Registering a win at the Olympics is one of the toughest tasks in the world. Even more difficult is to get a gold medal. Winning at the Olympics requires a great deal of training, focus, perseverance and mental and physical toughness. An Olympic medal is a matter of great pride for the winner and their country and citizens.
While there are athletes who have won numerous Olympic medals in their career, there are also the ones who are still trying. There are also several countries that are yet to register a win at the Olympics. This clearly shows the high level of competitiveness of Olympic Games. For your information, here’s a quick look at some of the countries that have never won an Olympic medal.
Mali – A landlocked nation in West Africa, Mali has been participating in Summer Olympics since 1964. It has never participated in Winter Olympics. Overall, Mali has participated in 13 Summer Olympic Games. It is yet to win an Olympic medal.
Bolivia – Located in west-central South America, Bolivia has been participating in Summer Olympic Games since 1936. The country made its debut in Winter Olympics in 1956. However, it has not been a regular at Winter Olympics. Overall, Bolivia has participated in 14 Summer and 6 Winter Olympics. It is the only South American country to have never won an Olympic medal.
Malta – A southern European island country, Malta has been participating in Summer Olympic Games since 1928. The country made its debut in Winter Olympics in 2014. In total, Malta has participated in 17 Summer Olympic Games and 2 Winter Olympic Games. Best performance for Malta came from its shooter William Chetcuti, who has been a winner at World Championship events. However, he had lost in Olympics by a slim margin.
Myanmar – Formerly Burma, Myanmar has been participating in Summer Olympics since 1948. Earlier to that, the nation was part of British Empire. The country does not participate in Winter Olympics. Since 1948, Myanmar only missed out in 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Overall, the country has participated in 17 Summer Olympic Games. The closest it got to winning a medal was in 2000 Sydney Olympics when its Kay Thi Win came fourth in women’s 48kg weightlifting event.
Monaco – A sovereign city-state located along the French Riviera in Western Europe, Monaco has been participating in Olympic Games since 1920. It has been participating in both Summer and Winter Olympic Games. It missed only a few Olympics such as 1932, 1956 and 1980. Overall, Monaco has participated in 20 Summer and 10 Winter Olympics. However, even after so many years, the country has not been able to win an Olympic medal.