Timor-Leste at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Timor-Leste at the
2016 Summer Olympics
IOC codeTLS
NOCNational Olympic Committee of East Timor
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5–21 August 2016
Competitors3 in 2 sports
Flag bearer Francelina Cabral[1]
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Individual Olympic Athletes (2000)

East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste and officially as the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's fourth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics.

Three athletes, one man and two women, were selected to the East Timorese roster for the Games, competing only in athletics and mountain biking (the nation's Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro).[2] Among them were middle-distance runners Nélia Martins and Augusto Ramos Soares, the lone male and returning Olympian, and mountain biker Francelina Cabral, who eventually became the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.[1]

Background

Although East Timorese athletes had competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the National Olympic Committee of East Timor wasn't officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until 2003. East Timor made its Olympic debut as an independent country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil marked their fourth consecutive appearance at the Olympics.[3]

Competitors

In total, three athletes represented East Timor at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil across two different sports.[4]

Sport Men Women Total
Athletics 1 1 2
Cycling 0 1 1
Total 1 2 3

Athletics

East Timor received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.[2] In total, two East Timorese athletes participated in the athletics events – Augusto Ramos Soares in the men's 1,500 m and Nélia Martins in the women's 1,500 m.[4]

Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Augusto Ramos Soares Men's 1,500 m 4:11.35 PB 12 did not advance
Nélia Martins Women's 1,500 m 5:00.53 13 did not advance

Cycling

East Timor received an invitation from Tripartite Commission to send a mountain biker for the women's Olympic cross-country race, signifying the nation's debut in the sport outside of athletics. Previously, two East Timorese athletes competed in weightlifting and boxing under the Olympic flag while awaiting recognition of their national Olympic Committee.[5] In total, one East Timorese athlete participated in the cycling events – Francelina Cabral in the mountain bike women's cross-country.[4]

Athlete Event Time Rank
Francelina Cabral Women's cross-country LAP (5 laps) 28

References

  1. ^ a b "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Ciclista Anche Cabral faz estreia timorense no 'cross country' olímpico" [Cyclist Anche Cabral makes her debut for East Timor in Olympic cross-country] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Timor-Leste (TLS)". Olympedia. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "São Tomé and Príncipe at the 2016 Summer Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Final list of starting slots allocated for mountain bike and BMX at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games". UCI. Retrieved 1 July 2016.