Kiribati at the 2020 Summer Olympics
| Kiribati at the 2020 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | KIR |
| NOC | Kiribati National Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Tokyo | |
| Competitors | 3 in 3 sports |
| Flag bearer (opening) | Kinaua Biribo Ruben Katoatau |
| Flag bearer (closing) | Ruben Katoatau |
| Medals |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Kiribati competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] This was the nation's fifth appearance at the Olympics, since its debut in 2004.[2]
Competitors[edit]
Kiribati decided to send only athletes who have been abroad throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, amid fears its competitors might bring the virus back home. The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games. Both are beneficiaries of Australian aid (PacificAus Sports Program and Australian Olympic Committee) and both will be with Australian team in Tokyo: the sprinter is stranded in Gold Coast since Covid pandemic and the judoka is training in Japan since March 2021 (she usually lives in South Tarawa and just participated to world championships in Budapest). The weightlifter is training in Nauru since 2019, place where he learned his qualification.[3]
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Judo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Weightlifting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Athletics[edit]
Kiribati received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.[4]
- Key
- Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
- Q = Qualified for the next round
- q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
- NR = National record
- N/A = Round not applicable for the event
- Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
- Track & road events
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
| Lataisi Mwea | Men's 100 m | 11.25 | 8 | Did not advance | |||||
Judo[edit]
Kiribati entered one female judoka into the Olympic tournament based on the International Judo Federation Olympics Individual Ranking.[5] This marked the nation's Olympic debut in this sport. She will be also the first woman to be the flag bearer of Kiribati, together with Ruben Katoatau, since first participation.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Opposition Result |
Rank | ||
| Kinaua Biribo | Women's –70 kg |  Coughlan (AUS)L 00–01 |
Did not advance | |||||
Weightlifting[edit]
Kiribati qualified one male weightlifter for the Tokyo Olympics by virtue of the IWF Absolute Continental Ranking – Oceania where he finished just behind Vaipava Nevo Ioane, a Samoan weightlifter, who withdrew from the 2020 Olympic Games. Katoatau will replace him at 2020 Summer Olympics, in the men's 67 kg category.[6] He succeeds to his older brother David Katoatau as flag bearer.
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||||
| Ruben Katoatau | Men's −67 kg | 105 | 14 | 140 | 12 | 245 | 12 |
References[edit]
- ^ "Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee". Olympics. March 24, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "Kiribati NOC sending three athletes to compete at Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ "Fears of a widening Olympic wealth gap as Pacific countries struggle to prepare athletes for Tokyo". Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ "Road to Olympic Games 2020". World Athletics. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ^ International Judo Federation Olympics Ranking
- ^ Michael Pavitt (July 1, 2021). "Samoa to send only overseas athletes to Tokyo 2020 due to COVID-19". Inside the Games. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
