also plans to take part in both the time trial and road race at the Rio Games.

Having won a bronze in the time trial at the 2012 London Olympics, the 31-year-old’s hopes of a gold in Rio were boosted when his chief rival, Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, fractured his wrist during the Tour de France and is a doubt for the Games.

“I think it’s probably harder for him this time. He has to travel out to a completely different continent whereas we came back home, and that is probably more of a challenge for Chris,” Wiggins told British media.

Wiggins, who is focusing on the track in Rio, added that his performance at the 2012 Tour de France gave him a clear indication that he was primed for glory in London and hoped Froome would be able to build upon a similar platform.

“I knew nothing was going to change in 10 days. There wasn’t too many challenges for me to overcome other than I couldn’t get down my lane (where he lived) for a couple of days,” the 36-year-old said.

“He can do it, definitely, the way he won the Tour, that (form) isn’t going to go anywhere for two weeks. If anyone can do it, he can do it of all those people there at the Tour.”

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A health agent carries a bucket of guppy fish to place them in standing water to consume larva of Zika-transmitting mosquitoes in an empty lot of Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca neighborhood

Brazil and the Zika factor

Olympics seen as unlikely to worsen global spread of Zika

eople visiting Brazil for the 2016 Olympics won’t significantly add to the global spread of Zika virus, according to a new analysis.

Most likely, only six to 80 people visiting Brazil for the Olympics would be infected with Zika virus, and between one and 16 would feel any symptoms, researchers suggest. The Olympic and Paralympic games, scheduled for August and September, are expected to bring 350,000 to 500,000 people to Brazil.

The new results support the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that “postponing or relocating the Olympics is not going to meaningfully impact the international spread of Zika,” said lead author Joseph Lewnard, of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Conn.

US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The WHO has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause GuillainBarre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers

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Crunching the numbers “We thought it was important to crunch the numbers and see whether the threat warranted the calls being made,” Lewnard told Reuters Health.

He and his colleagues estimate that the probability of a person visiting Rio and getting infected ranges from one in 6,200 to one in 56,300,

which translates to a total of six to 80 Zika infections.

Since most people with Zika do not feel any symptoms, they estimate that between one and 16 people would feel physically ill.

Between three and 37 people would likely take the virus to their home country, since the average time the virus remains in the body is about 10 days (although it persists longer in some cases).

“The majority of people will clear shortly after arriving home or before arriving home,” said Lewnard.

Many visitors will return to countries where it’s unlikely the virus will be spread by mosquitoes. In those countries, the main concern is sexual transmission of Zika virus, the researchers write.

Worst case scenarios Lewnard also said these estimates are based on a worst case scenario that assumes visitors will be as vulnerable to Zika as residents of Brazil.

In reality, he said, visitors will likely stay in hotels with air conditioning and will take other precautions, such as using window screens and bug spray.

The risk of spread of Zika from the Olympics is relatively low when compared to the spread from normal tourism, he added.

The researchers also expect that few pregnant women will travel to Brazil, due to travel warnings.

In addition to combating Zika, Brazil is grappling with a rash of problems that have plagued preparation and the country’s readiness for the Olympic games.

Crime syndicates are making a power play against the government in Rio raising security fears amongst the visitors to the country and the athletes themselves.

Additionally, the country is in recession, and bogged down in political crisis.

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Teeing off in Rio

Golf returns to the Olympics, minus its best players

1 year away from golf’s return to the Olympics after a 112year absence, IOC President Thomas Bach said it would be good if the sport had a wide range of players from as many countries as possible competing for medals.

And that’s what it delivered - 41 countries in the men’s and women’s competition - an example of golf’s global appeal.

But the story of celebrated return has become more about who’s not playing.

Jordan Spieth will be watching from home, still wondering if he should have set aside his personal concerns and gone to Rio de Janeiro.

Rory McIlroy said he won’t be watching at all, citing the Zika virus and then taking a swipe at golf as an Olympic sport by saying he would watch “the sports that matter.”

Of eligible players, 21 men said they would not be going, nearly half of them citing concerns about Zika.

The women have carried the torch for golf, with only one player declining to go because of the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to birth defects. Stacy Lewis has questioned whether the men make too much money to care about the Olympics.

She is getting married in the fall, and hearing so many men cite Zika because they plan to start families caused her to probe deeper into the threat.

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“I talked to a lot of different people and basically went into the conversation thinking in my head, ‘OK, give me a reason why I shouldn’t go.’ And none of those people ever gave me a reason why I should not go,” Lewis said.

“I want to be a part of the Olympics,” she said. .“I think the Olympics are bigger than any golf tournament on the planet. It’s bigger than the

1. An aerial view shows the 2016 Rio Olympics golf venue in Rio de Janeiro 2. Stacy Lewis has questioned whether the men make too much money to care about the Olympics 3. Northern Irish golf star Rory McIlroy has opted to give Rio a miss

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Masters. It’s bigger than the US Open. It’s bigger than the Women’s Open. It’s the biggest thing out there, and I want to be a part of that.”

None of the top four in men’s golf will be part of the Rio Games. The men will have only eight of the top 20 in the world, including Masters champion Danny Willett of England and British Open champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

The women will have nine of 10, only because South Korea has five players in the top 10 and countries only are allowed to send four.

The men’s competition is between August 11 and 14, followed by the women on August 17 and 20.

Regardless of who plays, medals will be distributed to a golfer for the first time since George Lyon of Canada won the gold in St. Louis against a 77-man field — three Canadians, 74 Americans.

