Pavlos Kontides earned a silver medal at the 2013 Laser World Championship at Oman’s Al-Mussanah Sports City on Saturday, trailing newly-crowned champion Robert Scheidt of Brazil by 13 points, after finishing the last race of the event in 13th position.

“He sailed a perfect race, so well done to him,” said the 23-year-old Cypriot. “But with some consistent training, I will be able to up my game and I know next season I will be much better.

“I am still learning and developing and Robert is at the peak of his game.

“Age-wise he is 40 and at some stage will start to decline, whereas I am 23 and on the rise, so the odds are against him,” Kontides said.

“I really wanted to savour the gold medal, but I will be trying my hardest again next time,” the Cypriot sailor concluded.

Kontides became the first Cypriot athlete ever to win an Olympic medal for his country. He secured the silver medal in the 2012 London Olympic Games in the Men’s Laser class.