The Pacific island nation Nauru first competed at the Summer Olympic Games in the 1996 games in Atlanta. It is the least populated nation in the 206-member International Olympic Committee. The nation is mainly known for its weightlifting tradition and all seven athletes that had competed for Nauru at the Olympics before 2012 were weightlifters.Nauru at the Olympics, The Telegraph The nation has never participated in any Winter Olympic Games.
Under the leadership of Vinson Detenamo, the Olympic movement began in Nauru in the early 1990s. The Olympic Committee was established in 1991 and talks with the International Olympic Committee started the same year. In May 1994 Nauru presented its bid to join the IOC and in September 1994 the nation was accepted, clearing the path for participation in the 1996 games.
1996 was not the first time that Nauru athletes participated in the Olympics. After his win in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, weightlifter Marcus Stephen petitioned for citizenship of Samoa to compete in the 1992 games. Stephen competed for Nauru at the Olympics in 1996 and 2000, placing 11th in the 62 kg category in 2000. In 2009, he replaced Vinson Detenamo as president of Nauru's National Olympic Committee."Nauru president claims national Olympic committee ledaership" , ABC Radio Australia, January 26, 2009
Paul Coffa is the weightlifting coach of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation and has been Nauru's Olympic coach since 1994.
Medal tables
Medals by Summer Games GamesAthletesGoldSilverBronzeTotalRank 3 0 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 0 0 – 3 0 0 0 0 – 1 0 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 0 0 – 1 0 0 0 0 – future event Total 0 0 0 0 –
Athletes Weightlifting Marcus Stephen – 1996, 2000 (First Olympian) Quincy Detenamo – 1996 Gerard Garabwan – 1996 Sheeva Peo – 2000 (First Female Olympian) Reanna Solomon – 2004 Itte Detenamo – 2004, 2008, 2012 Yukio Peter – 2004 Judo Sled Dowabobo – 2012 Athletics Jonah Harris - 2020 Winzar Kakiouea - 2024
See also List of flag bearers for Nauru at the Olympics
References
External links