Afghanistan competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. The country's participation at Rio de Janeiro marked its fourth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics and fourteenth in total. Afghanistan had officially made its debut in 1936 and missed five editions since then. Rohullah Nikpai, who had previously won a medal for Afghanistan in taekwondo, did not participate. Afghanistan failed to earn a single Olympic medal in Rio for the first time since 2004.
Afghanistan was represented by Abdul Wahib Zahiri and Kamia Yousufi in athletics. Both athletes made their Olympic debuts, with Zahiri participating in the Men's 100 m event while Yousufi took part in the Women's 100 m.[5][6] Yousufi ran her preliminary heat in a full-body kit and hijab.[7] Despite finishing last and not qualifying for the next round, she became Afghanistan's national record holder with 14.02 seconds.[5][8] Zahiri ran his heats in 11.56 seconds and finished seventh, failing to advance to the quarterfinals.[9]
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
31-year-old Mohammad Tawfiq Bakhski, captain of the Afghan national judo team, represented Afghanistan in men's judo and participated in the men's half-heavyweight category (100 kg) event.[10] Bakhshi lost in the round of 64 to Jorge Fonseca of Portugal.[11]
Afghanistan did not participate in 1976 due to a boycott, in 1984 due to a boycott and was barred from the 2000 Summer Olympics to its discrimination against women under the rule of the Taliban.
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