Sudan first competed at the Olympic Games in 1960. They have competed in most Olympic Games since then, except the 1964, 1976 and 1980 Games. The nation was absent at the 1964 Games, which participated in a boycott alongside the majority of nations from Africa. The nation also joined the US-spearheaded boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games.
The first (and so far the only) Sudanese athlete to win an Olympic medal was Ismail Ahmed Ismail, who came 2nd in the men's 800m race in 2008. One of the nation's strongest bets in the Olympics failed to secure a medal as two-time world indoor champ Abubaker Kaki limped home at seventh place in the athletics’ 800-meter run event in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.
In the recently-concluded 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics the nation took sent 6 athletes to compete in 3 sports. However, the nation’s Olympic aspirants all bombed out in their respective events and failed to advance into the next round.
South Sudan declared their independence from Sudan on July 9th, 2011.
Related Pages
- South Sudan at the Olympics.
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Sudan