Литва / Lithuania

Lithuania were first represented by a 13-man team at the Paris 1924 Olympic Games.

Their men's football team were beaten in the first round by Switzerland.

Two cyclists completed their team. A larger team competed at the Amsterdam 1928 Games.

Although Lithuanians competed for the USSR in the Soviet era, they did not appear again until a team of 47 represented the newly independent nation in1992.

Discus thrower Romas UBARTAS won Lithuania's first gold medal under their own colours at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. He had previously claimed silver competing for the Soviet Union.

 At Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, Virgilijus ALEKNA won successive gold medals, also in the men's discus.

Trap shooter Daina GUDZINEVICIUTE is Lithuania's only female gold medallist to date.

She won at Sydney 2000 and competed in four consecutive Olympic Games from 1996 to 2008.

Lithuania's men are strong in basketball, taking bronze at three successive Olympic Games from 1992 to 2000. They had also provided three members of the Soviet Union gold medal squad that won gold in Seoul in 1988.

In Beijing 2008, the best performances came from Edvinas KRUNGOLCAS, who took silver in the men's modern pentathlon, and sailor Gintare VOLUNGEVICIUTE, who also grabbed a silver, in the laser radial class.

 Lithuanians competed for the USSR from 1952 to 1988. The frst Lithuanian to win an Olympic gold was boxer Danas POZNIAKAS, who won men's light heavyweight gold in Mexico City in 1968.

 Canoeist Vladas CESIUNAS won the men's 1000m Canadian doubles at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. Swimmer Lina KACIUSITE won the 200m breaststroke in Moscow in 1980, the first Lithuanian woman to win gold.

Cycling brothers Mindaugas and Gintautas UMARAS won team pursuit gold at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Gintautas also won individual gold at the same Games.

Angele RUPSIENE is the most successful Lithuanian basketball player, winning successive gold medals in the triumphant USSR women's teams of 1976 and 1980.