São Tomé and Príncipe sent a delegation to compete in the

Olympic Games 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 vari ...

for the first time 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, ...

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 from 19 July to 4 August 1996. The delegation consisted of two

100 meters 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 contes ...

sprinters, Sortelina Pires and Odair Baia. Neither of them were able to advance from their heats.

Background

The Comité Olímpico de São Tomé e Príncipe was recognized by the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...

on 31 December 1992. Atlanta marked the island nation's debut in Olympic competition. The 1996 Summer Olympics were held from 19 July to 4 August 1996; 10,318 athletes represented 194

National Olympic Committees A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Gam ...

. The São Tomé and Príncipe delegation consisted of two sprinters, Sortelina Pires and Odair Baia. Pires was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony.

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games.

Athletics

Odair Baia was 18 years old at the time of the Atlanta Olympics, and was making his Olympic debut. On 26 July, he took part in the heats of the men's 100 metres; assigned to heat eight, he finished ninth in his heat with a time of 11.05 seconds. Only the top 3 from a heat advanced, and he was eliminated. Sortelina Pires was 19 years old during these Olympics, and was also making her Olympic debut. In the women's 100 metres heats, also held on 26 July, she was part of the third heat. She finished with a time of 13.31 seconds, eighth in her heat in a format where only the top four from each heat, plus the next three fastest overall, were able to advance, meaning she was eliminated. *Note: Ranks are given within an athlete's heat only.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Tome And Principe At The 1996 Summer Olympics São Tomé and Príncipe 1996 1996 in São Tomé and Príncipe