Albania at the Olympics

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 any Olympic medal. Along with Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta and Monaco, Albania is one of five current European participants that have never won an Olympic medal. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.

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 2024
Winter appearances
2006 2010 2014 2018 2022

History

In their Pre-Olympic History Albania participated in Olympic qualifying for the first time in 1964. The Albanians faced Bulgaria in the opening round, losing both matches 1–0 and failing to qualify for the next round.^[2] It wasn't until the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich that Albania made another attempt to qualify. Facing Romania in the opening round, they lost both legs 2–1, despite goals from Medin Zhega and Panajot Pano, respectively. It is to this day Albania's last participation for an Olympic Football Tournament so far.^[3]

Albania first officially 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.^[4] 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^[5] 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.^[6] 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.^[7] At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Albania's delegation consisted of two male and two female athletes.^[8] They had seven competitors (two female, five male) in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.^[9] In Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the nation had eleven athletes (four female and seven male).^[10] For the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Albania had nine athletes consisting of three women and six men.^[11] Romela Begaj the flag bearer for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics would compete in Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg category finishing in 9th at the end, after lifting 216 kg in total. Briken Calja would achieve the best result for Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics in which he would finish 6th in Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 69 kg after lifting 320 kg.

Briken Calja competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the 69kg division where he finished in 5th place after lifting 326 kg.^[12] Briken Calja would compete at the following 2020 Summer Olympics in the 73kg division. The European Weightlifting champion in 2018 would finish in 4th after lifting.^[13] It would be the best result in the History for Albania at the Summer Olympics.

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 finals.^[14] At the final run, she would finish in 13th.

As of 2023^[update] Albania has no Olympic medalists.

Medalists from Albania at the Olympic Games

Albania remains without a medal win, although Albanians competing for different nations would win medals in other Olympic Games:^[15]

• 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.^[16]

Medal tables

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

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   Albania's delegation at the 2010 Winter Games 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 1 0 0 0 0 – 2026 Milan–Cortina future event Total 0 0 0 0 –

Flagbearers

See also: List of flag bearers for Albania at the Olympics

Summer Olympics Games Athlete Sport 1972 Munich^[4] Afërdita Tusha Shooting 1992 Barcelona^[6] Kristo Robo Shooting 1996 Atlanta^[7] Mirela Maniani Athletics 2000 Sydney^[8] Ilirjan Suli Weightlifting 2004 Athens^[9] Klodiana Shala Athletics 2008 Beijing^[10] Sahit Prizreni Freestyle wrestling 2012 London^[11] 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 2014 Sochi 2018 Pyeongchang Suela Mehilli

See also

• Sports in Albania
• Albania at the Mediterranean Games
• 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

1. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
2. "Besnik Dizdari: E vërteta e pjesëmarrjes së Shqipërisë në Lojërat Olimpike".
3. "Games of the XX. Olympiad - Football Qualifying Tournament".
4. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
5. "Rekordmeni olimpik Ymer Pampuri i rikthehet peshëngritjes :: Shpirti i Shqiptarit :: Shqiptare te bashkuar per nje Shqiperi te bashkuar !".
6. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
7. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
8. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
9. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
10. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
11. . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
12. . Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
13. "Briken Calja humb për vetëm 1 kg medaljen e bronztë".
14. "Atletja shqiptare, Luiza Gega kalon në finale të Lojërave Olimpike". August 2021.
15. "Shaban Tërstena, i pari shqiptar kampion olimpik dhe ndjenja e lartë e kombësisë".
16. "Είχα στα μάτια μου τη σημαία". 30 August 1999.

External links

• "Albania". International Olympic Committee. 16 September 2021.
• "Albania". Olympedia.com.
• "Olympic Analytics/ALB". olympanalyt.com.