Venezuela competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from July 27 to August 12, 2012.[1] This was the nation's seventeenth consecutive appearance at the Olympics, since its debut at the same host city in 1948. Celebrating the anniversary of the nation's Olympic debut, the British Embassy in Caracas invited former track cyclist Julio César León to travel back to the United Kingdom, and revisit his memories as the first Venezuelan athlete in history to compete at the games.[2]

With the absence of baseball and softball at the Olympics, the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (Spanish: Comité Olímpico Venezolano, COV) sent the nation's second-largest delegation to the Games. A total of 69 athletes, 43 men and 29 women, competed in 15 sports. There was only a single competitor in artistic gymnastics, shooting, and table tennis. Among the sports, Venezuela marked its Olympic debut in beach volleyball.

Notable Venezuelan athletes included sisters Andreína and Yanel Pinto in freestyle and open water swimming, all-around gymnast Jessica López, and track cyclist Daniela Larreal, who made her Olympic comeback in London after an eight-year absence. Table tennis player Fabiola Ramos, who competed at her fifth Olympics, was the most experienced athlete and became Venezuela's second consecutive flag bearer at the opening ceremony, and the fourth in Olympic history.

Venezuela left London with its first gold medal since 1968, and its second in Olympic history.[3] It was awarded to fencer Rubén Limardo, who won the men's individual épée.

Medalists [ edit ]

Medal Name Sport Event Date Gold Gold Fencing Men's individual épée 1 August Medals by sport Sport Total Fencing 1 0 0 1 Total 1 0 0 1

Competitors [ edit ]

Sport Men Women Total Archery 1 1 2 Athletics 8 5 13 Boxing 2 1 3 Cycling 7 5 12 Diving 2 1 3 Fencing 3 3 6 Gymnastics 0 1 1 Judo 2 1 3 Sailing 2 0 2 Shooting 0 1 1 Swimming 7 3 10 Table tennis 1 0 1 Volleyball 2 0 2 Weightlifting 1 2 3 Wrestling 5 2 7 Total 43 26 69

Archery [ edit ]

Venezuela qualified two archers.

Athletics [ edit ]

Venezuelan athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard)):[4][5]

Key

Note –Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only

–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only Q = Qualified for the next round

= 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

= Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser , in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target NR = National record

= National record N/A = Round not applicable for the event

Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Men Track and road events

Women Track and road events

Field events

Athlete Event Qualification Final Distance Position Distance Position Yusbely Parra Javelin throw DNS Did not advance Rosa Rodríguez Hammer throw 67.34 27 Did not advance

Boxing [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified boxers for the following events

Men

Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Rank Gabriel Maestre Welterweight Ghasemipour IRI)

W 13–8 Lusizi RSA)

W 18–13 Sapiyev KAZ)

L 9–20 Did not advance José Espinoza Middleweight Harcsa HUN)

L 13–16 Did not advance

Women

Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Rank Karlha Magliocco Flyweight Matos BRA)

W 15–14 Esparza USA)

L 16–24 Did not advance

Cycling [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified in the following events

Road [ edit ]

Track [ edit ]

Sprint

Team sprint

Keirin

Athlete Event 1st Round Repechage 2nd Round Final Rank Rank Rank Rank Hersony Canelon Men's keirin 3 R 2 Q 5 12 Daniela Larreal Women's keirin 3 R 3 Q 6 9

Omnium

Athlete Event Flying lap Points race Elimination race Individual pursuit Scratch race Time trial Total points Rank Time Rank Points Rank Rank Time Rank Rank Time Rank Carlos Linares Men's omnium 13.863 16 −18 16 14 4:36.477 16 18 1:06.773 16 96 17 Angie González Women's omnium 15.115 17 20 9 18 3:54.926 17 17 37.578 17 95 18

BMX [ edit ]

Athlete Event Seeding Semifinal Final Result Rank Points Rank Result Rank Stefany Hernández Women's BMX 41.253 12 15 5 Did not advance

Diving [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified in the following events.

Men

Athlete Event Preliminaries Semifinals Final Points Rank Points Rank Points Rank Edickson Contreras 3 m springboard 301.45 28 Did not advance Robert Páez 382.60 25 Did not advance

Women

Athlete Event Preliminaries Semifinals Final Points Rank Points Rank Points Rank Jocelyn Castillo 3 m springboard 266.00 23 Did not advance

Fencing [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified 5 fencers.

Men

Women

Gymnastics [ edit ]

Artistic [ edit ]

Women

Athlete Event Qualification Final Apparatus Total Rank Apparatus Total Rank F V UB BB F V UB BB Jessica López All-around 13.900 14.566 14.266 13.933 56.665 13 Q 13.800 14.800 13.900 13.000 55.500 18

Judo [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified 3 judokas

Sailing [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified 2 boat for each of the following events

Men

Athlete Event Race Net points Final rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M* Daniel Flores RS:X 37 37 29 32 30 24 32 29 23 19 EL 252 31 Jose Miguel Ruíz Laser 45 46 34 37 42 36 33 44 35 28 EL 333 41

M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;

Shooting [ edit ]

Women

Athlete Event Qualification Final Points Rank Points Rank Maribel Pineda 25 m pistol 560 38 Did not advance 10 m air pistol 365 45 Did not advance

Swimming [ edit ]

Venezuelan swimmers have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)[6][7]

Men

Women

Table tennis [ edit ]

Venezuela qualified one athlete.

Athlete Event Preliminary round Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Rank Fabiola Ramos Women's singles Bye Tóth HUN)

L 3–4 Did not advance

Volleyball [ edit ]

Beach [ edit ]

Athlete Event Preliminary round Standing Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM Opposition

Score Opposition

Score Opposition

Score Opposition

Score Opposition

Score Rank Igor Hernández

Jesus Villafañe Men's Pool E

Nummerdor – Schuil NED)

L 1 – 2 (18–21, 21–17, 10–15)

Pļaviņš – Šmēdiņš LAT)

L 0 – 2 (14–21, 16–21)

Erdmann – Matysik GER)

L 1 – 2 (22–20, 16–21, 11-15) 4 Did not advance 19

Weightlifting [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified 1 man and 2 women.

Wrestling [ edit ]

Venezuela has qualified in the following events

Key:

VT - Victory by Fall.

- Victory by Fall. PP - Decision by Points - the loser with technical points.

- Decision by Points - the loser with technical points. PO - Decision by Points - the loser without technical points.

Men's freestyle

Athlete Event Qualification Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Repechage 1 Repechage 2 Final / BM Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Rank Ricardo Roberty −74 kg Midana GBS)

L 1–3 PP Did not advance 12 José Daniel Díaz −84 kg Bye Zvirbulis LAT)

L 1–3 PP Did not advance 17

Men's Greco-Roman

Women's freestyle

Athlete Event Qualification Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Repechage 1 Repechage 2 Final / BM Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Opposition

Result Rank Mayelis Caripá −48 kg Bye Engelhardt GER)

W 3–1 PP Merleni UKR)

L 0–5 VT Did not advance 10 Marcia Andrades −55 kg Zholobova RUS)

L 0–3 PO Did not advance 19