The women did not play.

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Marcos in race against time Cypriot tennis star hoping to overcome hurting elbow as opening Rio game looms

arcos Baghdatis has been working harder than ever to be fit in time for Rio after injuring his arm one week before the Games in Brazil.

The Limassol-born tennis star, who was to be one of the island’s big names in Brazil, had been set to head to the Olympics for the third time in his career but will once again be battling injury.

Baghdatis first participated in Athens in 2004 when he was 19-years-old and was forced to pull out of the games four years later in Beijing after getting injured.

In London, four years ago, he reached the third round.

“Although I have been resting my left arm, and doing all the necessary rehabilitation, the pain has not subsided yet in the left elbow,” he commented on Facebook. “It does not look good at the moment, and hope I shall recover in time for the Olympics.

This is disappointing news, but I am still hoping for the best.”

Baghdatis has been battling injuries since 2005. He has already missed two months on the tour with wrist and back injuries in 2008 and had undergone right arm surgery in 2005.

“I had my ups and downs, I had lots of injuries, but I have a great life, a great family,” he told The Sun Chronicle in a recent interview. “I was out for a couple of years, but when I came back, I always managed to get back in the top 20, top 30 and spend a lot of time there” he offered.

“Condition is very important and the ability of your life is very important.”

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He added: “I’m 30 and I wake up in the morning and sometimes I don’t feel like going there (to practice), but I have great people around me that push me every day. It’s a sport I love.”

Baghdatis, who was born in the southern coastal town of Limassol, was the runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open and a semifinalist at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships.

In August 2006 he reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 8.

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Pavlos in Rio gold rush Cypriot sailing athlete aiming for glory

By Xenia Georgiou t has already been four years since Pavlos Kontides became the first athlete to step onto the Olympic podium for Cyprus.

The sailing athlete’s infamous silver medal finish at London 2012 makes him unsurprisingly the island’s big hope in Brazil this summer as he aims to once again fly the flag for Cyprus in the Laser Class.

Equally unsurprising is his belief that he can repeat the feat of London and even go one better but striking gold following an impressive season.

“I definitely want to be on the stand - that will satisfy me,” said Kontides. “But if I don’t win the gold medal, I will be disappointed although I won’t feel like a failure. Failure is when you stop fighting for your goals”.

But that will be easier said than done as Kontides will testify.

Competition is expected to be brutal for Kontides in Rio. There will be at least ten athletes capable of winning a medal at the men’s Laser Class sailing. The races will be over many days, and mitigating circumstances can arise at any stage of the competition.

“Being emotionally detached during a race takes lots of mental training too” he added. “An emotional upsurge occurs after the sail, whether it’s an outburst of happiness or disappointment.”

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Overcoming the waves and his opponents may not be the only battle for Kontides at this summer’s Olympic Games.

The Zika virus outbreak scare as well as fears of water pollution and

“ Following his historic silver finish at London 2012, Kontides has now set his sights on something bigger”

the high crime rate in Brazil could prove to be yet another obstacle in Rio. “I will be using anti-mosquito sprays and wearing long sleeved tops, despite the fact that temperatures will be reaching 30 degrees”, he said.

“If I was to miss a race because of an infection, then I would be devastated. It would haunt me for the rest of my life. The level of crime also means that I will need to have my wits about me on the streets of Rio”.

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Milan living the dream Serbian-born Cypriot athlete ready to make adopted homeland proud urdler Milan Trajkovic says he is ‘living ving the dream’ as he prepares to take his Olympic bow in Rio. Speaking to The Cyprus Weekly, Trajkovic looked back on a triumphant year, but also reflected on what lies ahead as he aims to leave his mark at this year’s Games.

“I am really happy to be taking part in the Olympics,” he said.“It is the dream of every athlete to be in the Olympics and I can’t wait.”

“I have been feeling great lately and it has shown by the results in recent games. I hope that I can carry on that form in Rio, so that I can get past the qualifiers to do my best in the semi-final heat. But you never know what might happen.”

Trajkovic was born in the Serbian town of Surdulica and moved to Cyprus 15 years ago where he finished school and then university. A keen

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athlete, he ssoon gained Cypriot citizenship and began representing athlete the island in various international events. “I am very proud to be representing Cyprus,” he added.

KING OF HEARTS Trajkovic’s name may not be as synonymous with sporting greatness as, say, Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin, but he has already won over many fans after showing his kind side at a recent international event in Holland.

The 24-year-old made waves on social media when cameras captured him gallantly placing his jacket over a young volunteer as rain came down at the recent 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam.

“I was not expecting that clip to get the attention that it did, but I am happy none the less because it has given people an insight into my character,” he said.

Milan Trajkovic won the hearts of athletics fans at the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam, after offering his jacket to shield a young volunteer from the rain

Parellis aiming to power through After missing out by just 7cm in London, Cypriot discus champ hopes this time to rock in Rio Cyprus discus thrower Apostolos Parellis will be hoping to go one throw better this time, after having missed out on the final round of London 2012 by 7cm.

GSP athlete Parellis – who has been joying the best form of his career this year and been performing at some of the top events, including the Diamond League – endured a painful exit at the

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London Games four years ago, when he missed out on a place in the 12-men final by just 7 cm, behind Holland’s Erik Cadee.

“My aim is to reach the finals,” said Parellis. “The last time I was at the Olympics [at London 2012], I scored 64.48m in the qualifying round and finished 13th.”

“It’s a tough task, because the qualifying limit is 65m and around 35 athletes have already surpassed that limit. I will need to have a score of 64 or 65 on the morning of the qualifiers to be sure of moving into

the final,” he explained.

“I wish my teammates all the best at the Games and I hope Cyprus enjoys some great moments.”

Parellis is the current Cypriot national record holder with 65.69m, having hit that impressive mark in Greece back in May. Since breaking the national record for the first time (57.81m) back in 2007 at the age of 22, Parellis has been the island’s top discus thrower, improving his personal best another 11 times.

28 “Every race is a challenge and every challenge has its own set of unique obstacles”

Eleni ready for Rio challenge Paralimni sprinter turning expectation into motivation

ypriot runner Eleni Artymata says she will be turning expectation into motivation as she prepares for Rio in what will be her third participation at the Olympic Games.

The 30-year-old 100m sprinter from Paralimni will be looking to make the big push in her career and reach the final of her event – a feat she admits is very difficult, given the level of competition in Rio this year.

“I don’t let expectations burden me,” she told Kerkida.net.“On the contrary, it can be extra motivation. First of all, I need to feel that I am satisfied with what I have achieved. So I take those expectations and turn them into motivation as opposed to something weighing down on me.”

“It [the Olympics] is the biggest sporting event in the world and, of course, I am excited. I cannot recall if I felt the exact same way ahead

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of Beijing (2008) or London (2012). I can say that I am really looking forward to Rio. I really want to reach the finals at the Olympics without wanting to say that this is my number one target there.”

She added: “This year, especially, the level of athletes is really high. I will go there demanding from myself to put on a worthy performance. I can only promise that I will do my best”.

Artymata is widely regarded as one of the finest track and field athletes the island has ever produced.

A nine-time winner at the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), she has also picked up five medals from the Mediterranean Games and finished sixth at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona.

“Every race is a challenge and every challenge has its own set of unique obstacles. The challenge is difficult but also beautiful.”

Ramona’s special Brazilian calling Cyprus sprinter has a piece of Rio in her heart already Sprinter Ramona Papaioannou’s time at Rio 2016 will be a special one, none more so because it is the home of her paternal grandmother.

The 27-year-old Papaioannou, who is the daughter of AEK Athens and Greece international Pavlos Papaioannou, qualified to represent the island after being raised in Cyprus and move has proved to be a bonus for local athletics that will be hoping for an impressive showing in Brazil.

Along with Eleni Artymata, Papaioannou will be flying the flag for Cyprus in women’s track and will be hoping to make an impression

where she has roots.

“I head to Rio in the best possible frame of mind,” she told Greek television show ‘Kathe Mera, Alli Mera’ recently.

“I already have experience from competing in the world championships so I have an idea of what to expect. But this is of course the greatest sporting event and all athletes dream of taking part in the Olympics.”

“I have nothing to lose from taking part at Rio 2016 without suggesting that I am simply going there for a tour. I am working hard to achieve the best that I can there both for me and for my country.

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Chasikos savouring dream moment Andreas Chasikos undeterred by underdog status in Rio

Andreas Chasikos says he will be looking to achieve a dream he has carried with him since he was a boy when he finally aims his rifle in Rio. Despite having some of the finest shooting athletes in the world, Cyprus has yet to clinch a medal at the Olympics, with numerous attempts from former world number one Georgios Achilleos having gone astray.

Achilleos’ unexpected failure to qualify for Rio this summer – despite his impressive showings at the world championships – means the onus will now lie on Chasikos, who is ranked way beneath his shooting compatriot on the world stage.

But the 32-year-old is ready to lead the Cypriot shooting charge in Brazil,

confessing it has been his dream to win a medal since he first picked up a rifle.

“I have had two targets since I was a small boy and when I first got into shooting,” he told Balla.com.cy.

“The first was to participate at the Olympic Games and the second was to actually win a medal, which is what I will fight to do in Rio. It has been a life-long dream of mine to win a medal at the Olympics and I am in peak condition. God willing, and if results go my way, I will make Cyprus proud.

“Preparations have been going great; hopefully, I will be ready come the games in Brazil.”

Andri confident of podium finish Limassol skeet shooter ready to pull the trigger in Rio Skeet shooter Andri Eleftheriou is enjoying her underdog status as she sets her sights on a podium finish in Rio. Despite not being on the top list of favourites to actually win a medal in Brazil, Andri is far from inexperienced on the international front, and she is no stranger to podium finishes in major international events.

Her medal collection includes a gold at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the 2007 World Cup in Belgrade and the 2008 World Cup final in Minsk, while she also finished an impressive seventh at the Beijing Olympics of 2008 – an accolade she is determined to topple this time around.

“I am aiming to clinch a medal, no matter how difficult or impossible that may appear to some people,” the Limassol-born athlete told 24sports.com.cy in a recent interview.

“I have been working hard towards that goal, which is why I feel it is possible.

This is my second Olympic Games. The first time, back in 2008, I finished seventh and back then I was inexperienced and nervous. Now I am 100% ready – both mentally and physically. I am going for a medal – irrespective of its colour. In the big games, the outsiders usually do well.”

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32 “I know I have what it takes to compete in big games”

Kyriakos ready for big leap Having clinched medals at the world finals, Ioannou now wants Olympic glory igh jumper Kyriakos Ioannou continues to remain Cyprus’ only athlete ever to win a medal at a major athletics world championship event, with many sports fans back on the island hopeful he will secure a podium finish in Brazil.

