The Spanish delegation has travelled to the Olympic Games in Paris with the aim of improving its medal record at the Summer Games. But what is the record, and where was it achieved?
Since its first participation in the Olympic Games in Paris in 1900, Spain has participated in most editions of the Summer Games. Spain’s sporting achievements have shown an upward trend, from a novice country to a major player in the Olympic competition.
First Olympic gold medal
Spain won its first gold medal in 1900 in Paris, with the Basque pelota team. This victory marked the beginning of Spain’s presence on the Olympic stage. Still, progress wasn’t rapid.
In the first years of participation, Spain did not achieve much. The presence at the Olympics was more symbolic. However, as the 20th century progressed, Spain slowly improved its sporting performance. And with that, the results at the Olympics also improved. An important moment in this process came during the London Olympics in 1948, the first edition after the Second World War, where the Spanish team managed to continue to compete in various disciplines, among other things through better preparation.
Turning point during the Olympic Games in Barcelona
The real turning point, however, came with the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. By hosting the Olympics, Spain not only enjoyed the event in its own country but also achieved its most remarkable feat to that point. With no less than 22 medals: 13 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze. A record for Spain. The sports infrastructure and institutional support generated around this event had a lasting impact on Spanish sport.
Medal tables at the 1996 – 2020 Summer Games
After the success in Barcelona, the Spanish Olympic team continued to perform remarkably well in the subsequent Olympic Games. In Atlanta, 1996, Spain won 17 medals. From Sydney, 2000, the athletes returned with 11 medals and at the Athens 2004 Olympics the total was 20 medals. In Beijing 2008, Spain won 19 medals. Although the results have been mixed, Spain has made a name for itself as one of the most competitive countries in the Olympic field.
The success continued at the London 2012 Games, where Spain won 20 medals. Although ‘only’ 17 medals were won in Rio 2016, the Spanish team continued to show its competitiveness. These achievements reflect not only the talent and individual efforts of the Spanish athletes, but also the work of the sports federations and the investments in infrastructure and programs to support sport.
At the Tokyo 2020 Games, Spain won a total of 13 medals. Although this figure was below the expectations of some, Spain’s participation was excellent in several sports, reaffirming the diversity and potential of Spanish sport on the Olympic podium.
Spain has one goal in Paris
From its humble debut at the beginning of the 20th century to its consolidation as an Olympic powerhouse in recent decades, Spain has shown a constant and resilient evolution in global sport. Now, with the baggage and experience of all the Olympic games, the Spanish delegation in Paris will try to surpass the 22 medals won at the Barcelona Olympics.
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