Botswana competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's tenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics.
Botswana National Olympic Committee sent the nation's largest delegation to the Games. A total of 12 athletes, 9 men and 3 women, were selected to compete only in athletics, judo, and swimming. The nation's team was relatively larger by two-thirds of its size from London 2012, where Botswana registered only four athletes.
Among the Botswana athletes on the team were freestyle swimmer Naomi Ruele, and middle-distance runner Nijel Amos, who built a historic milestone as the nation's first ever Olympic medalist, earning a silver in the men's 800 metres. The most successful athlete from London 2012, Amos was selected to lead the team as Botswana's flag bearer into the opening ceremony.
Botswana, however, left Rio de Janeiro without a single medal, failing to reproduce it from the previous Games. The men's 4 × 400 m relay squad, led by top sprinter Isaac Makwala, came close to adding another medal for Botswana, but finished fifth in the final.
Athletics
Botswana athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):
Track & road events Men AthleteEventHeat SemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankIsaac Makwala400 m45.913 Q46.608did not advanceKarabo Sibanda45.563 Q44.473 q 44.255Baboloki Thebe45.413 Qdid not advanceNijel Amos800 m1:50.467did not advanceBoitumelo Masilo1:48.486did not advanceNijel AmosIsaac MakwalaLeaname MaotoanongOnkabetse NkoboloKarabo SibandaBaboloki Thebe4 × 400 m relay2:59.35 NR3 Qcolspan=2 2:59.06 NR5
Women AthleteEventHeat SemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankChristine Botlogetswe400 m52.374did not advanceLydia Jele52.244did not advance
Judo
Botswana received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send a judoka competing in the men's extra-lightweight category (60 kg) to the Olympics, signifying the nation's Olympic debut in the sport.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankGavin MogopaMen's −60 kgL 000–110did not advance
Swimming
Botswana received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics, signifying the nation's return to the sport for the second time in history (the first being done in 2008).
AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankDavid van der ColffMen's 100 m backstroke57.7735did not advanceNaomi RueleWomen's 50 m freestyle26.2347did not advance
References
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