Yiannos Kouyoumdjian finished 64th in the giant slalom at the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, completing both runs on the challenging Stelvio course in Bormio with a combined time of 2:52.11.
The race, which took place on Saturday, saw 81 athletes competing, but only 69 managed to finish both runs, highlighting the demanding nature of the course. Kouyoumdjian’s performance is particularly noteworthy considering the obstacles faced by many of his competitors.
In the first run, Kouyoumdjian clocked a time of 1:29.14. However, the second run proved to be more difficult due to adverse weather conditions. Despite this, he maintained his composure and secured a time that ultimately placed him 64th in the final standings.
“It was a tough race. I achieved my goal of completing both runs. The second run was a bit slower, but we’re all happy. Everything went well. Now we turn our focus to Monday’s slalom,” Kouyoumdjian remarked shortly after crossing the finish line.
The Cyprus Olympic Committee praised Kouyoumdjian’s achievement as a significant milestone for Cypriot alpine skiing. This marks his second consecutive Olympic appearance, following the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and underscores his ongoing commitment to competing on the international stage.
Kouyoumdjian is set to return to the slopes on Monday, February 16, when he will compete in the slalom event. Cyprus will also have representation in the women’s slalom on Wednesday, February 18, with Andrea Loizidou completing the country’s participation in the alpine skiing programme.
