Kiribati at the
2020 Summer Olympics
IOC codeKIR
NOCKiribati National Olympic Committee
Websitewww.oceaniasport.com/kiribati
in Tokyo
July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23) – August 8, 2021 (2021-08-08)
Competitors3 in 3 sports
Flag bearers (opening)Kinaua Biribo
Ruben Katoatau
Flag bearer (closing)Ruben Katoatau
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Kiribati competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, it was postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This marked the nation's fifth appearance at the Olympics.

The Kiribati team consisted of three athletes: sprinter Lataisi Mwea, judoka Kinaua Biribo, and weightlifter Ruben Katoatau. Katoatau and Biribo served as flagbearers, with Katoatau succeeding his brother David Katoatau in the role. Kiribati did not win a medal, nor had they won a medal in any Olympics prior.

Background

Kiribati had interest in Olympic participation in the 1980s, and the country later formed their National Olympic Committee (NOC) in 2002, which was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2003.[1] Kiribati's first Games was in 2004.[2] This Olympics marked the nation's fifth appearance since their 2004 debut.[3]

In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games were postponed,[4] and Kiribati decided to send only athletes who have been abroad throughout the pandemic, amid fears its competitors might bring the virus back home. All of Kiribati's athletes were beneficiaries of Australian aid (PacificAus Sports Program and Australian Olympic Committee) and were with the Australian team in Tokyo. Previously, Mwea was stranded in the Gold Coast since the beginning of the pandemic, Biribo had been in Japan since March 2021, and Katoatua had trained in Nauru since 2019, with that being where he earned his qualification.[5]

Athletics

Kiribati received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.[6]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Lataisi Mwea Men's 100 m 11.25 8 Did not advance

Judo

Kiribati sent one female judoka into the Olympic tournament based on the International Judo Federation Olympics Individual Ranking.[7] This marked the nation's Olympic debut in this sport. She was the first woman to be the flag bearer of Kiribati, together with Ruben Katoatau, since the nation's first participation.

Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank
Kinaua Biribo Women's –70 kg  Coughlan (AUS)
L 00–01		 Did not advance

Weightlifting

Kiribati qualified one male weightlifter for the Tokyo Olympics by virtue of the IWF Absolute Continental Ranking – Oceania where he finished just behind Vaipava Nevo Ioane, a Samoan weightlifter, who withdrew from the 2020 Olympic Games. Katoatau will replace him at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the men's 67 kg category.[8]

Athlete Event Snatch Clean & Jerk Total Rank
Result Rank Result Rank
Ruben Katoatau Men's −67 kg 105 14 140 12 245 12

References

  1. ↑ Grasso, John; Mallon, Bill; Heijmans, Jeroen (May 14, 2015). Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Rowman & Littlefield.
  2. ↑ Bingham, Eugene (July 31, 2004). "First-time Olympians beat odds". NZ Herald. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Kiribati NOC sending three athletes to compete at Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee". Olympics. March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Fears of a widening Olympic wealth gap as Pacific countries struggle to prepare athletes for Tokyo". Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Road to Olympic Games 2020". World Athletics. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  7. ↑ International Judo Federation Olympics Ranking
  8. ↑ Michael Pavitt (July 1, 2021). "Samoa to send only overseas athletes to Tokyo 2020 due to COVID-19". Inside the Games. Retrieved July 1, 2021.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.