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Somalia competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. Since the civil war that broke out in the early 1990s, the Somali Olympic Committee has been supported by various factions centered on the capital of Mogadishu.
Somalia sent a delegation to compete at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia from 15 September to 1 October 2000. This was the African country's fifth appearance at a Summer Olympic Games, following their debut twenty-eight years earlier at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation consisted of two athletics competitors: Ibrahim Mohamed Aden and Safia Abukar Hussein, the latter was Somalia's first female Olympic athlete. Neither of the two participants progressed beyond the first round of their respective competitions.
Somalia first participated at the Olympic Games at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, West Germany; the Somali Olympic Committee being recognised by the International Olympic Committee shortly prior. The nation has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then, boycotting in 1976 due to the inclusion of New Zealand, and in 1980 when it joined with the American-led boycott. It also did not compete in 1992 due to the ongoing effects of a famine. Somalia entered their largest contingent of athletes at the 1984 Summer Olympics, a total of seven.
The Maldives competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing, China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. The country's participation at the Beijing Olympics marked its seventh appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The delegation included four athletes, two in athletics, and two in swimming who participated in four distinct events. Its four athletes did not advance past the first round in each of their events. Aminath Rouya Hussain carried the Maldivian flag during the parade of nations of the opening ceremony with sprinter Ali Shareef being the flagbearer for the closing ceremony. The country failed to win an Olympic medal at these Games and has yet to win their first medal.
The Solomon Islands send a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The country's delegation consisted of three athletes competing in two sports across three distinct events; Francis Manioru and Pauline Kwalea represented the Solomon Islands in track, while Wendy Hale competed in weightlifting. The arrival of the Solomon Islander delegation in Beijing marked its seventh appearance since its debut at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The track athletes did not advance past the first rounds in their events. There were no medalists from the Solomon Islander athletes in these Games. Wendy Hale was the Solomon Islands' flagbearer during the Games' opening ceremony.
Indonesia competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. At the games, twenty-two Indonesians had qualified to compete, while the other three had been granted a wildcard entry.
Grenada competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from 8 to 24 August 2008. Nine athletes represented the country, eight track and field athletes and one boxer. Of the eight track and field competitors, five were women, and three were men. Although none of the athletes would win a medal, runners Allison George and Neisha Bernard-Thomas progressed past the qualification rounds, and participated on behalf of Grenada in the quarterfinals of their events. Grenada's Beijing delegation was their biggest at nine athletes, and marked the seventh consecutive appearance of Grenada at the Olympics.
Guatemala competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. In what was the country's fourteenth Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. A total of twelve athletes competed in nine sports and twelve distinct events. It was the lowest number of participants for Guatemala since the 1980 Games in Moscow, USSR. Three of the twelve athletes were taking part in their second Olympics, and one of them, race walker Luis García, participated in his fourth. In any event that involved a progression through rounds, the Guatemalan athletes did not advance past the first round; as of the Beijing Olympics, there had yet to be a Guatemalan medalist. At the opening ceremony, badminton player Kevin Cordón bore Guatemala's flag.
Haiti sent a delegation to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. Its participation in Beijing marked its seventh consecutive appearance at the summer Olympics and its fourteenth appearance overall, with its first being at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. The Haitian Olympic team included seven athletes participating in track and field, boxing, and judo. More women participated for Haiti in 2008 than at any single Olympic games prior. Although Pierre and Dorival advanced to quarterfinals in their events, there were no Haitian medalists in Beijing. Brutus carried his country's flag at the ceremonies.
Puerto Rico competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics which was held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. The American territory with a population of four million people qualified 22 athletes in eight different sports. The appearance of the Puerto Rican delegation at the Beijing Olympics marked the commonwealth's sixteenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics, and its twenty-second appearance at any Olympic Games, since its debut at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. Of its competitors participating in events that involve progression by heats, six athletes advanced at least one round in their events, and two advanced at least two rounds, with Asunción Ocasio almost medaling bronze in taekwondo. However, there were no Puerto Rican medalists at the Beijing Olympics. McWilliams Arroyo, a boxer, bore Puerto Rico's flag at the ceremonies.
