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The 27th Olympiad was held in Sydney, Australia… American sprinter Marion Jones became the first woman to win 5 athletics medals at an Olympic Games. She was born in Belize, a small country in Central America.

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The XVI Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA)… Jefferson Pérez became the first Ecuadorian athlete to win a gold medal. Pérez received a hero’s welcome when he returned to his country.

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Peru won the silver medal in women’s volleyball at the XXIII Summer Olympics in South Korea. The silver medal for Peru was the second that country has won in Olympic competition.

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The 26th Olympiad was held in Atlanta… Venuste Niyongabo became the first runner from Burundi to win a gold medal. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in Africa.

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One of the most famous athletes in South African history is Josia Thugwane. She won the gold medal in the marathon at the Atlanta Olympics. Josia became South Africa’s first black gold medalist.

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Costa Rica has had great athletes at the Olympic Games: Claudia Poll Arenhs (swimmer, Olympic gold medal in 200m freestyle, 1996) and Sylvia Poll Arenhs (swimmer, Olympic silver medal in 200m freestyle, 1988).

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Frankie Fredericks was the first Namibian sprinter to win four Olympic medals (Barcelona’92 and Atlanta’96).

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John Akii-Bua is the only Ugandan athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He won the 400m hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

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Edwin Vásquez Cam became the first Peruvian athlete to win an Olympic medal in shooting. He was Olympic champion in 1948.

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Lloyd Labeach is the only Panamanian sprinter to win two Olympic medals. In 1948 he won two bronze medals at the London Olympics (100m and 200m).

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The XXI Summer Olympic Games were held in Montreal, Canada… Hasely Crawford became the first athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal.

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Anthony Conrad Nesty is the only Afro-Caribbean to win an Olympic gold medal in the swimming competition at the Olympics. He won the 100m butterfly at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He is a hero in Suriname, a beautiful country in South America.