Nicosia: Five young Cypriot track and field athletes have achieved remarkable standings, securing spots among the world's top 20 in their respective events at the U18 level, as reported by the Cyprus Amateur Athletic Association (KOEAS).
According to Cyprus News Agency, the standout performer is Marina Hadjicosta, who concluded the year ranked first in the world U18 discus rankings with an impressive throw of 56.54 meters. Hadjicosta's exceptional performance also earned her a gold medal at the European U18 Championships and a bronze at the World U20 Championships. Additionally, she holds the 13th spot globally in the U18 shot put category, having achieved a distance of 14.63 meters at the Cyprus Championships.
Anthi Apostolidou and Anastasios Maratheftis have also made significant impacts in the hammer throw rankings. Apostolidou is ranked fifth globally with the 4kg hammer, registering a throw of 58.57 meters, and 14th with the 3kg hammer, with a distance of 64.88 meters. Maratheftis stands sixth in the world in the senior men's 7.26kg hammer category with a throw of 56.51 meters, and 18th with the 5kg hammer, achieving 71.70 meters.
Additionally, two athletes born in 2011 have made notable entries into the global rankings. Marios Panayiotou is ranked 15th in the 200m with a record-breaking time of 20.96 seconds, setting new Cyprus U18 and U20 records. This time is the second-fastest globally and the fastest in Europe among athletes born in 2011 or later. Marilena Papanikolaou ranks 13th in the long jump with a mark of 6.20 meters, setting a new Cyprus U18 record. Her achievement is the third-best globally and in Europe for her age group.
KOEAS highlighted additional Cypriot achievements throughout 2026, noting Katerina Karagianni's 100m sprint time of 11.64 seconds, placing her 55th in the world and 12th in Europe. Andreas Savva also made his mark in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.75 seconds, ranking him 55th worldwide and 25th in Europe. Panayiotou is further recognized for his 78th world ranking in the 100m sprint with a time of 10.55 seconds.
According to KOEAS, these rankings are derived from the leading performances recorded globally and in Europe over the year, with several athletes expected to remain eligible for the U18 category in 2027.