Comoros
The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...
competed at the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its fifth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its début at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
. The delegation included two track and field athletes:
Maoulida Darouèche and
Feta Ahamada, and one swimmer,
Ayouba Ali Sihame, all three qualified for the Games through
wildcard places. Ahamada was selected as the flag bearer for the
opening ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. and Darouèche held it at the
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. . Ahamada won her heat in the preliminary round of the women's
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been conteste ...
but was eliminated in the heat stages, while Darouèche and Sihame did not advance beyond the first round of their respective events.
Background
Comoros participated in five Summer Olympic Games between its début at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, United States and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.
No Comorian athlete has ever won a medal at the Olympics and the nation has not competed at the
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were he ...
.
Comoros participated in the Summer Olympics from 27 July to 12 August 2012.
The three athletes selected to compete in the London Games were athletes
Maoulida Darouèche and
Feta Ahamada and swimmer
Ayouba Ali Sihame.
Ahamada was the flag bearer for the
opening ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. and Darouèche held it for the
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. .
Athletics
Maoulida Darouèche was the only male athlete representing Comoros at the London Olympics. He had not previously competed in any Olympic Games,
but was notable for being his country's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
He qualified for the Olympics via a
wildcard as his best time, 51.93 seconds, set at the 2011 Chambéry Meeting National, was 3.13 seconds slower than the "B" qualifying standard for his event, the men's
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is a track and field hurdling event. The event has been on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 for men and since 1984 for women.
On a standard outdoor track, 400 metres is the length of the inside lane, once a ...
.
Darouéche competed in the men's 400 metres hurdles on 3 August in the fourth heat of the first round, finishing ninth (and last) out of all competitors with a time of 53.49 seconds in a heat led by
Javier Culson
Javier Culson Pérez (born 25 July 1984) is a Puerto Rican athlete and Olympiad bronze medalist who specialises in the 400-metre hurdles. After becoming involved with the discipline in his late teen years, he entered the podium in some regiona ...
of
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
(48.33 seconds). Overall he finished 46th (and last) out of all entered athletes, and was 4.31 seconds slower than the slowest competitor that progressed to the semi-final stage and, therefore, that was the end of his competition.
Competing at her second Olympic Games, Feta Ahamada was notable for carrying the flag of Comoros at the closing ceremony.
She was the oldest person to compete for Comoros at the Games, aged 25.
She qualified for the Olympics via a wildcard as her best time, 12.29 seconds set at the
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics () was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011.
The United States topped the medal standings in th ...
, was 0.91 seconds slower than the "B" qualifying standard for her event, the
women's 100 metres.
Ahamada said the London Games would be an opportunity to allow her to improve her performance and record better times.
She took part in the preliminary round of the women's 100 metres and was drawn in the first heat. Ahamada finished first with a time of 11.81 seconds to qualify for the heats stage.
In the heats, held on the same day as the preliminary round, Ahamada finished seventh out of eight athletes in heat four with a time of 11.86 seconds. She finished 50th out of 78 athletes overall, and did not progress in the semi-finals because she was 0.58 seconds slower than the slowest qualifier.
;
Key
;Men
;Women
Swimming
Ayouba Ali Sihame was the youngest competitor to be selected by Comoros at the London Games, aged 17.
She qualified after receiving a universality place by FINA for the women's
100 metre freestyle
The 100 metre freestyle is often considered to be the highlight (Blue Ribbon event) of the sport of swimming, like 100 metres in the sport of Athletics.
The first swimmer to break the one-minute barrier (long course) was Johnny Weissmuller, in 1 ...
as her best time of one minute and 21.54 seconds was not within the standard entry time.
Sihame was drawn in the first heat of the competition, which was held on 1 August, finishing third (and last) in her heat with a time of one minute and 14.40 seconds.
She finished 48 (and last) of all swimmers who competed, and did not advance to the later stages of the women's 100 metre freestyle.
;Women
See also
*
Comoros at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Portal bar, London, Olympics
Nations at the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
Olympics
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...