On the way to London 2012!
Barcelona 1992
Did you know- Between July 25 and August 9, 1992, the Angolan Olympic Committee sent 29 athletes to the Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. The African nation competed in seven sports: basketball (11), boxing (1), roller hockey (11), judo (4), swimming (3), sailing (3), and athletics (6).
Basketball
Did you know- Basketball is very popular because basketball is a traditional sport with a long history in the African nation. Interestingly, from the 1980s to the 2000s, Angola, a war-torn nation, featured one of the best basketball teams in the Third World. In 1992, the Angolan squad ranked tenth, out of 12 teams, in the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament in Barcelona (Spain). Eight years ago, they had won the silver medal at the African U-20 Championship. In 1987, against all odds, Angola – a Portuguese-speaking republic located in southern Africa – won the gold medal in men’s basketball at the African Games in Nairobi, Kenya. Prior to 1987, the Angola men’s basketball squad had placed 20th at the World Championships in Spain. In the Spanish city of Ferrol, Africans were the most popular basketball players; there, Angola had defeated Australia 74-69. In addition to this, the country – one of the least developed states in Africa – finished 13th in the universal competition in South America in the early 1990s. In 1996, it ranked 11th at the XXVI Games. Olympiad in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).
Soccer
Did you know- Angola’s first major international success came at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During that world event, the men’s soccer team ranked 23rd, between Croatia (Europe) and Tunisia (North Africa). The best players were Flavio da Silva Amado, Joao Ricardo Pereira dos Santos Batalha and Fabrice Alcebiades Maieco, in that order.
Los Angeles 1984
Did you know- The Angolan Olympic Committee, under pressure from Cuba and the Soviet Union, boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, California, United States. Four years ago, Angola made its Olympic debut at the Games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow, USSR (now Russia). On the other hand, Angola is one of the youngest members of the Olympic family.
Men’s handball
Did you know- The men’s handball team ranked 15th in the U-20 World Championship.
sports
Did you know- The most popular sports are soccer, track and field, basketball, roller hockey, and handball.
Women’s handball
Did you know- The national team ranked seventh in women’s handball at the 1996 Summer Games in the United States of America. During that international event, Angola, under the tutelage of coach Alberto Junior, defeated America (host nation) 24-23. The country also qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In the 1990s, the Angolan women’s handball team competed in five world championships (1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999). At the 1997 World Cup, the national delegation came in 15th, ahead of Japan, South Korea and Canada.