When Edda Hannesdóttir passes the triathlon finish line at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, she will become the first Olympic triathlete from Iceland.
A scholarship from Olympic Solidarity aided Hannesdóttir’s progress to become an Olympic athlete. A total of 1,331 athletes from 159 National Olympic Committees (NOC), covering 26 sports, received Olympic Solidarity scholarships for the Olympic Summer Games 2024 in Paris.
”There’s no chance to do this without the support of the Olympic Solidarity scholarship,” Hannesdóttir said. ”Coming from such a small country, we don’t have much public funding for sports. It’s just tough to support yourself. There are also fewer chances for sponsorships that give you financial resources.”
Olympic Solidarity aims to ensure that talented athletes of all backgrounds have an equal chance of reaching and succeeding in the Olympic arena by providing crucial funding to help finance their Olympic dreams. With a particular focus on the athletes and NOCs most in need, individual scholarship holders receive financial support through monthly grants that contribute to their preparation and qualification for the Games, whether in their home country or at a high-level training center.
