Albania at the Olympics

Last updated
Albania at the
Olympics
Flag of Albania.svg
IOC code ALB
NOC Albanian National Olympic Committee
Website nocalbania.org.al  (in Albanian)
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
2
Total
2
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Albania first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. After that, Albania missed the next four games, three of them for political reasons due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, 1984 Summer Olympics boycott and 1988 boycotts, but returned for the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics. They have appeared in all games since then. They made their Winter Olympic Games debut in 2006. [1] Albania normally competes in events that include swimming, athletics, weightlifting, shooting, and wrestling. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.

Contents

Albania won two bronze medals in wrestling at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Its first ever Olympic medal came on 10 August 2024 when Chermen Valiev won bronze in the men's freestyle 74 kg and second medal came on 11 August 2024 when Islam Dudaev won bronze in the men's freestyle 65 kg.

Medalists from Albania at the Olympic Games

MedalNameGamesSportEvent
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Chermen Valiev 2024 Paris Wrestling pictogram.svg Wrestling Men's freestyle 74 kg
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Islam Dudaev 2024 Paris Wrestling pictogram.svg Wrestling Men's freestyle 65 kg

In addition, Mirela Manjani had competed for Albania in the women's javelin throw at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, finishing 24th. She chose to represent Greece after marrying a Greek citizen in 1997, and won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics while competing for Greece. [2]

History

Albania first officially competed at the Munich 1972 Summer Olympics with five participants over two events; Fatos Pilkati and Afërdita Tusha in the mixed 50 metre free pistol, Ismail Rama and Beqir Kosova in the mixed 50 metre rifle, prone, and Ymer Pampuri in the men's 60 kg weightlifting. [3]

In the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics Albania sent 7 athletes: Alma Qeramixhi competed in the heptathlon; Kristo Robo in the 25 metre rapid fire pistol; Enkelejda Shehu in the 25 metre pistol; Frank Leskaj in the 50 metre freestyle, 100 metre freestyle, and 100 metre breaststroke; Sokol Bishanaku and Fatmir Bushi in the under 67.5 kg weightlifting; and Dede Dekaj in the under 110 kg weightlifting. [4]

For the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Albania sent seven athletes—4 female and 3 male. Mirela Manjani was the flag bearer for the Olympic Games that year. [5] At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Albania's delegation consisted of two male and two female athletes. [6] They had seven competitors (two female, five male) in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. [7] In Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the nation sent eleven athletes (four female and seven male), their highest ever total. [8]

For the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Albania sent nine athletes consisting of three women and six men. [9] Romela Begaj, who was the flag bearer for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics, competed in the women's 58 kg weightlifting category finishing in 9th after lifting 216 kg in total.

Briken Calja achieved the best result for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics, finishing 6th in men's 69 kg weightlifting after lifting 320 kg. He competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics, finishing in 5th place in the men's 69 kg weightlifting after lifting 326 kg. [10] Calja would compete at the following 2020 Summer Olympics in the men's 73 kg weightlifting category. The European Weightlifting champion in 2018 would finish in 4th after lifting 341 kg. [11] His 4th place finish was the best result in the history for Albania at the Summer Olympics until 2024. Also in the 2020 Summer Olympics Luiza Gega became the first athlete from Albania to qualify for the finals in athletics. She finished in 5th place in the heats for the Women's 3000 metres steeplechase with a time of 9:23.85, a season's best. In the final run, Gega finished in 13th place. [12]

In the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Albania won their first ever medals of the Olympic Games. Two Russian-born athletes with Albanian citizenship, Chermen Valiev and Islam Dudaev, won bronze medals competing for Albania in men's freestyle 74 kg and men's freestyle 65 kg, respectively.

Participation in Olympic qualifiers

In 1964, Albania participated for the first time in qualifiers for the football tournament at the Olympics. Albania faced Bulgaria in the opening round, losing both matches 1–0 and failing to qualify for the next round. [13] Albania participated in the qualifiers for the football tournament at the 1972 Summer Olympics. They faced Romania in the opening round, losing both legs 2-1, despite goals from Medin Zhega and Panajot Pano, respectively. [14]

Albania men's national basketball team has tried twice to qualify in basketball at the Summer Olympics. In 1972, Albania participated in the Olympic qualifiers for basketball. They played three qualifying matches, losing all three games, however two were close encounters, with Albania losing 83–82 against Belgium and 84–81 against the Netherlands. This was Albania's best ever Olympic qualification attempt in their Basketball History. [15] [16] [17] Albania next participated in the basketball qualifiers 20 years later in 1992 competing in Group B. Albania secured their first win at this competition against Switzerland 84–85, which was their only win in their campaign. Albania failed to qualify for the Olympics, with a 5th-place finish in the group. [18] [19] Albania has never participated in an Olympic Team sport discipline in their entire Olympic history.

Medal tables

Flagbearers

See also

Related Research Articles

Sport in Albania revolves mostly around team sports, such as football, basketball, volleyball and handball. Other sports includes boxing, weightlifting, tennis, swimming, judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, badminton, rugby, cricket, and chess. Football in particular has seen a rapid transformation, with the Albania national football team making its debut at the 1964 UEFA European Football Championship. The national football team also qualified for the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. Many Albanian athletes have also achieved significant success and have won European and Mediterranean titles in numerous sports during the years, such as wrestling, football, athletics and weightlifting. Albanian athletes have won a total 49 medals for Albania in 8 different Mediterranean sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aruba at the 1996 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 1972 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Albania competed at the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Five competitors, four men and one woman, took part in three events in two sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunisia at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Salvador at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burundi at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Burundi participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China from 8 to 24 August 2008. It was Burundi's fourth appearance in the summer Olympics since its debut in 1996. The Burundi team included three athletes: runners Joachim Nshimirimana and Francine Niyonizigiye, as well as swimmer Elsie Uwamahoro. Niyonizigiye, a marathon runner, was flag bearer for the opening ceremony. None of the Burundi athletes progressed further than the qualifying round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Albania competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's seventh appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1972. The National Olympic Committee of Albania sent a total of 11 athletes to the Games, seven men and four women, to compete in four sports. Weightlifter Hysen Pulaku was officially removed from the team on the first day, after failing a drug test for the banned anabolic steroid substance, as announced by the International Olympic Committee. Albania, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

Briken Calja is an Albanian weightlifter, Olympian, and European Champion competing in the 69 kg category until 2018 and 73 kg starting in 2018 after the International Weightlifting Federation reorganized the categories. He won the silver medal in the men's 73 kg event at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Korea at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongolia at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the Mediterranean Games</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Albania at the games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rahmat Erwin Abdullah</span> Indonesian weightlifter (born 2000)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania at the 2024 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Albania competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024, represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee (KOKSH). It signified the nation's tenth appearance at the summer Olympics, since the official debut in 1972, except for 1976, 1980 due to the US led boycott, 1984 due to USSR led boycott, 1988, the nation's return for the Olympics in 1992.

References

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