Three-time world championships medalist (Osaka 2007, Valencia 2008 and Berlin 2009) Ioannou has been dogged by injuries in the run-up to Rio, but still managed to qualify well ahead in time for his fourth Games, with his jump of 2.29m at the Chania Games last year.

The 31-year-old Limassol-born athlete, knowing all too well the hardships of the Olympics, is staying low key ahead of Rio 2016.

“I know I have what it takes to compete in big games,” he told 24sports. com.cy. “My opponents also know that I can compete against them.”

Ioannou currently holds the national record for Cyprus of 2.35m – the score he clinched on route to winning his historic bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.

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His impressive medal collection includes a silver and bronze at the World Championships, a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships, a silver medal at the European Indoor Championships and a silver and bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.

“I remember back at London 2012, that I surprised even myself and my doctors that I had reached the final of the event, given all the wrong operations and all the injuries I had suffered – especially in those (rainy) conditions at the time. But what it did do for me is give me lots of energy and strength looking ahead to Rio.” He added: “With regards to my targets, I have never spoken about going for a medal. My first aim is to stay healthy and to reach the final event – which would be a massive achievement, both for me and for Cyprus.

“You really get to understand what it means to be in the final of an athletics event at the Olympics.”

Redemption time for Chondrokoukis Long and painful road leads to Rio for Greek-born high jumper High jumper Demetris Chondrokoukis has endured a lot since 2012 and will be looking to exorcise a few ghosts at Rio 2016.

Chondrokoukis – who used to represent Greece in athletics before opting to jump for Cyprus (his mother is Cypriot) – will line up alongside fellow high jumpers Kyriakos Ioannou and Leontia Kallenou in Brazil this month, with the hope of securing a podium finish.

“Since 2012, I have encountered a lot of hardships – both in sport and in my personal life. Thankfully, some people –

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friends and my father - stood by me and gave me the strength to carry on.”

Chondrokoukis – like Ioannou – knows all about international success. Back in 2012, he won the gold medal at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul with a personal best of 2.33 metres, representing Greece at the time.

But disaster struck later that year when he was banned from London 2012 after testing positive for steroids. His shock was compounded by the tragic death of his mother some months later

– a decision which prompted him to decide to represent Cyprus and begin the long road back to recovery.

“I have a special bond with Cyprus through my mother and I feel like the island is my home,” continued the 28-year-old.

“I am happy to wear the colours of Cyprus and hope to make all the people on the island happy, too. My big aim is to get a medal and that is what I have been striving towards this year.”

Chondrokoukis is coached by his Greek father Kyriakos – himself a former athlete.

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Leontia Kallenou: Reaching for the stars

Georgia University student aiming to savour Rio experience

By Xenia Georgiou Success occurs when your dreams surpass your excuses,” according to university student Leontia Kallenou, who will be looking to reach for the stars in Rio. The 21-year-old high jumper is currently gearing up for her mission to clinch a medal in Cyprus colours, but she still took some precious time out of her hectic training schedule in the US to speak to The Cyprus Weekly.

Leontia has been dreaming about the Oympics ever since she can remember and is now close to making that dream a reality.

“Due to my injury, I haven’t had a good year so far. My goal is to fully enjoy the Olympics and jump higher than what I have jumped this year.

I want to live the dream I have been working for, for years. But I am also realistic,” she remarked.

Leontia has always had a connection with sport and, even at a young age, her talents didn’t go unnoticed. She was quickly spotted whilst still in primary school at the age of nine.

“During physical education, some of the GSP coaches came to observe us whilst we did a bit of running, jumping, throwing,” recalled Leontia.

And they saw something special in that little girl.

“They proposed that I start training at the GSP. I started doing sprints, and then the jumping coach, Loukas Kalogirou, saw me and told me to try high jump.”

Leontia had discovered her calling.

“I fell in love with this amazing sport,” she enthuses, and 11 years later, she is still passionate at succeeding in what she loves. But it is not just about sport. Education is also a big part of Leontia’s life, and another area where she wants to prevail.

Her dedication earned her a place at Georgia University, where she is majoring in business and marketing.

Leontia explained the difficulties behind juggling being a top-notch champion and a good student.

“I didn’t just want to simply attend class or to go to the track. My goal was to be good at both. I have to be extremely organised and manage my time well.”

“Sometimes I wouldn’t get enough sleep as I was studying until late. Or I would run to practice right after class,” added Leontia, who gave the Weekly a glimpse into her hectic daily schedule.

And it is her passion that keeps driving her onwards.

“I like challenges and working hard. When I see professional athletes, I honestly admire them because I know how challenging and hard their journey is. I want to be one of them and that’s why I’m working with determination,” she said.

“I feel that I’m capable of doing something different and have been given opportunities that only very few people have.”

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Cariolou buoyed by strong form Cypriot windsurfer eyeing to surpass expectations

indsurfer Andreas Cariolou heads to Rio in the best possible form after recently finishing an impressive fifth at the Sailing World Cup in Weymouth and Portland.

The 33-year-old – who, along with compatriot and London 2012 silver medalist Pavlos Kontides will be taking to seas off Brazil this month – is taking part in his fourth Olympic Games.

His fifth-place finish at the World Cup back in June is just the springboard he needs to land a first-ever medal in windsurfing for Cyprus, as he commented on his Facebook page.

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“Weymouth harbour’s light winds during this week gave us some good training for the real thing in Rio in August. Fifth place for me, congratulations to the winners and especially to my man, Toni Wilhelm - RS:X Olympic Windsurfing for the win!” he said at the time.

The experienced Kariolou had finished 13th in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008) and slipped down to 17th in London (2012), but his recent performances have given Cyprus hope of at last qualifying for the final medals race in Brazil.

Rio invites for Cypriot duo

Jack and Sotiria ready to savour Olympic experience Jack Hadjiconstantinou and Sotiria Neofytou will be looking to make a splash in Rio after they were both selected by Olympics organisers to take part.

The invitations came about after the International Olympic Committee and FINA took into account their Universality rankings. Cyprus has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to Brazil.

Hadjiconstantinou will race in the 400m freestyle event after finishing with a time of 4:01.84 at a recent international competition, while Neofytou (100m butterfly) had finished with a time of 1:02.30.

Hadjiconstantinou trains in the US at the University of Alabama, where he is also a student.

“In 2004, I went to my first Olympics in Athens, Greece,” he posted on his Facebook page.

“At the time, I wouldn’t have imagined coming as far as I have as a person and a swimmer.

Now, 12 years later, I get to compete at the level every athlete dreams of. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my parents and family.

“I also wouldn’t have had the success that I’ve had in the pool without the Alabama swimming and diving family by my side. I’m blessed that I had and continue to have people who care about me, and I wish I could personally thank everyone.”

Neofytou belongs to the Limassol Nautical Club and is trained by Stavros Michaelides.

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Andri’s big Rio ride Olympic reward for super mum after hard struggle

Cypriot road race cyclist Andri Christoforou is drawing inspiration from her young son as she prepares to make her Olympic bow at Rio 2016.

Andri, 24, is married to fellow athlete Marios Athanasiades – who had taken part at London 2012, while her participation in Rio will be the fourth time that a Cypriot cyclist has featured at the Olympics.

But preparing for the top sporting event has not been without its fair share of struggles.

“Being a mother means I am tired physically, but mentally, I can withstand a lot and I am strong. I have to dedicate a lot of days in preparing for the Games and there are times I want to spend more time with my son.

Things are far easier when I return from training or from international competitions abroad. Being a mother gives me strength.”

Andri clinched her place in Rio last May when it was announced by the Olympic Games organisers that she had managed to secure 109 points and an 87th-place finish – a ranking that saw her reach the qualifying mark.

Cyprus will be part of 24 nations taking part in the road race event in Brazil.

“My goal is to be satisfied with my performance,” said the cycling athlete – who was forced to put her career on hold when she became pregnant a couple of years ago.

“I cannot predict an outcome.”

Marios gears up for biggest stage Limassol teen sets ambitious target in Rio At just 18 years of age, artistic gymnast Marios Georgiou will be Cyprus’ youngest male athlete at Rio 2016, and will be looking to gain valuable experience as he continues his impressive climb in the sport.

Georgiou – who enrolled at the Limassol boot camp on July 15, only to be given a temporary discharge the following day to begin his preparations for Rio – only finished school in Linopetra earlier this summer, but is already making good progress on the international stage.

His performance at last year’s Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) was nothing short of breathtaking, returning from Iceland having captured six gold medals and a bronze.

Earlier this year, in April, he flew out to Rio to take part in the 2016 Olympic Gymnastics Test Event - which served as the final qualifier to the gymnastics events.

Just like in Iceland, the Limassol teenager delivered the goods, but is expecting the heat to be on in Brazil.

“In order to qualify for Rio, I needed to get a good score – in other words a score over 81.500, which I managed to achieve (his qualifying score was 83.799),” he told the Cyprus Weekly.

“I may have done well in Iceland at the GSSE, but all the golds you could win there can never compare with competing at the Olympics. The Olympics is the ultimate dream for every athlete, and I am very happy to be there.”

Georgiou, who also performs as a dancer and most recently took part in

The Art Of Dance Studio’s production, production Journey To India, India is also under no illusion as to the task that lies ahead, further south of the equator.

“I obviously want to do well there. Realistically for Cyprus, the goal in Rio should be to reach the finals, both in the team and in the individual events. But in a major competition like this, you have to give your best.»

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40 “Americans still haunted by defeat to Greece”

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Can the US be stopped?

More ‘B Team’ than ‘Dream Team’ as US eye Rio gold

o Stephen Curry? No LeBron James? No problem. Despite missing the game’s two best players the US men’s basketball team are still the slam dunk favourite to return home from the Rio Olympics with the gold medal.

With many top players turning down a chance to throw on the Stars and Stripes, the US squad are more “B Team” than “Dream Team” but are nonetheless a frightening collection of talent capable of providing Olympic-size nightmares for opponents.

Among other Americans choosing to skip Rio are NBA All-Stars Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, James Harden, Blake Griffin, John Wall, Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis.

For any other country, losing nearly all of their “A Team” would cripple their medal hopes. But such is the depth of basketball talent in the United States that their absence has barely caused a ripple of concern.

It would be difficult to label any lineup that boasts former NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, 2016 NBA champion Kyrie Irving and two-time Olympic gold medallist Carmelo Anthony a “B Team” yet that will be the perception.

But the fact is even if Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo was forced to dive deeper into the American talent pool the United States would still be expected to surface with a gold medal on the final day of Rio Games.

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1. Jimmy Butler, right, and Paul George will be looking to carry on the tradition of US basketball dominance at the Olympics. 2. USA guard Kevin Durant will be one of the stars at this year’s Games in Rio

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“We are blessed with a lot of talent here in the USA, we have the ability to withstand players dropping out for various reasons,” said Colangelo. “With the depth of our national team roster we were able to select a very strong team.”

