Uruguay competed at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 5 to 21 August 2016. Since the nation's official debut in

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

, Uruguayan athletes have appeared in every edition of the

Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

, with the exception of the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...

in Moscow, because of its partial support to the United States-led boycott. The

Uruguayan Olympic Committee The Uruguayan Olympic Committee ( es, Comité Olímpico Uruguayo, COU) was founded in 1923 and was recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that same year. It is the national governing body in charge of the Olympics. It is also a ...

( es, Comité Olímpico Uruguayo, COU) confirmed a team of 17 athletes, 12 men and 5 women, to compete in eight sports at the Games. It was the nation's largest delegation sent to the Olympics since

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

, without any association to the team-based sports. There was only a single competitor in judo, rowing, tennis, weightlifting, and equestrian. Four athletes on the Uruguayan roster previously competed at London 2012, with two of them headed to their fourth Games: hurdler

Andrés Silva Andrés Bayron Silva Lemos (born 27 March 1986 in Tacuarembó ) is a Uruguayan track athlete. He competed in the combined events on the youth and junior levels, but has since specialized in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles. Silva particip ...

and sailing legend

Alejandro Foglia Alejandro José Foglia Costa (born 30 January 1984, in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan sailor in the Laser (dinghy), Laser and Finn (dinghy), Finn classes. He competed in four Summer Olympics for his native South American country: Sailing at the 200 ...

, who finished among the top eight in the Laser class before moving to Finn. Foglia was joined by his older sister

Mariana Mariana may refer to: Literature * ''Mariana'' (Dickens novel), a 1940 novel by Monica Dickens * ''Mariana'' (poem), a poem by Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson * ''Mariana'' (Vaz novel), a 1997 novel by Katherine Vaz Music *"Mariana", a so ...

, who sailed alongside her husband

Pablo Defazio Pablo Defazio (born 15 May 1981) is a Uruguayan sailor. He and Mariana Foglia placed 17th in the Nacra 17 The Nacra 17 is a performance catamaran used for sailing. It was designed in 2011, went into production in 2012 and has been the focus ...

in the Nacra 17 category. Other notable Uruguayan athletes included marathon twins Martín and

Nicolás Cuestas Nicolás Cuestas Cardozo (born 8 December 1986) is a Uruguayan long distance runner who specialises in the marathon. He competed in the men's marathon event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2019, he competed in the men's marathon at the 2019 W ...

, world no. 40 tennis player Pablo Cuevas, and 17-year-old Laser Radial sailor Dolores Moreira, who was selected to carry the nation's flag at the opening ceremony. Uruguay, however, did not win any Olympic medals in Rio de Janeiro. The nation's last medal happened at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

in Sydney, where track cyclist

Milton Wynants Milton Ariel Wynants Vázquez (born March 29, 1972 in Paysandú) is a racing cyclist from Uruguay, who was affiliated with the Veloz Club Sanducero. Wynants competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country (From Atlanta 199 ...

bagged a silver in the points race (currently replaced by Omnium). Unable to end the nation's 16-year podium drought, long jumper

Emiliano Lasa Emiliano Lasa Sánchez (born January 25, 1990) is a Uruguayan track and field athlete who competes in the long jump. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games, as well as several others on continental level. His personal best in the e ...

delivered the most successful outcome for the Uruguayans at the Games, placing sixth in the men's long jump final.

Athletics (track and field)

Uruguayan athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event): ;Track & road events ;Field events

Equestrian

Uruguay has entered one jumping rider into the Olympic jumping competition by virtue of a top six individual finish at the

2015 Pan American Games Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak alb ...

, signifying the nation's Olympic show jumping comeback for the first time in 56 years.

Jumping

Judo

Uruguay has qualified one judoka for the men's half-heavyweight category (100 kg) at the Games. Pablo Aprahamian earned a continental quota spot from the Pan American region, as Uruguay's top-ranked judoka outside of direct qualifying position in the IJF World Ranking List of May 30, 2016.

Rowing

Uruguay has qualified one boat in the men's single sculls at the 2016 Latin American Continental Qualification Regatta in Valparaiso, Chile. Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Sailing

Uruguayan sailors have qualified one boat in each of the following classes through the individual fleet World Championships, and South American qualifying regattas. M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race

Swimming

Uruguay has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.

Tennis

Uruguay has entered one tennis player into the Olympic tournament, signifying the nation's comeback to the sport since

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

. Pablo Cuevas (world no. 40) qualified directly for the men's singles as one of the top 56 eligible players in the

ATP ATP may refer to: Companies and organizations * Association of Tennis Professionals, men's professional tennis governing body * American Technical Publishers, employee-owned publishing company * ', a Danish pension * Armenia Tree Project, non ...

World Rankings as of June 6, 2016.

Weightlifting

Uruguay has received an unused quota place from IWF to send a female weightlifter to the Olympics, signifying the nation's Olympic return to the sport for the first time since

References

External links

* {{Country at games navbox, Uruguay, Olympics Nations at the 2016 Summer Olympics

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

2016 in Uruguayan sport