Team Eritrea - Profile

Highlights: Eritrea competed at the Olympic Games for the first time in 2000, having gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. The NOC sent three athletes, two men and one woman, to the Sydney Games.

The NOC's first Olympic medal came at the 2004 Games in Athens through Zersenay Tadese, who claimed bronze in the men's 10,000m. He went on to compete at the Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016, finishing fifth, sixth, and eighth respectively over the same distance. Tadese's younger brother, Kidane, competed alongside him in Beijing, placing 10th in the 5000m and 12th in the 10,000m.

Zersenay Tadese is also one of three Eritrean athletes who have made four appearances at the Olympic Games. Yonas Kifle competed in the men's 10,000m [2000, 2004] and the marathon [2008, 2012], while Nebiat Habtemariam raced the women's 5000m [2000, 2004] and marathon [2008, 2016]. Habtemariam was the NOC's first female athlete to compete at the Games, and she also became the oldest Olympic competitor from Eritrea when she participated in the marathon in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro at age 37 years and 229 days.

Eritrean athletes have competed almost exclusively in distance running at the Olympic Games. The exception is cyclist Daniel Teklehaimanot, who took part in the road race at both London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Anthem Title: Ertra, Ertra, Ertra [Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea]

Anthem Composer: Words by Solomon Tsehaye Beraki. Music by Isaac Abraham Meharezgi and Aron Tekle Tesfatsion.

Anthem Inducted: 1993

Official NOC Name: Eritrean National Olympic Committee

Founding Date: 1996

IOC Recognition Date: 1999

Delegation President: Luul Fisshaye

Delegation Secretary General: Amine Teclay

First OG/PG Appearance: 2000

Number OG/PG Appearances: 6 [Tokyo 2020 included]

Summary: