Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Albania at the
2012 Summer Olympics
IOC codeALB
NOCAlbanian National Olympic Committee
Websitenocalbania.org.al  (in Albanian)
in London
Competitors11 in 5 sports
Flag bearer Romela Begaj
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Albania competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's seventh appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1972. The National Olympic Committee of Albania sent a total of 11 athletes to the Games, seven men and four women, to compete in four sports. Weightlifter Hysen Pulaku was officially removed from the team on the first day, after failing a drug test for the banned anabolic steroid substance, as announced by the International Olympic Committee.[1] Albania, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

The Albanians competed in five sports with the same number of athletes like they did at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in China.

This time around they couldn't improve on their previous achievements as they didn't future their two Wrestlers in Elis Guri and Sahit Prizreni.[2]

Albania competed in Judo with World Judo Juniors Champion of 2009 and twice European Junior Champion of 2009 and 2010 Majlinda Kelmendi, who made her debut at the Olympic games.[3] She competed at the Women's 52 kg event. In the first round she defeated Jaana Sundberg from Finland. Before losing in the round of 16 to Mauritian Judoka Legentil.[4]

In Weightlifting Albania initially competed with four athletes three men and one female. Briken Calja had the best result for Albania as he finished 6th in his debut for Albania lifting 320 kg in total.[5] Romela Begaj competed for the second time for Albania but this time she wasn't able to improve on her result from the previous olympics as she finished 9th in the end.

  1. ^ "Hysen Pulaku becomes first doping cheat of London Olympics". The Times of India. Reuters. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Shqipëria olimpike pa medalje olimpike (Pjesa e katërt)".
  3. ^ "Kosovo Olympic bid turned down". BBC Sport.
  4. ^ "Kosovo's Olympic dream ends". 29 March 2012.
  5. ^ "London 2012 69kg men Results". Olympics.com. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023.