Venezuela at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Venezuela at the 2012 Summer Olympics
IOC code	VEN
NOC	Venezuelan Olympic Committee
Website	cov.com.ve (in Spanish)
in London
Competitors	69 in 15 sports
Flag bearers	Fabiola Ramos (opening) Jessica López (closing)
Medals Ranked 50th	Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 1
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

Venezuela competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from July 27 to August 12, 2012.^[1] This was the nation's seventeenth consecutive appearance at the Olympics, since its debut at the same host city in 1948. Celebrating the anniversary of the nation's Olympic debut, the British Embassy in Caracas invited former track cyclist Julio César León to travel back to the United Kingdom, and revisit his memories as the first Venezuelan athlete in history to compete at the games.^[2]

With the absence of baseball and softball at the Olympics, the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (Spanish: Comité Olímpico Venezolano, COV) sent the nation's second-largest delegation to the Games. A total of 69 athletes, 43 men and 29 women, competed in 15 sports. There was only a single competitor in artistic gymnastics, shooting, and table tennis. Among the sports, Venezuela marked its Olympic debut in beach volleyball.

Notable Venezuelan athletes included sisters Andreína and Yanel Pinto in freestyle and open water swimming, all-around gymnast Jessica López, and track cyclist Daniela Larreal, who made her Olympic comeback in London after an eight-year absence. Table tennis player Fabiola Ramos, who competed at her fifth Olympics, was the most experienced athlete and became Venezuela's second consecutive flag bearer at the opening ceremony, and the fourth in Olympic history.

Venezuela left London with its first gold medal since 1968, and its second in Olympic history.^[3] It was awarded to fencer Rubén Limardo, who won the men's individual épée.