Zimbabwe at the Olympics

Zimbabwe at the Olympic Games
Flag of Zimbabwe IOC code  ZIM NOC Zimbabwe Olympic Committee Website www.zoc.co.zw
Olympic history
Summer Games
1928* 1932–1956 1960* 1964* 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Winter Games
2014 * As Rhodesia

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.

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 surprising victory by the women's national field hockey team in 1980.

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

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. 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 The invitation which had been extended to Rhodesia was withdrawn by the IOC, by 36 votes to 31 with three abstentions. The country's successor state, Zimbabwe, made its Olympic début in 1980.

Medal tables

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

Medals by Summer Games

Games	Athletes	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
1928 Amsterdam	2	0	0	0	0	–
1932–1956	did not participate
1960 Rome	14	0	0	0	0	–
1964 Tokyo	29	0	0	0	0	–
1968 Mexico City	did not participate
1972 Munich
1976 Montreal
1980 Moscow	42	1	0	0	1	23
1984 Los Angeles	15	0	0	0	0	–
1988 Seoul	29	0	0	0	0	–
1992 Barcelona	19	0	0	0	0	–
1996 Atlanta	13	0	0	0	0	–
2000 Sydney	16	0	0	0	0	–
2004 Athens	12	1	1	1	3	49
2008 Beijing	13	1	3	0	4	38
2012 London	7	0	0	0	0	–
2016 Rio de Janeiro
Total		3	4	1	8	70

Medals by Winter Games

Games	Athletes	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
2014 Sochi	1	0	0	0	0	–
Total		0	0	0	0	–

Medals by sport

Sport	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Swimming	2	4	1	7
Field hockey	1	0	0	1
Total	3	4	1	8

List of medalists

Medal	Name	Games	Sport	Event
Gold	Field hockey team Arlene Boxhall Liz Chase Sandra Chick Gillian Cowley Patricia Davies Sarah English Maureen George Ann Grant Susan Huggett Patricia McKillop Brenda Phillips Christine Prinsloo Sonia Robertson Anthea Stewart Helen Volk Linda Watson	1980 Moscow	Field hockey	Women's competition
Gold	Kirsty Coventry	2004 Athens	Swimming	Women's 200-metre backstroke
Gold	Kirsty Coventry	2008 Beijing	Swimming	Women's 200-metre backstroke
Silver	Kirsty Coventry	2004 Athens	Swimming	Women's 100-metre backstroke
Silver	Kirsty Coventry	2008 Beijing	Swimming	Women's 400-metre individual medley
Silver	Kirsty Coventry	2008 Beijing	Swimming	Women's 100-metre backstroke
Silver	Kirsty Coventry	2008 Beijing	Swimming	Women's 200-metre individual medley
Bronze	Kirsty Coventry	2004 Athens	Swimming	Women's 200-metre individual medley

See also

• Category:Olympic competitors for Zimbabwe
• Zimbabwe at the Paralympics
• List of flag bearers for Zimbabwe at the Olympics
• Tropical nations at the Winter Olympics