Pavlos became the first Cypriot athlete ever to win an Olympic medal for his country, by winning the Silver medal at the London Games in the Men's Laser class behind Tom Slingsby.

Kontides also competed at the 2008 Games obtaining the 13th place. In the same year, he won Gold at the World Junior Championships and in 2009 he won two Silver Medals in World Cups and a Bronze in the Paneuropean Men's Championship.

Pavlos Kontides was named as the Man of the Year by the MAN magazine during the Johnnie Walker Man of the Year Awards 2012 ceremony. The MAN Awards are considered the most prestigious awards in Cyprus, concerning all layers of the Cypriot society.