Croatia at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Croatia at the
2016 Summer Olympics
IOC codeCRO
NOCCroatian Olympic Committee
Websitewww.hoo.hr (in Croatian and English)
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors87 in 18 sports
Flag bearer Josip Pavić[1]
Medals
Ranked 17th
Gold
5
Silver
3
Bronze
2
Total
10
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Austria (1900)
 Yugoslavia (1920–1988)

Croatia competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's seventh consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics. The Croatian Olympic Committee (Croatian: Hrvatski olimpijski odbor, HOO) confirmed a roster of 87 athletes, 68 men and 19 women, to compete across 18 sports at the Games.

Croatia left Rio de Janeiro with a total of 10 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze), finishing seventeenth in the overall standings. These Games also marked the nation's most successful outcome in Summer Olympic history since the break-up of SFR Yugoslavia, surpassing the six medals won at London 2012.[2][3] Three of the medals were awarded to the team in track and field, two in rowing and sailing, and one each in shooting and boxing. Croatia also proved particularly successful in traditional team sports, as the water polo players obtained the silver medal in the men's tournament, despite losing its title defense to neighboring Serbia at the final match.[4]

Among the medalists were super heavyweight boxer Filip Hrgović and Laser sailor Tonči Stipanović, who both secured historic first Olympic medals for Croatia in their respective sports.[2] 470 duo Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić controlled the race ahead of their top rivals Australia and Greece to win the nation's first ever sailing title.[5] Discus thrower Sandra Perković successfully defended her Olympic title, while 21-year-old Sara Kolak trounced the vastly experienced field to become the women's javelin throw champion.[6] Shooter Josip Glasnović succeeded his teammate Giovanni Cernogoraz as the new Olympic champion in the men's trap.[7] Brothers Martin and Valent Sinković fought a tough duel against Lithuania to capture a gold medal in the men's double sculls, adding it to their world and European titles over the last two years.[8]

  1. ^ "Croatia Name Flag-Bearer for 2016 Rio Olympic Games". Croatia Week. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Record-breaking Olympics Games for Croatia as medal tally reaches 10". Europe Balkan Latest News. 22 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Croatia's Record-Breaking Rio Olympics". Croatia Week. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Serbia wins its 1st men's water polo gold". USA Today. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  5. ^ Blount, Jeb (18 August 2016). "Sailing: Croatia win men's 470, country's first sailing gold". Reuters. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Kolak scores surprise women's javelin win". Olympics. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Croatia's Glasnovic wins men's trap gold in Rio". NBC Olympics. 8 August 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Croatian brothers win men's double sculls final". Reuters. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.