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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Equatorial Guinea At The 1984 Summer Olympics
Equatorial Guinea competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States, which were held from 28 July to 12 August. This was the first time the country took part in a Summer Olympics. The delegation consisted of four athletics competitors: sprinters Gustavo Envela and Secundino Borabota, and middle-distance runners Bartolomé Esono Asumu and Diosdado Lozano. All four failed to advance beyond the initial heats in their respective competitions. The best performance came from Envela who placed fifth in the eighth heat of the men's 100 metres.

Background

The Equatoguinean Olympic Committee was formed in 1980 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 1 January 1984. The 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games were the first Olympics, Summer or Winter, Equatorial Guinea ever participated in after it accepted a formal invitation from the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. As of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, the country has yet to debut in the Winter Olympics. Equatorial Guinea took part in the 1984 Summer Olympics from 28 July to 12 August. The Equatoguinean delegation to Los Angeles consisted of a group of four athletics competitors: sprinters Gustavo Envela and Secundino Borabota, and middle-distance runners Bartolomé Esono Asumu and Diosdado Lozano. The team was funded by a subsidy from the IOC. Borabota was chosen to be the flag bearer for the opening ceremony.

Athletics (track and field)

Main article: Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Equatoguinean delegation competed in athletics competitions.

At the age of 16, Gustavo Envela was the youngest person to represent Equatorial Guinea at the Los Angeles Games. He was drawn to compete in the eighth heat of the first round in the men's 100 metres on 3 August. Envela placed fifth out of eight sprinters with a time of 10.79 seconds. Since the top three in a heat, plus the next six overall fastest athletes progressed to the second round, that was the end of his participation in the men's 100 metres. Three days later, Envela took part in the first round of the men's 200 metres and was assigned heat eight along with seven other runners. He finished this race in a time of 22.14 seconds, which was seventh out of eight competitors. This was not sufficient for Envela to advance to the second round. Envela would go on to compete for Equatorial Guinea in the next three Summer Olympics and became a political activist after retiring.

23 year old Secundino Borabota was the oldest athlete to compete for Equatorial Guinea at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. On 4 August, he took part in the first round of the men's 400 metres. Assigned to the third heat and starting from lane two, Borabota, unfamiliar with the rule that all runners had to stay in their lane during the sprint and hurdle races, was observed cutting off Innocent Egbunike of Nigeria on the first turn. While running, Egbunike yelled at Borabota for 100 m (330 ft) before he got by him on the inside line and won the heat. Egbunike subsequently called for officials to disqualify Borabota, which they did. Afterwards, Borabota explained he switched lanes inadvertently because of an injury he sustained and remarked, "Lane one is a good lane." Nevertheless, Borabota represented Equatorial Guinea at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Bartolomé Esono Asumu was 21 years old at the time of the 1984 Games and was competing in his first Summer Olympics. His only race was the men's 800 metres, which he took part in the first round on 3 August. Asumu finished seventh and last in the seventh heat in a time of two minutes and 17.29 seconds. As the top three from each heat plus the next five fastest from all nine heats advanced to the second round, he was eliminated as his qualifying time was the slowest overall.

Diosdado Lozano was 20 years old at the time of these Summer Games and was making his Olympic debut. His only event was the men's 1500 metres, and on 9 August he was assigned to run in the second round's sixth heat. The top three in a heat, plus the next five overall fastest athletes advanced to the quarterfinals. Lozano finished his heat in a time of four minutes and 34.71 seconds and was eliminated from further contention as it placed him tenth and last of all the finishing runners.

Key
  • Note – Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
Track and road events
Athletes Events Round 1 Round 2 Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Gustavo Envela 100 metres 10.79 5 did not advance
200 metres 22.14 7 did not advance
Secundino Borabota 400 metres DSQ did not advance
Bartolomé Esono Asumu 800 metres 2:17.29 7 did not advance
Diosdado Lozano 1500 metres N/A 4:34.71 10 did not advance

References

  1. ^ Grasso, John; Mallon, Bill; Heijmans, Jeroen (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-4422-4860-1. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Equatorial Guinea – National Olympic Committee (NOC)". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Countries – Equatorial Guinea". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  4. ^ Hasen, Jeff (4 June 1984). "A record-142 nations will attend the Summer Games despite..." United Press International. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Equatorial Guinea at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  6. ^ "African Diary: A wet place in a dark age". The Times. 2 November 1985. Retrieved 30 August 2018 – via Gale Power Search.
  7. ^ "Athletics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Round One". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Athletics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 200 metres Round One". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  9. ^ MacFarlane, Scott (11 July 2018). "Former Olympic Sprinter Accused of Unlawful Entry, Damage at Equatorial Guinea Embassy". WRC-TV. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Notebook". The Washington Post. 5 August 1984. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  11. ^ Wallechinsky, David; Loucky, Jaime (2012). The Book of Olympic Lists. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1-84513-773-1. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  12. ^ Atkin, Ross (14 August 1984). "Star-filled, dramatic L.A. Olympics were like a Hollywood epic". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Secundino Borabota Bio, Stats, and Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Bartolomé Esono Asumu Bio, Stats, and Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Athletics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 800 metres Round One". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Diosdado Lozano Bio, Stats, and Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  17. ^ "Athletics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 1500 metres Round One". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
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