The welcoming of Carolina Pelendritou by the Municipality of Limassol in a festive climate.

Tears of happiness and touching emotions for the Golden Paralympic winner Carolina Pelendritou that returned, last Thursday evening, to her birthplace Limassol and received a warm welcome by the Municipal Council and ordinary citizens, at the Town Hall, under the sounds of the city’s band.

«Your birthplace city, Limassol, pays honour to you for winning a gold and bronze medal at the Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020. We thank you», stated the Mayor of Limassol Mr. Nicos Nicolaides, reading the inscription on an honorary plaque and crowning Carolina Pelendritou with a wreath of olive branches.

The unique and unprecedented achievements of Carolina Pelendritou, he added, is a source of pleasure and pride for all of us and also an illustration of self-confidence  and inspiration because a Paralympic winner is twice an Olympic winner, because firstly s/he has to overcome his/her self and his/her disability and then win his/her competitor athletes.

The Mayor of Limassol emphasized that the Golden Paralympic winner with her talent, ethos, selflessness and braveness, became a strong example for everybody and especially for young people who need so much such bright examples.

Thanking the Mayor and the Council of Limassol, as well all those present to welcome her, Carolina Pelendritou assured them that “this love and support from you, the ordinary citizens, keeps me alive and gives me power to battle and continue to bring successes to Cyprus and Limassol every day”.

She also revealed that during the last years she made some thoughts of withdrawing from the sport referring to the difficulties she had to face, especially with the deterioration of her sight condition, “something that shocked me and caused me many problems and I had to cope with it psychologically”.

«It crossed my mind to stop, and for this reason the particular award is not just the sixth Paralympic medal, the twentieth in major events, the third gold medal in Paralympics Games, it is something much more.», she said and added that “it is something that I struggled with daily with my own people, to overcome myself and be here today, to celebrate one more gold medal for Cyprus, one more gold medal for Limassol”.

It is noted that, further to last evening’s welcoming ceremony for Carolina Pelendritou, the Municipality of Limassol is planning to grant due honours to the Paralympic Winner, in a special ceremony, the relevant details of which will be announced at a later stage.