Zimbabwe at the Olympics

Zimbabwe participated for the first time at the Olympic Games under its current name in 1980, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. Previously, it competed at the Games under the name Rhodesia in 1928, 1960 and 1964. The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi marked Zimbabwe's first participation at the Winter Olympic Games, with Luke Steyn, the Zimbabwean born athlete participating in alpine skiing.

Zimbabwe at the
Olympics
IOC codeZIM
NOCZimbabwe Olympic Committee
Websiteteamzim.org
Medals
Ranked 79th
Gold
3
Silver
4
Bronze
1
Total
8
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Zimbabwean athletes have won a total of eight medals – three golds, four silvers and one bronze – in two sports. Seven medals were won by swimmer Kirsty Coventry in 2004 and 2008; the remaining medal was the result of a victory by the women's national field hockey team in 1980.[1]

The National Olympic Committee for Zimbabwe was created in 1934 and recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1980.[2]

History

Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) first participated as Rhodesia in the Olympic Games in 1928. Rhodesia was then absent until 1960 when the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland competed under the name of Rhodesia in Rome. Southern Rhodesia then competed alone under the banner of Rhodesia once again and for the last time in 1964.[3] The country thus always competed as a British territory. It was unable to take part in the 1968 Games in Mexico, due to the Mexican government's interpretation of regulations on passports. It never successfully competed following Ian Smith's declaration of an independent Rhodesian republic in 1970. Although it returned to the Games in 1972, Rhodesia was expelled by the International Olympic Committee four days before the opening ceremony, under pressure from other African countries, which did not recognise the legitimacy of the Rhodesian state and threatened a boycott. The invitation which had been extended to Rhodesia was withdrawn by the IOC, by 36 votes to 31 with three abstentions.[4][5] Rhodesia remained out of the 1976 Summer Olympics after the IOC inspected the country's sporting facilities and groups and found them underwhelming, voting for their expulsion from the committee.[6]

The country's successor state, Zimbabwe, made its Olympic début in 1980.

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

Medals by sport
SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Swimming2417
Field hockey1001
Totals (2 entries)3418

List of medalists
Medal Name Games Sport Event
 Gold
1980 Moscow Field hockeyWomen's competition
 GoldKirsty Coventry2004 Athens SwimmingWomen's 200-metre backstroke
 GoldKirsty Coventry2008 Beijing SwimmingWomen's 200-metre backstroke
 SilverKirsty Coventry2004 Athens SwimmingWomen's 100-metre backstroke
 SilverKirsty Coventry2008 Beijing SwimmingWomen's 400-metre individual medley
 SilverKirsty Coventry2008 Beijing SwimmingWomen's 100-metre backstroke
 SilverKirsty Coventry2008 Beijing SwimmingWomen's 200-metre individual medley
 BronzeKirsty Coventry2004 Athens SwimmingWomen's 200-metre individual medley

See also

References
  1. "A captain recalls: Zimbabwe's golden moment". Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  2. "THE ZIMBABWE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE". Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. Official Olympic reports Archived 22 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "1972: Rhodesia out of Olympics", BBC
  5. "Rhodesia expelled", Montreal Gazette, 23 August 1972
  6. Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement
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