Mauritania at the
2004 Summer Olympics
IOC codeMTN
NOCComité National Mauritanien
in Athens
Competitors2 in 1 sport
Flag bearer Youba Hmeida
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Mauritania competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. The country's participation at Athens marked its sixth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut in the 1984 Summer Olympics. The delegation included two track and field athletes, Youba Hmeida and Aminata Kamissoko, who were both selected by wildcards after both failed to meet either the "A" or "B" qualifying standards. Hmeida was selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Neither of the Mauritanians progressed beyond the heats.

Background

Mauritania participated in six Summer Olympic games between its debut in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.[1] The Mauritania National Olympic Committee (NOC) selected two athletes via wildcards. Usually, an NOC would be able to enter up to 3 qualified athletes in each individual event as long as each athlete met the "A" standard, or 1 athlete per event if they met the "B" standard.[2] However, since Mauritania had no athletes that met either standard, they were allowed to select two athletes, one of each gender, as wildcards. The two athletes that were selected to compete in the Athens games were Youba Hmeida in the Men's 400 meters and Aminata Kamissoko in the Women's 100 meters.[3] Hmeida was flag bearer for the opening ceremony.[4]

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Making his Summer Olympics debut, Youba Hmeida was notable for carrying the Mauritania flag at the opening ceremony.[4][5] He qualified for the Summer Olympics via a wildcard place, as his best time, 47.87 seconds at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics 400 meters, was 1.92 seconds slower than the "B" standard required.[2][6] He competed on 20 August in Heat 3 against seven other athletes. He ran a time of 49.18 seconds, finishing seventh after Russia's Anton Galkin was disqualified.[7] El Salvador's Takeshi Fujiwara placed ahead of him (46.70 seconds), in a heat led by Cuba's Yeimer López (45.44 seconds). Out of 63 athletes, Hmeida ranked 57 and was 3.30 seconds behind the slowest athlete that progressed to the semi-finals. Therefore, that was the end of his competition.[8] Competing at her first Summer Olympics, Aminata Kamissoko qualified after being granted a wildcard as her best time, 13.70 seconds in the 2003 World Championships in Athletics 100 meters, was 2.30 seconds slower than the "B" qualifying standard.[2][9][10] She competed on August 20 in Heat 3 against seven other athletes, finishing last with a time of 13.49 seconds.[11] Palau's Ngerak Florencio ranked ahead of her (12.76 seconds), in a heat led by United States' Lauryn Williams. Overall, Kamissoko was 2.06 seconds behind the slowest athlete that progressed, therefore not advancing to the quarter-finals.[11][12]

Key
Men
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Youba Hmeida 400 m 49.18 7 did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Aminata Kamissoko 100 m 13.49 8 did not advance

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sports Reference - Countries - Mauritania". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "IAAF Games of the XXX Olympiad – Athens 2004 Entry Standards". IAAF. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Sports Reference - Countries - Mauritania - 2004". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b "2004 Athens: Flag Bearers for the opening ceremony". Olympics. 13 August 2004. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Youba Hmeida on Sports Reference". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. ^ "IAAF - Athletes - Mauritania - Youba Hmeida - Honours". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. ^ "IAAF – Results – Olympic Games – 2004 – Men – 400 meters – Heats – Results". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. ^ "IAAF – Results – Olympic Games – 2004 – Men – 400 meters – Heats – Summary". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Aminata Kamissoko on Sports Reference". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  10. ^ "IAAF - Athletes - Mauritania - Aminata Kamissoko - Honours". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  11. ^ a b "IAAF – Results – Olympic Games – 2004 – Women – 100 meters – Heats – Results". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  12. ^ "IAAF – Results – Olympic Games – 2004 – Women – 100 meters – Quarter-Finals – Startlist". IAAF. Retrieved 30 January 2015.

External links

National Olympic Committees at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece
Categories