While Team USA will have only two players with Olympic experience, the two men at the top, Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski, bring stability and an unmatched winning pedigree to Rio. Krzyzewski, a legendary college coach at Duke University, has guided the United States to gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cups.

In Olympic competition, the United States are on a 17-game unbeaten run that dates back to the bronze medal game of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Since taking control of the US national team in 2005, Colangelo’s

teams have compiled a stellar 75-1 record and are on a 63-game win streak that is expected to continue in Rio. But for all the gold medals won, it is the one loss Colangelo recalls with vivid clarity when a team that included James, Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan and Chris Paul fell to Greece in the semi-finals of the 2006 world championships.

“That loss proved the point that on any given night a team that hits their shots, makes their free throws, doesn’t turn the ball over and you miss your free throws and turn the ball over (a loss) can happen and it did happen,” said Colangelo.

“That loss really had a lot to do with our preparation and mindset going forward.”

It was a lesson learned. The United States have not tasted defeat in the 12 years since.

42 “Olympic hoodoo still haunts hosts Brazil”

Home pressure back for Selecao

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With Brazil steel reeling from the 7-1 thrashing by Germany, all eyes will be on whether their football team will crack again ootball fans of a certain age will always remember Falcao at the World Cup in 1982 and his starring role alongside Zico, Socrates and Cerezo in one of the greatest Brazil sides of all time.

Their heartbreaking 3-2 defeat by Italy in the second group stage that cost them a semi-final spot was unforgettable and the tournament etched Falcao’s name in the history books.

But when he looks back on the great moments of his career, another less heralded occasion still warms his heart.

The 1972 Munich Olympics was a disappointment for Brazil’s players but losses to Denmark and Iran, sandwiching a draw against Hungary, tell only half the story.

The Olympics, according to Falcao, was something special.

“It was a unique moment,” he said.

“The Olympics is grander than the World Cup because you are alongside the greatest athletes of all the world’s sports. In football, it’s just footballers.”

“Even though football usually gets all the headlines, the Olympics is unique because of that rubbing of shoulders in the Olympic village.

“Everyone walked about and everyone could see everyone else, we sat together in the cafeteria, we swapped keyrings with other athletes, it really was beautiful.”

Falcao need not feel bad about Brazil’s awful campaign in Munich since their failure to win a football gold is a regular sob story even in

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the modern era where top professionals compete.

Until 1992, the Olympic football tournament was for amateurs and most of the 1972 team were teenagers. Future AS Roma great Falcao, who would win Serie A, two Italian cups and a European Cup runners-up medal, was just 18 years old.

Since professionals under the age of 23 were admitted, Brazil have still struggled. They have been in the tournament 12 times, losing three finals including at London 2012.

The list of players who have tried and failed to win Olympic gold reads like an all-time greatest Brazil team.

As well as Falcao they include Junior (1976), Dunga (1984), Taffarel and Romario (1988), Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo (1996), Lucio and Ronaldinho (2000), Thiago Silva and Marcelo (2008).

The Olympic gold medal is the only international title Brazil have not won and they are desperate to finally break that hoodoo in front of their own fans next month.

They have senior team captain Neymar among their three-over age players and can also count on a host of other big names including Neymar’s Barcelona team mate Rafinha, Marquinhos from Paris St-Germain and Felipe Anderson of Lazio.

Santos’ Gabriel Barbosa and 19-year old Gabriel Jesus, who have both been linked with Europe’s big clubs, will play alongside Neymar up front.

Brazil open their campaign against South Africa in Brasilia, before

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playing Iraq at the same venue and Denmark in Salvador.

Falcao said the pressure this year will be twice as great in front of a home crowd.

Brazil have shown psychological frailties in recent years, notably in the 7-1 collapse against Germany in the World Cup semi-final in 2014, but the man known as the ‘King of Rome’ said the key will be making the pressure work in their favour.

“It is the only title we haven’t won so the press talk about it every day and that creates a pressure,” said Falcao.

1. Barcelona star Neymar will be looking to bring back the smiles to the Brazilian football fans. 2. RUNNERS UP: The silver medal at London 2012 was scant consolation for Brazilian trio Oscar, Neymar and Hulk (left to right)

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Sharp shooters and dark horses

“Is it still a case of age before beauty or will new blood prevail in Rio?”

A glance at some of the stars looking to dazzle and those looking to make the big break ith so many events going in Rio this month, it will be hard to keep track of all the stars looking to strike gold.

But here is a run through of some of the major athletes to look out for.

Have you heard of Usain Bolt? Well, he’s attempting to complete the ‘triple triple’ having won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay gold medals at both Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

Bolt’s compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is also seeking a third successive Olympic gold medal in the 100m, while American Allyson Felix is chasing more gold having already racked up four from Beijing and London.

Michael Phelps, having retired and now returned, is hoping to add more to his astonishing collection of 22 medals, 18 of which are gold, in swimming.

For Britain, Mo Farah will be looking to replicate his Olympic gold double from London in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

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Tennis stars In tennis, Novak Djokovic is missing that elusive gold medal at the Olympics but that could all change in Rio given the fine form he is in.

Djokovic has made it clear that winning gold is one of his top priorities this season.

World No. 1 Serena Williams will be defending a gold medal in singles and a gold medal in doubles with her sister, Venus, when she returns to the Olympics this summer in Rio. And then there’s Barcelona star Neymar who will be looking to exorcise some ghosts for Brazilian football by guiding the national team to glory following their stunning meltdown at the World Cup in their own country – of all places – two years ago.

