Eritrea at the 2016 Summer Olympics |
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IOC code | ERI | ||||||||
NOC | Eritrean National Olympic Committee | ||||||||
in Rio de Janeiro | |||||||||
Competitors | 12 in 2 sports | ||||||||
Flag bearer | Volunteer | ||||||||
Medals |
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Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |||||||||
Other related appearances | |||||||||
Ethiopia (1956–1992) |
Eritrea competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's fifth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics. The delegation included 12 athletes, eleven men and one women, to compete in athletics and cycling sports at the Games. Competitors Nebiat Habtemariam and Athens 2004 bronze medalist Zersenay Tadese both returned for their fourth Olympic appearance. Eritrea left Rio de Janeiro without a single Olympic medal for the third consecutive time. Ghebreslassie missed out of the nation's second medal at the Olympic Games, finishing fourth in the men's marathon.
The Eritrean National Olympic Committee selected a total of 12 athletes, eleven men and one woman, to compete in athletics and cycling sports at the Games, matching its team size with London 2012. Competitors Nebiat Habtemariam and Athens 2004 bronze medalist Zersenay Tadese both returned for their fourth Olympic appearance.
Eritrea participated in five Summer Olympics between its debut in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The highest number of Eritreans participating at any single Summer Games was seven at the previous London 2012 and Rio 2016. The flag bearer for the parade of nations was an unnamed volunteer while an alternative athlete named Tsegay Tuemay bore the flag for the closing ceremony. Only one Eritrean athlete has ever won a medal at the Olympics, which was long-distance runner Zersenay Tadese, who won a bronze medal in the 2004 men's 10,000 metres event.