Ethiopia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation in Rio de Janeiro marked its thirteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1956, having missed three occasions for joining the African (1976), Soviet (1984), and North Korean (1988) boycotts.

The Ethiopian Olympic Committee (EOC) confirmed a team of 38 athletes, 18 men and 20 women, to compete only in track and field, swimming, and road cycling (the country's Olympic return from a 24-year absence) at the Games. The nation's full roster also achieved a historic milestone, as the number of female athletes outnumbered the men for the first time.

Eleven Ethiopian athletes previously competed in London, with only three of them having won medals, including two-time defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba in the women's 10,000 metres, steeplechaser Sofia Assefa, and long-distance runner Dejen Gebremeskel (men's 5000 metres). Other notable athletes on the Ethiopian team featured Dibaba's younger sister and current world record holder Genzebe in middle-distance running, reigning world champions Mare Dibaba (women's marathon) and Almaz Ayana, and freestyle swimmer Robel Kiros Habte, who was appointed as the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony and eventually acknowledged internet fame for his portly build and slow qualifying time.

Ethiopia left Rio de Janeiro with a total of eight medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze), matching its overall tally from the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Among the nation's medalists were Ayana, who overturned a long-standing world record to become an Olympic champion in the women's 10,000 metres, and Feyisa Lilesa, who flaunted an anti-government gesture upon finishing second in the men's marathon. Ayana's predecessor Dibaba witnessed her three-peat bid come to an end with a bronze-medal finish in her pet event, while Genzebe followed her elder sister's Olympic legacy by earning a silver in the women's 1500 metres.

Medalists

Medal Name Sport Event Date Athletics Women's 10,000 m Athletics Women's 1500 m Athletics Men's marathon Athletics Women's 10,000 m Athletics Men's 10,000 m Athletics Women's marathon Athletics Women's 5000 m Athletics Men's 5000 m

Athletics (track and field)

Ethiopian athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):

Following the end of the qualifying period on 11 July, a total of 35 track and field athletes (16 men and 19 women) were officially named to the Ethiopian roster for the Games, with Tirunesh Dibaba looking to defend her Olympic title for the third consecutive time in the women's 10,000 metres. Apart from Dibaba, notable athletes also featured London 2012 silver medalist Dejen Gebremeskel (men's 5000 metres), double Worlds long-distance champion Almaz Ayana, and middle-distance aces Mohammed Aman and Tirunesh's sister Genzebe Dibaba.

Track & road events Men AthleteEventHeat SemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankMohammed Aman800 m1:48.332 Q1:46.148Did not advanceMekonnen Gebremedhin1500 m3:47.335 Q3:40.697Did not advanceDawit Wolde3:39.2910 q3:41.4210Did not advanceAman WoteDid not advanceMuktar Edris5000 m13:19.652 Qcolspan=2 Dejen Gebremeskel13:19.673 Qcolspan=2 13:51.9112Hagos Gebrhiwet13:24.651 Qcolspan=2 13:04.35Yigrem Demelash10000 mcolspan=4 27:06.274Abadi Hadiscolspan=4 27:26.3415Tamirat Tolacolspan=4 27:06.26Hailemariyam Amare3000 m steeplechase8:35.018colspan=2 Did not advanceChala Beyo8:32.067colspan=2 Did not advanceTafese Sebokacolspan=2 Did not advanceTesfaye AberaMarathoncolspan=4 Lemi Berhanucolspan=4 2:13:2913Feyisa Lelisacolspan=4 2:09:54

Women AthleteEventHeat SemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankHabitam Alemu800 m1:58.993 q2:00.076Did not advanceTigist Assefa2:00.215Did not advanceGudaf Tsegay2:00.134Did not advanceGenzebe Dibaba1500 m4:10.611 Q4:03.061 Q4:10.27Besu Sado4:08.116 Q4:05.194 Q4:13.589Dawit Seyaum4:05.331 Q4:04.232 Q4:13.148Almaz Ayana5000 m15:04.351 Qcolspan=2 14:33.59Senbere Teferi15:17.432 Qcolspan=2 14:43.755Ababel Yeshaneh15:24.388 qcolspan=2 15:18.2614Almaz Ayana10000 mcolspan=4 29:17.45 Gelete Burkacolspan=4 30:26.668Tirunesh Dibabacolspan=4 29:42.56Sofia Assefa3000 m steeplechase9:18.752 Qcolspan=2 9:17.155Hiwot Ayalew9:35.097 colspan=2 Did not advanceEtenesh Diro9:34.707 qcolspan=2 9:38.7715Mare DibabaMarathoncolspan=4 2:24:30Tirfi Tsegayecolspan=4 2:24:474Tigist Tufacolspan=4 Yehualeye Beletew20 km walkcolspan=4 Askale Tiksacolspan=4 1:44:1561

Cycling

Road Ethiopia has qualified one rider in the men's Olympic road race by virtue of being ranked in the top two NOCs at the 2015 African Championships, signifying the nation's Olympic comeback in the sport for the first time since 1992.

AthleteEventTimeRankTsgabu GrmayMen's road raceDid not finish

Swimming

Ethiopia has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.

AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankRobel Kiros HabteMen's 100 m freestyle1:04.9559Did not advanceRahel GebresilassieWomen's 50 m freestyle32.5175Did not advance

References

External links