Flag of Nauru

The pacific island nation Nauru (NRU) competed at the Summer Olympic Games first in the 1996 games in Atlanta. The country has made repeat appearances in Sidney in 2000 and in Athens in 2004.

The nation is mainly known for its weightlifting tradition and all seven athletes that have competed for Nauru at the Olympics have been weightlifters.

Nauru earns a distinction for being the smallest nation in the 2002 member International Olympic Committee. The country has approximately 12,800 citizens on 21 km² and is the only country in the world not to have a capital.

Under the leadership of the Hon. Vinson Detenamo, the Olympic movement began in Nauru in the early 1990s. The Olympic Committe was established in 1991 and talks with the International Olympic Committee started the same year. In May 1994 Nauru presented its bid to join the IOC and in September 2004 the nation was accepted, clearing the path for participation in the 1996 games.

1996 was not the first time that Nauru athletes participated in the Olympics. Samuel Karokikki competed for Mexico in the 1968 games in the 400 meters and the long jump.

After his sensational win in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, weightlifter Marcus Stephen petitioned for citizenship in Samoa to compete in the 1992 games. Stephen again competed at the Olympics in 1996 and 2000, now for his native country. He placed 11th in the 62 kg category in 2000.

Paul Coffa is the weightlifting coach of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation and has been Nauru's Olympic coach since 1994.

Athletes

• Weightlifting
  • Marcus Stephen - 1996, 2000 (First Olympian)
  • Quincy Detenamo - 1996
  • Gerard Garabwan - 1996
  • Sheba Peo - 2000 (First Female Olympian)
  • Reanna Solomon - 2004
  • Itte Detenamo - 2004
  • Yukio Peter - 2004

External link

• Nauru NOC