United Republic of Tanzania (TAN)

Tanganyika formed the Tanganyika Commonwealth Games Association in 1957 which was constituted on 24 February 1958. Tanganyika became independent in 1961 and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) changed its name to Tanganyika Olympic Committee in 1963. Four athletes represented this country at the 1964 Olympic Games. Also in 1964, the former nations of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania and in 1967 the NOC changed its name again to Tanzania Olympic Committee. Tanzania has competed at every Olympic Games since 1968, except for those of 1976. It has never competed at the Olympic Winter Games.

In 1976, Tanzanian runner Filbert Bayi was a co-favorite in the 1,500 metres, along with New Zealand’s John Walker, and the battle between them was anticipated to be one of the greatest races in track history. It never occurred, as Tanzania joined the 1976 African boycott in protest of a New Zealand rugby team playing in South Africa.

At Moskva 1980 Bayi returned to win a silver medal in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. Tanzania’s other Olympic medal also occurred in 1980 when Suleiman Nyambui finished second in the 5,000 metres in track & field athletics.