Robina Jalali, also known as Robina Muqimyar, is a former Olympic athlete who represented Afghanistan at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and in 30 international events, competing in the 100-meter sprint. She competed athletically under the name Muqimyar and ran for a seat in the lower house of Afghanistan's parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, using her family name of Jalali.
Ruqaya Al-Ghasra, is a Bahraini athlete. She was one of the first women to represent Bahrain at the Olympic Games, by taking part in the women's 100 metres sprint at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Somalia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The country's participation at Beijing marked its seventh in the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1972 Games. The delegation included two track and field athletes: sprinter Samiya Yuusf Omar and long-distance runner Abdinasir Said Ibrahim. Neither athlete progressed past the first round of their respective competitions. Omar's story, having trained in Mogadishu during the Somali Civil War, was covered by the media at the time, and later featured in a graphic novel following her death.
Sudan sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Nine competitors, all from the Darfur region and northern Sudan, represented Sudan at the Beijing games.
The United Arab Emirates participated at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, which were held from 8 to 24 August 2008. The country's participation at the Beijing Olympics marked its seventh appearance in the Summer Olympics since its début at the 1984 Summer Olympics. The delegation sent by the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee consisted of eight athletes in seven sports: athletics, equestrian, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming and taekwondo. Two of the eight athletes were women, making Beijing the first time the country had sent female athletes to a Summer Olympiad, and most of their athletes qualified for the Games by using a wild card or receiving an invitation from the Tripartite Commission. The country did not win any medals at the Games; the best performance of the delegation was from sport shooter Ahmad Al-Makotum, who placed seventh in the qualification round of the men's double trap and lost a subsequent four-man shoot-out.
Bolivia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China. The South American country's delegation was the fifteenth Summer Olympic team and seventeenth overall Olympic team overall sent by the country. Bolivia's National Olympic Committee sent seven athletes–three women and four men–across five sports and seven distinct events. A substantial number of the athletes originated in southern Bolivian cities, most notably Santa Cruz de la Sierra. All athletes except for cyclist Horacio Gallardo finished their events, although no medals were won by the country at these Games. Trap shooter César Menacho was the Bolivian flag bearer at the ceremonies.
Samia Yusuf Omar or Samiyo Omar was a sprinter from Somalia. She was one of two Somali athletes who competed for their nation at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Omar had grown up in Mogadishu, and trained there during the Somali Civil War despite receiving harassment from local militia groups. Her story at the Olympics was covered by the media, and her performance was well received by the crowd.
Somalia participated at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, which took place from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation in London marked its ninth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation included one short-distance sprinter and one long-distance runner: Mohamed Hassan Mohamed and Zamzam Mohamed Farah. Both qualified for the games through wildcard places from the International Association of Athletics Federations. Farah was selected as the flag bearer for both the opening and closing ceremonies. Mohamed and Farah failed to advance beyond the heat stage of their respective events.
Somalia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation at Rio de Janeiro marked its ninth in the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1972. The delegation included two track and field athletes: sprinter Maryan Nuh Muse and long-distance runner Mohamed Daud Mohamed, who was the nation's flag bearer in the Parade of Nations. Neither athlete progressed past the first round of their respective competitions.
Nasra Ali Abukar is a Somali university student known for her participation in the 100-meter race at the XXXI FISU World University Games in Chengdu, China, where she came last. Her remarkably poor result and perceived lack of athleticism caused international outrage and accusations of nepotism when she was found out to have family ties with the chair of the Somali Athletics Committee.
References
- ↑ Fartun Abukar Omar at Sports Reference
- ↑ "Meet the Olympics' unsung heroes", BBC
- ↑ "SUMMER 2004 GAMES; Free at Last, Islamic Women Compete With Abandon", New York Times, August 21, 2004
- ↑ "The passion of the athlete", ESPN, September 25, 2004
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