Lithuania in the Olympic games
For the first time Lithuania participated in the Olympic Games in 1924 in Paris. At that time it was represented by the football team and two cyclists. In 1952 in Helsinki Olympic Games Lithuanian sportsmen won Olympic medals for the first time: basketballers Stepas Butautas, Justinas Lagunavičius and Kazys Petkevičius became Olympic Vice-champions. At that time Lithuania was already occupied by the Soviet Union, thus the abovementioned three Lithuanians became Olympic Vice-champions as members of the Soviet Union basketball team.
Boxer Danas Pozniakas was the first Lithuanian sportsman, Olympic Champion, who won the gold medal at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968. For nearly 50 years Lithuania‘s sportsmen participated at the Olympic Games under the flag of the foreign country, as members of the Soviet Union team. During the period between 1952 (Helsinki Olympic Games) and 1988 (Seoul Olympic Games) Lithuania‘s sportsmen won 25 gold medals, 19 silver medals and 16 bronze medals.
After the restoration of Lithuania‘s independence in 1990 our sportsmen participated in four summer and four winter Olympic Games. Participation in all the summer Olympic Games was successful for our sportsmen: they won 49 medals (4 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 41 bronze medal).
The history of the participation of Lithuania‘s sportsmen in the Olympic Games records four sportsmen who became Olympic Champions twice: basketballer Angelė Rupšienė, handballer Aldona Česaitytė-Nenėnienė, cyclist Gintautas Umaras and discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna.
LITHUANIA IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES
