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Albania at the Olympics

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Albania at the
Olympics
IOC codeALB
NOCAlbanian National Olympic Committee
Websitenocalbania.org.al  (in Albanian)
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
2
Total
2
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Albania first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. After that, Albania 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. They have been represented by the Albanian National Olympic Committee since 1972.

Albania won its first ever Olympic medal when Chermen Valiev scored bronze in the men's freestyle 74 kg wrestling at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Its second medal came when Islam Dudaev scored bronze in men's freestyle 65 kg wrestling at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

History

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In their Pre-Olympic History Albania participated in Olympic Football 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]

The men's national basketball team tried twice to qualify at the Summer Olympics in basketball. As they participate in two Pre-Olympic Basketball Tournaments. First in the qualifying in 1972. They had three matches, losing all but had two close encounters one against Belgium with 83–82 and the other one being against the Netherlands with 84–81 missing so out to the Final Round. Being also Albania's best ever Olympic Qualification attempt in their Basketball History.[4] [5][6]

Their following participation came 20 years later in 1992 in the 1992 Pre-Olympic Basketball Tournament. They competed in Group A. The Albanians secured their first win at this competition against Switzerland 84–85 as it was their only win in their campaign. Albania had close losses against Italy 73–87 and Latvia with 78–94 despite that Albania failed to qualify for the playoffs stage, with a 5th-place finish.[7] It is so far the last time that Albania participated in an Olympic Team sport discipline in their entire summer Olympic history so far. [8]

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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Albania's delegation consisted of two male and two female athletes.[12] They had seven competitors (two female, five male) in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.[13] In Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the nation had eleven athletes (four female and seven male).[14] For the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Albania had nine athletes consisting of three women and six men.[15] 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.[16] 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.[17] It would be the best result in the history for Albania at the Summer Olympics until 2024.

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. 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.[18] At the final run, she would finish in 13th.

Medalists from Albania at the Olympic Games

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Medal Name Games Sport Event
 Bronze Chermen Valiev 2024 Paris Wrestling Men's freestyle 74 kg
 Bronze Islam Dudaev 2024 Paris Wrestling Men's freestyle 65 kg

In addition, 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.[19]

Medal tables

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See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table

Flagbearers

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Albania at the 2006 Winter Olympics". 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. ^ http://www.linguasport.com/baloncesto/internacional/olimpiadas/1972_MUNICH_PR.htm
  5. ^ Draper, Kevin (7 December 2017). "Fewer Russians Could Be a Windfall for U.S. Olympic Business". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 December 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  6. ^ "FIBA.basketball".
  7. ^ "Olympic Basketball Tournament 1992 (Qualifying Stage)". www.linguasport.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  8. ^ http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/besnik-dizdari-e-verteta-e-pjesemarrjes-se-shqiperise-ne-lojerat-olimpike/#gsc.tab=0
  9. ^ a b "Albania at the 1972 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Albania at the 1992 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Albania at the 1996 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Albania at the 2000 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  13. ^ a b "Albania at the 2004 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  14. ^ a b "Albania at the 2008 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  16. ^ "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  17. ^ "Briken Calja humb për vetëm 1 kg medaljen e bronztë".
  18. ^ "Atletja shqiptare, Luiza Gega kalon në finale të Lojërave Olimpike". August 2021.
  19. ^ "Είχα στα μάτια μου τη σημαία". 30 August 1999.
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