Ethiopia at the Olympics

Last updated
Ethiopia at the
Olympics
Flag of Ethiopia.svg
IOC code ETH
NOC Ethiopian Olympic Committee
Medals
Ranked 44th
Gold
24
Silver
16
Bronze
22
Total
62
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Ethiopia made its Olympic debut at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and has since become one of the most prominent nations in Olympic athletics. The country has participated in every Summer Games since its debut, with the exception of the 1976 Montreal, 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Games, which it boycotted along with several other African nations due to political reasons. Twenty-nine countries boycotted the 1976 Games [1] [2] due to the refusal of the IOC to ban New Zealand, after the New Zealand national rugby union team had toured South Africa earlier in 1976. [3] Ethiopia joined the 1984 Soviet-led Boycott and stated that the step was taken because the United States uses the games 'for purely political purposes against socialist and progressive states'. [4] Along with that, the Ethiopian Olympic Committee expressed a resolute protest in connection with the British government's refusal to cancel England's rugby union tour to South Africa with their racist-ruled apartheid system. [4]

Contents

Ethiopia's Olympic achievements are overwhelmingly concentrated in track and field events, particularly in middle- and long-distance running, where it has established itself as a global powerhouse. Ethiopian runners have consistently dominated events ranging from the 800 metres to the marathon. [5]

One of the few African and tropical countries, Ethiopia participated also in the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and 2010. Ethiopian athletes have won a total of 62 medals, all at the Summer Olympics and all in athletics. [5]

Ethiopia's participation in the Olympics is organized by the Ethiopian Olympic Committee, founded in 1948 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1954.

Medal tables

Medals by Summer Games

Medals by Winter Games

Medals by sport

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Athletics pictogram.svg  Athletics 24152362
Totals (1 entries)24152362

List of medalists

MedalNameGamesSportEvent
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Abebe Bikila 1960 Rome Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Abebe Bikila 1964 Tokyo Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Mamo Wolde 1968 Mexico City Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Mamo Wolde 1968 Mexico City Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Mamo Wolde 1972 Munich Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Miruts Yifter 1972 Munich Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Miruts Yifter 1980 Moscow Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Miruts Yifter 1980 Moscow Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Mohamed Kedir 1980 Moscow Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Eshetu Tura 1980 Moscow Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 3000 m steeplechase
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Derartu Tulu 1992 Barcelona Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Addis Abebe 1992 Barcelona Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Fita Bayisa 1992 Barcelona Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Haile Gebrselassie      1996 Atlanta Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Fatuma Roba 1996 Atlanta Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's marathon
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Gete Wami 1996 Atlanta Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Gezahegne Abera 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Haile Gebrselassie 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Derartu Tulu 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Million Wolde 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Gete Wami 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Assefa Mezgebu 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tesfaye Tola 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Gete Wami 2000 Sydney Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Kenenisa Bekele 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Meseret Defar 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Kenenisa Bekele 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Ejegayehu Dibaba 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Sileshi Sihine 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tirunesh Dibaba 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Derartu Tulu 2004 Athens Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Kenenisa Bekele 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Kenenisa Bekele 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Tirunesh Dibaba 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m (OR)
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Tirunesh Dibaba 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Sileshi Sihine 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Meseret Defar 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tsegay Kebede 2008 Beijing Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Meseret Defar 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Tirunesh Dibaba 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Tiki Gelana 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's marathon (OR)
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Dejen Gebremeskel 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Sofia Assefa 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 3000 m steeplechase
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Abeba Aregawi 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 1500 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tariku Bekele 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tirunesh Dibaba 2012 London Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Almaz Ayana 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m (WR)
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Genzebe Dibaba 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 1500 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Feyisa Lilesa 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tamirat Tola 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Mare Dibaba 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's marathon
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Almaz Ayana 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Hagos Gebrhiwet 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 5000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Tirunesh Dibaba 2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Selemon Barega 2020 Tokyo Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Lamecha Girma 2020 Tokyo Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 3000 m steeplechase
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Gudaf Tsegay 2020 Tokyo Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 5000 m
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Letesenbet Gidey 2020 Tokyo Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 10,000 m
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Tamirat Tola 2024 Paris Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's marathon (OR)
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Tsige Duguma 2024 Paris Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's 800 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Berihu Aregawi 2024 Paris Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's 10,000 m
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Tigist Assefa 2024 Paris Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's marathon

Multiple medalists

Sorted by number of golds won, followed by number of silver medals and bronze medals.

RankAthleteSportYearsGamesSexGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Kenenisa Bekele Athletics 2004–2008SummerM3104
2 Tirunesh Dibaba Athletics 2004–2016SummerF3036
3 Meseret Defar Athletics 2004–2012SummerF2103
4 Miruts Yifter Athletics 1972–1980SummerM2013
Derartu Tulu Athletics 1992–2004SummerF2013
6 Abebe Bikila Athletics 1960–1964SummerM2002
Haile Gebrselassie Athletics 1996–2000SummerM2002
8 Mamo Wolde Athletics 1968–1972SummerM1113
9 Almaz Ayana Athletics 2016SummerF1012
Tamirat Tola Athletics2016–2024SummerM1012
11 Sileshi Sihine Athletics 2004–2008SummerM0202
12 Gete Wami Athletics 1996–2000SummerF0123

See also

References

  1. "Diplomatic Controversies". olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  2. "Africa and the XXIst Olympiad" (PDF). Olympic Review. International Olympic Committee. November–December 1976. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  3. "The Montreal Olympics boycott | NZHistory.net.nz, New Zealand history online". Nzhistory.net.nz. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Ethiopia Joins Soviet-led Boycott, Citing U.S. 'Use of Games for Political Purposes' and English Rugby Tour of South Africa". UPI. June 1, 1984.
  5. 1 2 "Ethiopia - NOC Profile". olympics.com. International Olympic Committee (IOC). 2024. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 2024-10-06.