Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou

Greek pole vaulter Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou was born on 21 March 1986 in Athens. She has been active in the sport since 2003, when she was around 18 years old, and has competed for over two decades. Her breakthrough came at the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki, where she took the bronze medal. A year earlier, she finished eighth at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu.

Kyriakopoulou's standout season was 2015. She won the bronze medal at the World Championships in Beijing with a jump of 4.80 meters, and during that season she set five Greek records, both indoor and outdoor, raising the bar to 4.83 meters. That same year, she became the first Greek athlete to win the IAAF Diamond League. She also claimed gold at the 2009 Mediterranean Games, setting a Games record of 4.50 meters.

An injury kept her out of the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2017, she became a mother to a baby girl and announced her return to competition for the following year. She made a strong comeback by winning the silver medal at the 2018 European Championships. At 40 years old, she stands 5'6" and weighs 121 lbs, with an athletic build. Her Instagram following has grown to 18k, reflecting her lasting presence in the sport.