Cyprus to make historic equestrian debut at 2026 Mediterranean Games

The Cyprus Olympic Committee has announced that the nation will participate in the equestrian show jumping event at the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, for the first time in history. The athlete selected to represent Cyprus is professional show jumper Alexa Stais, who is currently based in Germany and will compete alongside her nine-year-old mare, Kantu.

According to the International Equestrian Federation, the show jumping competition is scheduled to begin on August 30 with the team final, which also acts as a qualifier for the individual event. The individual final is slated for September 1. Antonis Petri, President of the Cyprus Equestrian Federation, hailed the selection as a significant milestone for the development of the sport in Cyprus. Stais has expressed optimism regarding her performance, noting that her primary objective is to deliver a strong round and compete for a medal to make her country proud.