Mexico at the Olympics
Mexico's first-ever Olympic appearance was in Paris 1900, when polo was first played in the Olympics and Mexico was one of the first teams to play it. The Mexican polo team won the bronze, though as this mixed team also included a USA rider, the medal is not officially credited to Mexico.
After their debut, Mexico missed the Summer Games until they came back 24 years later when the Games returned to Paris, France. From that point on, Mexico has never missed a single Summer Olympics.
Mexico had to shake off the rust from their long hiatus, and it was not until 1932 before they again stepped up to claim an Olympic medal. Boxer Francisco Cabañas and shooter Gustavo Huet both won silver medals in their respective sports, becoming the first Olympians to win a medal since the Mexican Polo team of 1900 - but certainly will not the last.
Mexican athletes have consistently won Olympic medals since 1936 but their first-ever gold came in 1948 when Humberto Mariles (Equestrian) and the equestrian team of Humberto Mariles, Rubén Uriza, and Alberto Valdés both won gold medals in their events in London, England. 1948 was the year of the equestrians for Mexico because they got a total of 2 gold, 1 silver and bronze medals from their equestrians that year.
Two decades later, Mexico also hosted the Summer Games in their capital city, Mexico City, where they also got a total of nine Olympic medals.
Mexico has also participated in the Winter Olympics quite a few times. The first time was in 1928 and then they passed until 1984. In 1992, they sent their biggest Winter Olympics delegation (20 athletes) to Albertville, France. They are, however, yet to win a medal in the Winter Games.
Trivia
- Mexico hosted the Olympic Games in Mexico City 1968, the first Latin American city to host of the Games.
Related Pages
- Mexico at the Winter Olympics
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games
- Mexico City Olympic Games 1968
- About sport in Mexico
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