IOC code MHL Flag bearer Mathlynn Sasser | Competitors 5 in 3 sports | |
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NOC Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee Website www.oceaniasport.com/marshalls Medals Gold
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Marshall Islands competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's third consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics.
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Five athletes from the Marshall Islands were selected to the team, competing only in athletics, swimming, and weightlifting (the country's Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro). Among them were freestyle swimmer Giordan Harris, the lone returning Olympian from London 2012, and weightlifter Mathlynn Sasser (women's 58 kg), who led the contingent as the Marshall Islands flag bearer in the opening ceremony. Marshall Islands, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.
History
The Marshall Islands are a Micronesian island nation, located in the western Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. As of 2008 the nation had a population of approximately 60,000. Germany annexed the island nation in 1985, the island nation was then controlled by Japan in 1914 until the United States took control of the islands in 1944 during the second world war. The Marshall Islands gained their independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.
The Marshall Islands created its National Olympic Committee in 2001, and gained International Olympic Committee recognition at the IOC's meeting on February 9, 2006. The addition of the Marshall Islands brought the total number of IOC recognized National Olympic Committees to 203.
Athletics
Marshall Islands has received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.
Swimming
Marshall Islands has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.
Weightlifting
Marshall Islands has received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send Mathlynn Sasser in the women's lightweight category (58 kg) to the Olympics, signifying the nation's debut in the sport.