On Saturday, 9 May 2026, the Olympic Preparation Awards Ceremony 2025–2026 was held at the Kallimarmaro – Panathenaic Stadium, in a special event filled with the warmth, joy and hope that sport can inspire. Distinguished athletes competing under the national colours of Greece and Cyprus, who were honoured this year by the Programme for their achievements, met with children from SOS Children’s Villages and shared with them a day dedicated to Olympic sports, Olympic values, teamwork and the joy of participation.

The A. G. Leventis Foundation Olympic Preparation Scholarship Programme, which for the past 27 years has consistently supported athletes on their journey towards the Olympic dream, honoured this year — with the co-funding of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the steadfast support of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation and the Cyprus Olympic Committee — 87 athletes from 21 sports federations.

In collaboration with the Hellenic Olympic Academy and under the guidance of the coaches of the “Kids Athletics” programme of the Panathenaic Stadium, kids from SOS Children’s Villages enthusiastically took part in sports activities, explored new skills connected with Olympic sports and spent valuable time with 38 champions from Greece and Cyprus. Despite the demanding competition season, the athletes dedicated time to be close to the children, encourage them, share autographs and stories, and convey experiences from their own journey in sport and the daily discipline of training and competitions.

As part of the event, the Chairman of the Olympic Preparation Committee, Mr Haris David, warmly thanked the awarded athletes for their presence and contribution, noting that “excellence acquires true value when accompanied by integrity, humanity and a willingness to give back”. At the same time, he expressed his gratitude to the partners of the Olympic Scholarship Programme — the Hellenic Olympic Committee, which hosted this year’s event at the iconic Panathenaic Stadium, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation and the Cyprus Olympic Committee — underlining that “we all share the same belief in young people and in the power of sport to unite”.

The event was honoured by the presence of Mr Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Mr Anastasios P. Leventis, President of the A. G. Leventis Foundation, Mr Dimitris Afentoulis, Member of the Executive Board of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Mr Haris Tsolakis, Member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Plenary and President of the International Olympic Academy, Ms Eva Lianou, General Director of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, as well as representatives of the A. G. Leventis Foundation and SOS Children’s Villages.

The following athletes also participated in the event: Giorgos Papanastasiou, Olga Fiaska, Apostolia Antonatou, Nora Drakou, Vangelis Makrygiannis, Stergios Bilas, Thanos Spantouros, Anita Gorila, Stavros Koumertas, Vasiliki Papadopoulou, Vangelis Anastasiou, Odysseas Geladaris, Giannis Poumpouridis, Dora Gkountoura, Alina Kourousi, Maria-Eleni Chaldaiou, Maria Stratoudaki, Sofia Malkogeorgou, Seilia Thanou, Giorgos Balartzisvili, Elisavet Teltsidou, Thodoris Tselidis, Stella Tzaridou, Nikoleta Barba, Maria Prevolaraki, Alexandros Kokkinakis, Natasa Lappa, Spyros Proveleggios, Nefeli Tita, Panagiotis Gerochristos, Nikos Mavrommatis, Konstantina Nikolaou, Babis Chalkiadakis, Valeria Kaminidou, Elena Diavati, Gabriela Lioliou, Lila Mouratidou and Antonis Papakonstantinou, whose presence gave special significance to this year’s event.