Venezuela (VEN)

Venezuela formed a National Olympic Committee on 23 December 1935 and achieved International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition in the following year. However, it was not until 1948 that Venezuelans competed at the Olympics. The Venezuelans have been represented at the Olympic Games without fail since then.

Venezuela has won 19 Olympic medals (three golds), with six medals in boxing, and three in track & field athletics and weightlifting. Its first Olympic champion was Francisco Rodríguez, who won the light-flyweight boxing title in 1968. In 2012 Rubén Limardo won the second gold for Venezuela after winning the men’s individual épée tournament.At Tokyo 2020, triple jumper Yulimar Rojas won the country’s third gold medal, and first by a woman. Adding to the silver medal won in the same event at Rio 2016, Rojas became the most successful Venezuelan Olympian.

Venezuela first competed at the Olympic Winter Games in 1998, when it was represented by a single female luger, Iginia Boccalandro, and also attended the 2002, 2006, and 2014 Winter Olympics. They have had five Winter Olympians, four men and Boccalandro, who competed again in 2002. She also recorded the nation’s best Winter Olympic finish, placing 28th in 1998 women’s luge singles.

In 1959 the Olympic Committee of Venezuela was awarded with the Count Alberto Bonacossa Trophy.