Suriname at the 2008 Summer Olympics | |
---|---|
IOC code | SUR |
NOC | Suriname Olympic Committee |
in Beijing | |
Competitors | 4 in 2 sports |
Flag bearer | Anthony Nesty |
Medals |
|
Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Suriname sent a delegation of four people to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China: two athletes (Jurgen Themen and Kirsten Nieuwendam and two swimmers (Gordon Touw Ngie Tjouw and Chinyere Pigot) who participated in four distinct events. The appearance of Suriname at Beijing marked its tenth Olympic appearance, which included every Olympic games since the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and excluded the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Its four athletes did not advance past the first round in each of their events. The Surinamese flag bearer in Beijing was not an athlete, but Anthony Nesty, the only medalist in Surinamese history (as of the Beijing Olympics) and the nation's Olympic swimming coach.
Up to and including its participation in the Beijing Games, Surinamese athletes participated in ten Olympic games, all of which were summer Games. The first case of a Surinamese athlete's participation was at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, when it sent a single male athlete. Since then, Suriname's athletes have participated in every Olympic games except the 1980 Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union. [1] As of Beijing, the country had not sent more than seven athletes to any one Games. Prior to and including 2008, one Surinamese athlete had won the two medals ever claimed by Surinamese athletes– Anthony Nesty, who won a gold medal in 1988, and a bronze medal in 1992, both in swimming events. No medals were won in Beijing. [1]
Although Nesty did not participate in any event at the Beijing Olympics, he was Suriname's flag bearer at the ceremonies. [1] He also served as the head coach for the Surinamese Olympic swim team, having served previously as associate head coach for the University of Florida swim team and, during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the assistant coach for the Surinamese team. [2]
Then 22-year old Jurgen Themen appeared at the Olympics for the first time when he participated in the 100 meters dash in Beijing. He was the sole male Surinamese participant in track and field during the 2008 Olympics. [3] Themen participated in the first heat during the August 14 qualification round, completing the event in 10.61 seconds and ranking seventh of eight athletes. The leaders of Themen's heat included Usain Bolt of Jamaica (10.20 seconds) and Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda (10.24 seconds). [4] Themen himself scored directly ahead of Vanuatu's Moses Kamut (10.81 seconds) and directly behind Italy's Fabio Cerutti (10.49 seconds). All heats combined, Themen ranked 54 out of the 80 athletes who participated in the qualification round. He did not progress to quarterfinals. [4]
Then 16-year-old student of Florida's St. Thomas Aquinas High School Kirsten Nieuwendam participated in the Beijing Olympics on behalf of Suriname as its only female track and field athlete that year. Nieuwendam had not previously participated in any Olympic games. [5] Nieuwendam participated in the first heat of the qualification round, which took place on August 18. She completed her event in 24.46 seconds, placing seventh out of the eight athletes in her heat, finishing behind Liberia's Kia Davis (24.31 seconds). Vida Anim of Ghana, the eighth competitor in the heat, never started her event. The leaders of Nieuwendam's heat were Allyson Felix of the United States (23.02 seconds) and Susanthika Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka (23.04 seconds). [6] Out of the 48 athletes who competed in the qualification round, Nieuwendam ranked 44th. She did not progress to further rounds. [6]
Athlete | Event | Heat | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
Jurgen Themen | 100 m | 10.61 | 6 | Did not advance |
Athlete | Event | Heat | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
Kirsten Nieuwendam | 200 m | 24.46 NR | 7 | Did not advance |
Then 23-year-old Gordon Touw Ngie Tjouw participated on Suriname's behalf in the men's 100 meters butterfly. His participation in Beijing marked his second Olympic appearance, as he had participated previously in men's 100 meters butterfly at the Athenian 2004 Summer Olympics. He was the only male Surinamese swimmer participating in the Beijing games. [7] During the August 14 preliminary round, Tjouw participated in the second heat. He completed his event in 54.54 seconds, ranking third out of the seven athletes in the heat. Tjouw ranked directly behind Malaysia's Daniel Bego (54.38 seconds) and directly ahead of Kazakhstan's Rustam Khudiyev (54.62 seconds). The leaders of the heat were Shaune Fraser of the Cayman Islands (54.08 seconds) and Bego. [8] Overall, Tjouw ranked 55 out of the 66 athletes who participated in the event. He did not advance to later rounds. [8]
Paramaribo-born swimmer Chinyere Pigot was the youngest athlete to participate in the Surinamese delegation at Beijing; she was fifteen years old at the time of her performance, and the only female Surinamese swimmer in the delegation. Pigot has not previously appeared at any Olympic games. [9] The preliminary round for the women's 50 meters freestyle, the event in which she participated, took place on August 15. Pigot was placed in the fifth heat. She completed her event in 27.66 seconds, taking second in the heat; Pigot fell behind Honduran athlete Sharon Paola Fajardo Sierra (27.19 seconds) but scored ahead of Nicaraguan Dalia Tórrez Zamora (27.81 seconds). [10] Out of the 92 athletes who participated in the preliminary round, Pigot ranked 54th. She did not advance to later rounds. [10]
Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
Gordon Touw Ngie Tjouw | 100 m butterfly | 54.54 | 55 | Did not advance |
Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
Chinyere Pigot | 50 m freestyle | 27.66 | 54 | Did not advance |
Anthony Conrad Nesty is a Trinidadian-Surinamese swimming coach and former competition swimmer who was an Olympic gold medallist in the 100-metre butterfly event in 1988. He is currently the head coach of the Florida Gators men's and women's swim team at the University of Florida, where he attended school.
