Marshall Islands at the Olympics |
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IOC code | MHL | ||||||||
NOC | Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee | ||||||||
Website | www |
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Medals |
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Summer appearances | |||||||||
The Marshall Islands has competed in three Summer Olympic Games as of the completion of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Marshall Islands has never competed in the Winter Olympic Games. The Marshall Islands had its Olympic debut at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The highest number of Marshallese athletes participating in a summer Games is five, in the 2008 games in Beijing. No athlete from the Marshall Islands has ever won a medal at the Olympics.
During the era of the modern Olympic Games the country was controlled by Japan, Germany, and the United States at different times until it gained its sovereignty in 1979 when the government of the Marshall Islands was officially established and the country became self-governing. In 1986, the Compact of Free Association with the United States entered into force, granting the Republic of the Marshall Islands its sovereignty. The island nation is made up of twenty-nine atolls and five lone islands.
The Marshall Islands debuted at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, with five athletes competing in three sports. Roman William Cress and Haley Nemra represented the nation in the track and field events. Jared Heine and Julianne Kirchner competed in the swimming events. Anju Jason, who competed in taekwondo at the Games, is the only Marshallese athlete to have competed in taekwondo at the Olympics as of the 2016 Summer Olympics.