But what about the lesser known hot-shots? Here is what could be a taste of things to come.

1 Ledecky on fire Katie Ledecky made waves in 2012 when she won the 800-meter freestyle at just 15 years old. And she’s only gotten better since.

Arguably the most dominant swimmer in the pool right now, Ledecky is the first swimmer to ever sweep the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m frees in a major international competition.

The Tank Born in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who is only 20, is widely regarded as the most dominant wrestler pound-for-pound in the sport today. Competing in the 86kg class,

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2 he has already earned two world titles, as well as the intimidating nickname of ‘The Tank’. He figures to roll to gold in his first Olympics.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

Known in his native Japan as Superman, the 27-year-old Kohei Uchimura has won six straight world all-around titles, twice as many as any other gymnast.

The 2012 Olympic all-around champion (and 2008 silver medalist) is widely considered the greatest male gymnast of all time.

In Rio he will be seeking to become the first man to repeat as allaround champion since his countryman Sawao Kato in 1972.

Gallivanting Gaviria The men’s omnium may not be a marquee event in the track cycling programme, but in track cycist Fernando Gaviria it has a truly special athlete as it clear favourite for gold in Rio. The 21-year-old Colombian was a virtual unknown less than 18 months ago, but he then beat Mark Cavendish twice in a road race in Argentina and followed those wins up by claiming the 2015 world omnium title on the track a month later.

Dutch courage Dafne Schippers is a Dutch heptathlete and sprinter who is singlehandedly breaking up the American-Caribbean monopoly of the women’s 100m and 200m.

Having won golds in the 100m and 200m at the European Championships in 2014, she then won gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m at last year’s World Championships and appears certain to be challenging for more medals in Rio.

Evergreen Eliud Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge fell just eight seconds short of the current record of 2hr 2min 57sec when running the second fastest time ever at April’s London Marathon - and it looked like he had more in the tank.

Given that London is not regarded as a particularly fast course, Kipchoge’s performance not only established him as the clear favourite for Rio, but it also suggested he could take both Olympic gold and the world record in one swoop, a feat achieved only four other times in history.

Si-ing is believing Chinese diver Si Yajie, who has been diving since she was 6, stunned her rivals by winning the 10m platform title at the 2013 world championships, aged just 14. The following year she won gold in the same event at Asian Games and she will be a major contender in Rio.

Other unknowns Some of the other names that could emerge as the big winners in Rio include Jaheel Hyde (Jamaica, athletics), Giarnni Regini-Moran (Great Britain, gymnastics), Marcus Vinicius D’Almeida (Brazil, archery), Ami Kondo (Japan, judo), Niek Kimmann (Holland, BMX), Emma Jorgensen (Denmark, Canoeing), Matheus Santana (Brazil, sswimming) and Jean Quiquampoix (France, shooting).

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4 1. Has the time finally come for Novak Djokovic to become an Olympic champion? 2. Katie Ledecky will be looking to make a splash in Rio 3. Can Abdulrashid ‘The Tank’ Sadulaev bulldoze his way to glory? 4. Dutch heptathlete and sprinter Dafne Schippers will be looking to buck a familiar trend in Rio 5. Chinese diver Si Yajie is among the strong favourites in Rio

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The Olympics on the box!

To be shown live on either CyBC 1 or CyBC 2

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 02:00-05:00 OPENING CEREMONY

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 16:15-19:00 ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, QUALIFYING 19:00-21:30 SWIMMING, QUALIFYING 21:30-00:15 JUDO, FINALS 00:15-03:00 ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS 04:00-06:00 SWIMMING, FINALS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 15:15-17:00 VOLLEYBALL, MEN 17:00-18:00 SHOOTING, 10M WOMEN’S FINAL 18:00-18:45 CYCLING, WOMEN’S ROAD RACE 19:00-21:30 SWIMMING, QUALIFYING 21:30-23:15 SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING, 3M WOMEN 01:00-03:00 WEIGHTLIFTING, 56K MEN 04:00-06:00 SWIMMING, FINALS

MONDAY, AUGUST 8 14:30-16:30 WATER POLO, SERBIA-GREECE 16:30-19:00 JUDO, 57K WOMEN, 73K MEN 19:15-20:15 SAILING 21:45-01:00 ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, FINALS 21:00-23:15 SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING, MEN’S FINAL 02:50-02:45 BASKETBALL, USA-VENEZUELA 01:00-03:00 WEIGHTLIFTING, 62K MEN’S FINAL 04:00-06:00 SWIMMING, FINALS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 16:00-20:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, QUALIFYING 20:00-21:30 EQUESTRIAN, SHOW JUMPING FINALS 01:00-03:00 WEIGHTLIFTING, 69K MEN’S FINAL 04:00-06:00 SWIMMING, FINALS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10 16:00-17:45 18:00-19:00 19:00-21:00 21:45-00:45 00:45-03:00 04:00-06:30

WATER POLO, GREECE-HUNGARY SHOOTING, PISTOL 50M MEN SWIMMING, QUALIFYING ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, FINAL WEIGHTLIFTING, 77K MEN’S FINAL SWIMMING, FINAL

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11 16:00-18:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, QUALIFYING 18:00-19:30 SHOOTING, 50M WOMEN 20:00-21:15 SAILING 22:00-00:15 ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, FINALS 00:45-02:45 BASKETBALL, NIGERIA-SPAIN 04:00-06:00 SWIMMING, FINAL

