Track and field athlete Natalia Evangelidou is the latest athlete to benefit from the KOE programme ©KOE

Hellenic Petroleum Cyprus (EKO) has become the latest company to join the Cyprus Olympic Committee's (KOE) "Adopt an Athlete on the Road to Tokyo" scheme.

The programme sees companies adopt a Cypriot athlete in the build-up to Tokyo 2020, with the KOE seeking out opportunities without benefiting financially itself.

Track and field athlete Natalia Evangelidou will be the beneficiary from EKO joining the KOE scheme.

"I would like to thank the KOE for supporting the "Adopt an Athlete" programme and bringing me in touch with EKO, thereby enhancing my effort to qualify for the Olympics," Evangelidou said.

"I thank EKO for the support and I promise to do my best to represent everyone properly."

The sponsorship programme aims to help Cypriot athletes qualify for the Olympic Games ©Getty Images
The sponsorship programme aims to help Cypriot athletes qualify for the Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Evangelidou represented Cyprus at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and won gold in the 800 metres at the 2017 Games of the Small States of Europe.

The deal was formalised between EKO Cyprus executive director George Grigora, KOE officer Andris Sialos and Evanglidou at the EKO Cyprus offices.

The KOE launched the programme following the success of the Hellenic Olympic Committee's successful project

It is aimed at helping Cypriot athletes in their quest to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.