The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 February 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Germany also hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were held in Berlin. It was the last year in which the Summer and Winter Games both took place in the same country.
The 1992 Summer Paralympics were the ninth Paralympic Games to be held. They were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. In addition, the 1992 Paralympic Games for Persons with mental handicap were held immediately after the regular Paralympics in the Spanish capital, Madrid.
Australia has sent athletes to every Summer Olympic Games, as well as every Winter Olympics except 1924–32 and 1948. In 1908 and 1912 Australia competed with New Zealand under the name Australasia.
Costa Rica competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The nation bagged two bronze medals at the 2000 Games.
Costa Rica competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. Claudia Poll won the nation's first ever gold medal. This was Costa Rica's second Olympic medal in 10 Olympic appearances. The only previous one, a silver medal, was won by Claudia's sister Silvia Poll at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
The all-time medal table for all Olympic Games from 1896 to 2024, including Summer Olympic Games, Winter Olympic Games, and a combined total of both, is tabulated below. These Olympic medal counts do not include the 1906 Intercalated Games which are no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as official Games. The IOC itself does not publish all-time tables, and publishes unofficial tables only per single Games. This table was thus compiled by adding up single entries from the IOC database.
Several tropical nations have participated in the Winter Olympics despite not having the climate for winter sports. Partly because of that, their entries are a subject of human interest stories during the Games. No tropical nation has ever won a Winter Olympic medal.
Costa Rica competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Silvia Poll won the nation's first ever Olympic medal, a silver.
Costa Rica sent a delegation to compete at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States from 13–24 February 1980. This was Costa Rica's debut appearance at a Winter Olympic Games, after five prior appearances at Summer Olympics. The only athlete sent by the country was alpine skier Arturo Kinch. In the only event he finished, the men's downhill, he placed 41st.
The Republic of Korea first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for 1980 which they boycotted. South Korea has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1948, except for the 1952 games.
Bulgaria first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games, with a single gymnast. However, since Charles Champaud was a Swiss national living in Sofia, some sources credit his appearance to Switzerland instead.
Jamaica first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. In 1960, Jamaican athletes competed as part of the West Indies Federation team. Jamaica has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games since 1988, with the Jamaica national bobsleigh team achieving some fame.
Lebanon's first appearance in the Olympics was in 1936 when a "delegation of officials" attended the Summer Olympics in Berlin. The Lebanese Olympic Committee was established in 1947. Lebanon participated for the first time at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has competed in all but one Summer Olympic Games since then. Lebanon boycotted the 1956 Games in protest of the British and French involvement in the Suez Crisis. Lebanon has participated in most Winter Olympic Games since 1948, missing only the 1994 and 1998 Winter Games.
Athletes from Iceland first participated at the Olympic Games in 1908.
Bermuda first participated at the Olympic Games in 1936, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. Bermuda has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1992.
Costa Rica made its Paralympic Games début at the 1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona, sending just two representatives to compete in men's track and field. Absent in 1996, it returned in 2000, and has participated in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since then. Its delegations have always been small: a single athlete in track and field in 2000; a single swimmer in 2004; two table tennis players in 2008, a single athlete in track and field and a cyclist on 2012.
During the Parade of Nations portion of the 2002 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, athletes from each country participating in the Olympics paraded in the arena, preceded by their flag. The flag was borne by a sportsperson from that country chosen either by the National Olympic Committee or by the athletes themselves to represent their country. Costa Rica did not march in the parade, but still competed in the Games.
Costa Rica competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's fifteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics, since its debut in 1936.
Costa Rica competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the nation's sixteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics, since its debut in 1936. Costa Rica failed to win any medal for the fifth consecutive Olympics.
