Ecuador (ECU)

Ecuador sent three track & field competitors to the 1924 Olympic Games – Alberto Jurado, Alberto Jarrín, and Belisario Villacís – prior to the Ecuadorean National Olympic Committee being formed in 1925. But this organisation did not last long as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had no knowledge about it in 1928. The attempt of George E. Navarro, the Ecuador 400 metres champion, who attended the University of Southern California at that time, to compete in the 1932 Games was not successful.

A new National Olympic Committee was created on 30 April 1959, which was recognized by the IOC on 25 May of the same year, at their session in München. A gap of 44 years then occurred before Ecuador returned to the Olympics in Mexico City. It has competed continuously since.

Until 2019, Ecuador had won only two medals at the Olympics: a gold in 20 km race walking at the 1996 Olympics by Jefferson Pérez, and a silver by Pérez in the same event in 2008, 12 years later. At Tokyo 2020, Ecuador had its best Olympics ever, with three medals. Richard Carapaz won the men’s cycling road race, and weightlifters Neisi Dajomes (gold) and Tamara Salazar (silver) became the first Ecuadorean women to finish on the podium, in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight classes, respectively.

Ecuador appeared at the Olympic Winter Games for the first time in 2018, with a single competitor. Klaus Jungbluth competed in cross-country skiing in the 15 km freestyle event. At Beijing 2022, Ecuador also competed with a single athlete, this time a woman, Alpine skier Sarah Escobar in the giant slalom event.

In 1967 the Olympic Committee of Ecuador was awarded with the Count Alberto Bonacossa Trophy.