Andreas Nikolaou begins 700km run around Cyprus for SiGMA Foundation
Just after midnight on Monday, professional athlete Andreas Nikolaou set off from the main pier at Molos (Limassol) on an attempt to run more than 700 kilometres around Cyprus, in what is being billed as the island’s longest ever charity running challenge. He is expected to complete the route by 26 July. The run is being held in aid of SiGMA Foundation and Little Heroes Foundation and is supported by OEXN and FX.world.
A week-long endurance test
Organised in support of SiGMA Foundation, the run will see Nikolaou cover roughly 100 kilometres a day over seven consecutive days, running for between 14 and 16 hours daily as he makes his way around the island. It is a demanding schedule by any measure. His coach and doctor will be monitoring his condition closely throughout the week, tracking his pacing, rehabilitation, and general physical state as he manages both the distance and the Cypriot heat.
Community joins the route
Nikolaou will not be making the journey entirely alone. Local running clubs are expected to join him for selected sections of the route over the coming days, adding their support as he makes his way around the island. When he approaches the finish line, members of the SiGMA Group team are set to run alongside him for the final five kilometres, marking the close of the challenge as a joint effort rather than a solo one.
Backing SiGMA Foundation’s global mission
The challenge is raising funds and awareness for SiGMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SiGMA Group. Founded in 2019 by Keith Marshall, Austin Cachia, and Eman Pulis, the Foundation set out to make philanthropy more participatory and engaging, and has since worked to empower underserved people and communities around the world through fundraising activities, charity work, education programmes, and skills training.
Earlier initiatives have included the construction of schools, hospitals and community centres, as well as the provision of clean drinking water and solar power to disadvantaged regions. The Foundation has also carried out expeditions across the Americas as part of its ongoing devotion to philanthropy, sustainability and societal empowerment, and opened a Women Empowerment Centre in Bonga, Ethiopia. Endurance challenges have served as a hallmark of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts, most recently through a Camino Primitivo expedition that raised funds for clean water systems in Guatemala. Support for the Foundation also runs through SiGMA’s own events, with charity auctions held regularly at its conferences and a share of proceeds from every ticket sold directed towards its causes.
Follow the journey
Nikolaou is due to cross the finish line back at the main pier at Molos, Limassol, on 26 July, but the journey is only just beginning. Stay tuned as we follow him every step of the way, we’ll keep you posted on his progress, his milestones, and the moments that make this challenge one to remember.
Can’t be there in person to cheer Andreas on? Support the run by donating to the SiGMA Foundation and by sharing the donation link.