Suriname participated in the Olympic Games for the first time at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, before becoming independent of the Netherlands. The games were held from 25 August to 11 September 1960. The nation sent a delegation of three people: two officials, attaché Lia Del Neri and secretary-general Freddy Glans, and one athlete, runner Wim Esajas, who was set to compete in the men's 800 metres. The national football and basketball teams failed to qualify. Esajas did not participate; he arrived late and missed his heat after being given wrong information by Glans.
American Samoa sent a team to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The U.S. territory selected four athletes to compete in three sports: swimming, athletics and judo. The dependency's participation in Beijing marked its seventh participation in any Olympic game since its debut at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, and its sixth participation at any Summer Olympic games. Of the four American Samoan athletes who participated in Beijing, all four were first-time Olympians and born outside American Samoa and none of the four advanced past the qualification or preliminary rounds of their events. More women participated in the 2008 American Samoan Olympic delegation than in any one delegation in its Olympic history. Judoka Silulu A'etonu was the territory's flagbearer at the ceremonies.
The Federated States of Micronesia sent a team of five athletes to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The appearance of the delegation marked the third appearance by a Micronesian team at the Olympics since its debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Three male athletes and two female athletes comprised the Olympic team. None of the track or swimming athletes advanced past the qualification round, and Minginfel placed second to last in his event. There has yet to be a medalist from the Federated States of Micronesia. Minginfel held the Micronesian flag in the opening ceremony.
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.
The Bahamas sent a delegation of athletes to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from 8 to 24 August 2008. Its Beijing appearance marked its fourteenth time at the Olympics since its début at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. The delegation included 25 athletes across four sports and nineteen distinct events. Its athletes advanced to semifinals in eight events and finals in five events, medaling in two of them. The Bahamian delegation was one of the largest sent between its début and 2008. The country's flag bearer was Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie.
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.
The United States Virgin Islands competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing, the People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. The appearance of its 23-person delegation marked its fifteenth appearance at the Olympic games, and its tenth appearance at the Summer Olympic games. In total, seven athletes participated on behalf of the Virgin Islands in Beijing. Of those, John Jackson and Tabarie Henry progressed to a post-preliminary event, and Henry reached semifinals in his own. There were no Virgin Islander medalists at the Beijing Olympics.
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.
Guyana sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Four representatives of Guyana qualified to take part in the Beijing Games–Adam Harris, Marian Burnett, and Aliann Pompey in track, and Niall Roberts in swimming–and Pompey advanced past the first round in her event, progressing to semifinals. Meanwhile, Alika Morgan and Geron Williams (cycling) took part in the Games' Youth Olympics camp, held in Beijing at the same time as the Olympics. Along with coaches and administrative members, Guyana sent a total of ten people to Beijing. The appearance of Guyana's delegation in Beijing marked the fifteenth Guyanese Olympic delegation to appear at an Olympic games, which started with their participation as British Guiana in the 1948 Summer Olympics. There were no medalists from Guyana at the Beijing Olympics. Roberts was Guyana's flagbearer at the ceremonies in Beijing.
Barbados sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The island nation made its tenth appearance as an independent nation upon its arrival in Beijing. Eight athletes across three sports and ten events represented Barbados, marking the smallest delegation in its history up to the Beijing Games. Its runners and swimmers advanced past the first rounds in their events in four of their nine events, although none advanced to their events' final rounds or medaled. The nation's flagbearer during the Beijing Games was swimmer Bradley Ally.
Bermuda sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The games marked Bermuda's twenty-first Olympic appearance since its debut in 1936. The 2008 delegation included six athletes: Tyrone Smith and Arantxa King in long jump, Jillian Terceira in individual jumping on horseback, Kiera Aitken and Roy-Allan Burch in swimming, and Flora Duffy in triathlon. Bermuda did not win any medals in the Beijing games.
The Cayman Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The delegation included fifteen people; of the delegation, four athletes participated under the Caymanian flag. In the track and field events was Ronald Forbes, who also served as the Cayman Islands' flag-bearer during the Opening Ceremony and reached quarterfinals in the 110m hurdles, and Cydonie Mothersille, who reached finals and ranked eighth in the 200m dash. Brothers Shaune and Brett Fraser, both swimmers, participated in the 100 and 200m freestyle and in the 200m backstroke, respectively. The Cayman Islands' appearance at the Beijing Olympics marked its ninth appearance since its debut at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. The Cayman Islands, up to and including Beijing, have yet to medal.
Dominica sent a delegation of eight people, including two athletes, to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Its appearance in Beijing marked the fourth time a delegation from Dominica participated in an Olympic games since its debut at the 1996 Olympic games, one of its smallest delegations in its history and the first Dominican delegation that did not include female athletes. Chris Lloyd ran for Dominica in the men's 200 meters and Erison Hurtault participated in the men's 400 meters. Neither advanced past the qualification rounds. Lloyd was also supposed to compete in the men's 400 meters, but did not participate in it. Track coach Jérôme Romain was the country's flag bearer at the Olympics.
A delegation from the Netherlands Antilles competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. It was the fifteenth and final appearance of the Netherlands Antilles at the Summer Olympics, as the territory was dissolved before the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, during which the IOC decided that Dutch Antillean athletes would participate independently under the Olympic flag.
Jurgen Themen is a Surinamese sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres.
Suriname competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twelfth appearance at the Olympics.
Chinyere Pigot is a Surinamese swimmer living in Miami, Florida, who attended the University of Connecticut and participated on a collegiate level. Pigot competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics at age fifteen on Suriname's behalf. She used to attend Doral Academy Charter High School in 2011. She was Suriname's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Gordon Touw Ngie Tjouw is an Olympic swimmer from Suriname. He swam for Suriname at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
Suriname competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's thirteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics.