Kiribati at the Olympics

The island nation of Kiribati first participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics. It has competed at every Summer Games since then but has not yet entered the Winter Olympics.

Kiribati at the
Olympics
IOC codeKIR
NOCKiribati National Olympic Committee
Websitewww.oceaniasport.com/kiribati
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer appearances

After participating in the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 1998, Kiribati started working towards membership of the International Olympic Committee. During a meeting of the IOC in Prague in 2003, Kiribati was accepted into the organization and was set to participate in the 2004 Summer games. The country's name was notably mispronounced by officials in all three languages—French, English and Greek—during the opening ceremony. Its delegation consisted of weightlifter Meamea Thomas and sprinters Kakianako Nariki (Kiribati's first Olympic competitor) and Kaitinano Mwemweata.

History

Kiribati wanted to join the Olympics in the 1980s. Their National Olympic Committee was created in 2002, and approved by the IOC in 2003.[1][2]

Facilities and training

When the athletes train on their own, they typically run barefoot. The 80-90 I-Kiribati athletes have to share the ten pairs of shoes that they have when they train on their track, made of crushed coral. The lanes are black coral, with white beach sand sprinkled to mark the lanes.[1] During the rainy season, the track floods, although the athletes still train on it.[3]

The weightlifters do not have a gym to train in; they train behind their coach's house. If it starts raining, the weightlifters stop practicing.[4]

Medal tables
See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

Medals by Summer Games

As of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Kiribati has not won an Olympic medal.

Games Athletes Gold Silver Bronze Total
2004 Athens3000-
2008 Beijing2000-
2012 London3000-
2016 Rio de Janeiro3000-
2020 TokyoFuture event
2024 Paris
2028 Los Angeles
Total000-

Flag bearers

References
  1. Bingham, Eugene (July 31, 2004). "First-time Olympians beat odds". NZ Herald. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  2. Grasso, John; Mallon, Bill; Heijmans, Jeroen (May 14, 2015). Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Rowman & Littlefield.
  3. Majendie, Paul (August 25, 2004). "Athletes from Kiribati make Games history". Hindustan Times. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  4. Lopresti, Mike (19 August 2004). "Small step at Olympics is giant leap for tiny island nation". USA Today. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  5. "Kiribati in Olympic debut". Fox Sports Pulse. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2014.


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