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Qatar first competed at the Olympic Games in 1984, and have attended all Olympiads since then. However, the oil-rich nation in the Middle East hasn’t participated in the Winter Olympics yet.

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Qatar was one of the three nations in the world that have never sent female athletes to the Olympiad. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made an announcement in 2010 that it will compel these countries to permit and facilitate the participation of female athletes at the Games. Upon the persuasion of IOC, the nation sent four female athletes to the Olympics for the first time in 2012. Nada Arakji, the first-ever woman from Qatar to participate in the Olympiad competed in the women’s 50 m freestyle event in swimming.

Up until 2021, the country had only won five medals (one silver and 4 bronze). At Tokyo 2020, weightlifter Meso Hassona became Qatar's first-ever Olympic gold medallist when he finished well clear of his rivals in the men's 96 kilograms category. They quickly doubled that, winning another gold when high jumper Mutaz Barshim shared the gold medal in the men's event.

Notable Athletes

• In athletics’ long jump event Mutaz Essa Barshim captured a bronze medal in 2012 and silver medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
• Qatar's Mutaz Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi finished in a tie in the 2021 Tokyo high jump event, both clearing 2.37m, and agreeing to share the gold medal rather than participate in a tie-breaker jump off.

Trivia

• The first Olympic medalist from Qatar was Mohamed Suleiman (3rd, 1500m in 1992)
• Up until 2012, Qatar had not sent a female athlete to compete at the Olympic Games. In 2012, Qatar included four female competitors: Nada Arkaji; Noor Al-Malki; Bahiya Al-Hamad in shooting; and Aya Majdi in table tennis, with Bahiya al-Hamad the flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony.

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Related Pages

• List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
• About sport in Qatar