Vera Tugolukova took 16th place on Thursday in the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the 33rd Olympics, becoming the last Cypriot athlete to feature in the Paris Games.
She is the first Cypriot rhythmic gymnast to compete in the Olympics since 2012.
Despite a solid performance, Russian-born Tugolukova executed her moves with some minor imperfections.
Speaking to the media later, Tugolukova said she felt stressed from the outset.
She said she made some errors, which cost her points. But overall, she described her experience at the Olympics as a positive one.
The 15-year-old athlete said she wants to keep working hard at her sport so she can join the “elite” when the next opportunity presents itself.
For her part, trainer Chrystalleni Trikomiti said she and Tugolukova are already looking to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
