Albania at the Olympics

Albania at the Olympics
IOC code	ALB
NOC	Albanian National Olympic Committee
Website	nocalbania.org.al  (in Albanian)
Medals	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0
Summer appearances
1972 1976–1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winter appearances
2006 2010 2014 2018 2022

Albania first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. They missed the next four games, three of them for political reasons due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, 1984 Summer Olympics boycott and 1988 boycotts, but returned for the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics. They have appeared in all games since then. They made their Winter Olympic Games debut in 2006.^[1] Albania normally competes in events that include swimming, athletics, weightlifting, shooting and wrestling. The country has not yet won an Olympic medal, and along with Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is the only European non-microstate without an Olympic medal. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.

History[]

Albania first competed at the Munich 1972 Summer Olympics with five participants over two events; Fatos Pilkati and Afërdita Tusha in the mixed 50 metre free pistol, Ismail Rama and Beqir Kosova in the mixed 50 metre rifle, prone, and Ymer Pampuri in the men's 60 kg weightlifting.^[2] who in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games became the first Albanian to break an Olympic record,in military press, since the discipline was no longer allowed to be practiced internationally after 1972^[3] In the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics: Alma Qeramixhi competed in the heptathlon; Kristo Robo in the 25 metre rapid fire pistol; Enkelejda Shehu in the 25 metre pistol; Frank Leskaj in the 50 metre freestyle, 100 metre freestyle, and 100 metre breaststroke; Sokol Bishanaku and Fatmir Bushi in the under 67.5 kg weightlifting; and Dede Dekaj in the under 110 kg weightlifting.^[4] For the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Albania had seven athletes—4 female and 3 male. Mirela Manjani were the flag bearer for the Olympic Games in that year.^[5] At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Albania's delegation consisted of two male and two female athletes.^[6] They had seven competitors (two female, five male) in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.^[7] In Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the nation had eleven athletes (four female and seven male).^[8] For the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Albania had nine athletes consisting of three women and six men.^[9]

Briken Calja competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in 69kg division where he finished in 5th place after lifting 326 kg.^[10]

In the 2020 Summer Olympics Luiza Gega wrote history for Albania. As she would be the first athlete from Albania, to qualify for the finals in Athletics at the Summer Olympics. After she finished 5th in Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 3000 metres steeplechase with a time of 9:23.85 in the end enough to progress to the next Round. ^[11]

As of 2021 Albania has no Olympic medalists.

Albanian medalists in the history of the Olympic Games[]

Albania remains without a medal win, although Albanians competing for different nations would win medals in other Games. Mirela Manjani competed for Albania at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, but chose to represent Greece in Javelin throw at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, winning silver, as well as bronze at the 2004 Games.^[12]

Pyrros Dimas, born in Himarë, competed for Albania in the European Weightlifting Championship and European Cup but competed for Greece at the Olympics, winning three gold weightlifting medals in a row: 1992 82.5 kg, 1996 83 kg, and 2000 85 kg. Finally, Dimas won the bronze medal for the 85 kg division at the 2004 Athens Games, competing through a knee injury.^[13]

Leonidas Sabanis born in Korça competed for Albania at the European Weightlifting Championship in 1989 but chosed to represent Greece at the Olympics. Winning two times the silver medals for Greece. First in 1996 59 kg and in Weightlifting at the Weightlifting at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 62 kg. ^[14]

Majlinda Kelmendi a Judoka born in Peja, Kosovo. She would compete for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics in Judo. Majlinda would chose Kosovo at the 2016 Summer Olympics in which she would win Gold in Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 52 kg after beating Odette Giuffrida in the final, to win Kosovo's first ever medal at the Summer Olympics. ^[15]

Medal tables[]

Medals by Summer Olympics[]

Games	Athletes	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1972 Munich	5	0	0	0	0	–
1976–1988	did not participate
1992 Barcelona	7	0	0	0	0	–
1996 Atlanta	7	0	0	0	0	–
2000 Sydney	4	0	0	0	0	–
2004 Athens	7	0	0	0	0	–
2008 Beijing	11	0	0	0	0	–
2012 London	11	0	0	0	0	–
2016 Rio de Janeiro	6	0	0	0	0	–
2020 Tokyo	9	0	0	0	0	–
2024 Paris	Future Event
2028 Los Angeles
2032 Brisbane
Total		0	0	0	0	–

Medals by Winter Olympics[]

Games	Athletes	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
2006 Turin	1	0	0	0	0	–
2010 Vancouver	1	0	0	0	0	–
2014 Sochi	2	0	0	0	0	–
2018 Pyeongchang	2	0	0	0	0	–
2022 Beijing	Future Event
2026 Milan–Cortina
Total		0	0	0	0	–

Albania's delegation at the 2010 Winter Games

Flagbearers[]

Summer Olympics

Games	Athlete	Sport
1972 Munich[2]	Afërdita Tusha	Shooting
1992 Barcelona[4]	Kristo Robo	Shooting
1996 Atlanta[5]	Mirela Maniani	Athletics
2000 Sydney[6]	Ilirjan Suli	Weightlifting
2004 Athens[7]	Klodiana Shala	Athletics
2008 Beijing[8]	Sahit Prizreni	Freestyle wrestling
2012 London[9]	Romela Begaj	Weightlifting
2016 Rio de Janeiro	Luiza Gega	Athletics
2020 Tokyo	Luiza Gega Briken Calja	Athletics Weightlifting

Winter Olympics

Games	Athlete	Sport
2006 Turin[1]	Erjon Tola	Alpine skiing
2010 Vancouver	Erjon Tola	Alpine skiing
2014 Sochi	Erjon Tola	Alpine skiing
2018 Pyeongchang	Suela Mehilli	Alpine skiing

See also[]

• Sports in Albania
• List of participating nations at the Summer Olympic Games
• List of participating nations at the Winter Olympic Games
• Category:Olympic competitors for Albania
• Albania at the Paralympics

References[]

External links[]

• "Albania". International Olympic Committee.
• "Albania". Olympedia.com.
• "Olympic Analytics/ALB". olympanalyt.com.