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 09:15-13:15 ATHLETICS

13:15-15:00 15:00-16:30 17:00-20:00 19:00-21:00 20:00-23:30 22:00-23:30

SWIMMING SHOOTING, WOMEN’S SKEET FENCING, FINALS WEIGHTLIFTING, 85K MEN’S FINAL ATHLETICS SWIMMING ΤΕΛΙΚΟΙ

20:00-22:00 22:00-23:30 00:30-05:15 04:00-05:15 FINAL 05:55-07:15

BOXING, FINALS DIVING, 10M WOMEN’S FINAL ATHLETICS BEACH VOLLEYBALL, MEN’S THIRD PLACE BEACH VOLLEYBALL, FINAL

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

09:00-13:00 13:45-14:45 15:00-16:30 16:45-18:30 18:45-20:45 19:50-23:15 22:00-23:45

14:30-18:30 19:15-20:45 21:30-23:30 23:30-01:30 02:00-04:45

ATHLETICS SAILING SHOOTING, MEN’S SKEET BASKETBALL, ARGENTINA-BRAZIL BASKETBALL, SPAIN-LITHUANIA ATHLETICS SWIMMING, FINALS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 10:00-13:00 13:00-14:00 14:00-15:30 14:00-17:00 16:00-17:30 17:30-19:30 20:00-22:30

GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING SAILING, RS-X MEN WATER POLO, AUSTRALIA-GREECE ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS DIVING, 3M WOMEN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, SPAIN-CANADA ATHLETICS

MONDAY, AUGUST 15 15:15-18:15 ATHLETICS 18:45-20:00 SAILING 20:00-22:30 GYMNASTICS 22:30-00:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, MEN’S QUARTERFINALS 00:50-02:50 BASKETBALL, SPAIN-ARGENTINA 02:00-05:00 ATHLETICS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 15:00-18:45 ATHLETICS 20:00-22:15 GYMNASTICS 22:15-00:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, SEMI-FINALS 00:00-02:00 DIVING, 3M MEN’S FINAL 02:00-05:00 ATHLETICS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17 15:15-18:00 ATHLETICS 18:00-21:30 CYCLING, BMX 21:30-23:30 BASKETBALL: QUARTERFINALS 23:30-05:00 ATHLETICS 03:50-05:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, WOMEN’S THIRD PLACE FINAL 05:00-07:00 BEACH VOLLEYBALL, WOMEN’S FINAL

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18 15:15-18:30 ATHLETICS 18:30-20:00 CANOE/KAYAK, FINALS

ATHLETICS EQUESTRIAN, FINALS WATER POLO, WOMEN’S FINAL FOOTBALL, WOMEN’S FINAL ATHLETICS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 14:30-17:00 BADMINTON, MEN’S FINAL 17:15-19:30 HANDBALL, WOMEN’S THIRD PLACE FINAL 20:00-21:30 BOXING, WOMEN’S FINAL 22:15-00:15 DIVING, 10M MEN’S FINAL 00:30-02:00 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, THIRD PLACE FINAL

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 15:30-17:30 VOLLEYBALL, MEN’S THIRD PLACE FINAL 17:30-19:30 BASKETBALL, MEN’S THIRD PLACE FINAL 19:30-21:30 VOLLEYBALL, MEN’S FINAL 21:30-00:00 BASKETBALL, MEN’S FINAL 02:00-04:00 CLOSING CEREMONY * SCHEDULED LIVE TRANSMISSIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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A Brazilian welcome to all Welcome, We are ready to host the first Olympic Games to take place in South America.

The Olympic Village, housing more than 17,000 athletes in Rio de Janeiro’s most beautiful settings, has just been inaugurated. All Olympic Park facilities are ready.

A security staff program of 85,000 professionals is set to ensure peace and tranquility for athletes, coaches, heads of state and government, local residents, and journalists.

Over the past few years, our country has developed an expertise in hosting mega-events on an international scale, which we conducted in a spirit of excellence, dedication and with the characteristic Brazilian joie de vivre.

Now, the Games will show one of the major global economies at work in a mature democracy, with great business potential and significant achievements in fighting inequality.

It should be emphasised that 60 percent of the total investment in the Olympic facilities came from the private sector. These resources and efforts will remain as legacies to the entire country.

Let me assure you – as has the World Health Organisation – that the risk of Zika infection during the Games is practically nonexistent.

Historically, it has barely been recorded during the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere. According to WHO, there has been a dramatic decline in cases of Zika infection in Rio in the past weeks.

We look forward to receive all the 500,000 visitors who will be present in Rio to watch the world’s elite athletes compete, as well as the five billion viewers from around the globe.

Brazil awaits you with open arms.

Claudio Acquarone, Ambassador of Brazil in Cyprus

Director General of the Cyprus Olympic Committee Olga Piperidou

Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) President Dinos Michaelides Our first aim is to produce a worthy showing for Cyprus that will go hand-in-hand with the respectable and impeccable attitude of the team. Those competing are already winners and that is how they will be received regardless of how they finish at the games.

There are some athletes in the team that could possibly step up onto the podium and others that could reach the finals of the event and finish in the top 12. But what we want from our athletes is to give their all, to stay focused during those days and to give their heart and soul when they actually compete.

Their coaches will be with them as will the team doctors and physios of the team along with a delegation of the committee should their assistance be needed in any shape or form. We are aware that the journey is long and the weather conditions are not similar to those in Cyprus but we believe that our athletes will acclimatise quickly. If all goes smoothly, then we feel that we will experience some success stories.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 FREE WITH THE ‘CW’

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