Argentina at the Olympics
Argentina has a rich Olympic history. They first participated in the Summer Games in 1900 sending a single athlete, Eduardo Camet, who represented the country in Fencing who still managed to take the fifth place. The country missed the next Summer Games but came back in 1908 by sending Horatio Torromé to London, England for Figure Skating, he placed seventh overall. Argentina then again missed the next Summer Games then sent another single-athlete delegation to the 1920 Antwerp Games. Boxer Ángel Rodríguez represented Argentina in 1920 and it was the country's debut appearance on the sport. Rodriguez however was defeated early on and did not advance.
After a series of one-man showings, Argentina went back with the vengeance in 1924 when they sent 77 athletes to Paris, France for the 1924 Summer Games. This also marked the first Olympic Games where they took home Olympic honors, Argentina did not just take home an Olympic medal, the Argentinians took home six. Alfredo Porzio (Men's heavyweight; boxing) and Pedro Quartucci (Men's featherweight; boxing) both took home bronze medals. Héctor Méndez (Men's welterweight; boxing), Alfredo Copello (Men's lightweight; boxing) and Luis Brunetto (Men's triple jump; athletics) each took silver medals and the Argentinian national polo team (Arturo Kenny, Enrique Padilla, Guillermo Naylor, Juan Miles and Juan Nelson) took home Olympic gold.
From this point on, Argentinian athletes have been taking home Olympic medals from the Summer Games except in 1976, 1980 where they did not participate when they participated in the Olympic Games boycott in Moscow, and 1984.
Argentina has also been represented in the Winter Games since 1928 except in 1932, 1936 and 1956. They are however yet to win an Olympic medal from the Winter Games.
Trivia
- Paula Pareto became the first-ever female gold medallist for Argentina when se won the judo women's -48kg in Rio.
- The national men's basketball team won gold at the Athens Olympic Games, aften beating the Dream Team in semifinals and Italy in the final.
Related Pages
- Argentina at the Winter Olympics
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Argentina
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