Bronze Medal for Venezuela.. Thanks Dalia!

The taekwondist Dalia Contreras won the Bronze Medal in Women −49 kg. Dalia is 24 years old and she's from Cabudare, Lara State. Dalia's medal is Venezuela's first medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the number 11 medal in Venezuela's participation history in the Olympic Games. Venezuela has got 1 gold medal, 2 silver medals and 8 bronze medals.

She said " I always dreamt of going to the Olympic games, I always told my mom that I wanted to go to the games... winning a medal was another goal but I made it..."

Venezuela first competed in London 1948, with The cyclist Julio Cesar Leon, our only participant and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then. Venezuela has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games since 1998.

In Helsinki 1959, there were 37 Venezuelan athlete participating that year. Two women Úrsula Selle y Gerda Müller, were also there. The athlete Arnoldo Devonish (June 15, 1932 – January 1, 1997) won the first bronze medal in Men's triple jump. Devonish was from Zulia State. In his jump, he registered 15,15 meters.

In Rome 1960, Enrico Forcela also won bronze medal in Men's 50 meter rifle prone.

In Mexico 1968, the boxer Francisco "Morochito" Rodríguez from Cumana, won a gold medal in Men's light flyweight. he competed against the Korean Young Ju Lee.

Eight years later in Montreal 1976, Pedro Gamarro won a silver medal in Men's welterweight.

Next, in Moscow 1980 another boxer, Bernardo Piñango got another silver medal in Men's bantamweight (categoria gallo).

In Los Angeles 1984, Venezuela got three bronze medals, two in boxing by Marcelino Bolivar (Men's light flyweight) and Omar Catarí (Men's featherweight). That year our Rafael Vidal got the Men's 200 meter butterfly bronze medal, too.

In Barcelona 92, Arlindo Goveia got Gold medal in Tae Kwon Do, but unfortunately that discipline wasn't a valid discipline in the Olympic games at that time.

Twenty years later in Athens 2004, Israel Rubio (Men's featherweighty) and Adriana Carmona in taekwondo (Women's heavyweight) got two Bronze medals more for Venezuela.

Finally, this year in Beijing 2008 our Dalia Contreras won the Bronze Medal.

We are very happy and proud of Dalia and we want to congratulate and thank her for the happiness that her dreams of computing in an Olympic game have given the Venezuelan people.

Now after reading about our athletes and their performance at the different Olympic Games. What do you think? Is it easy to get a medal? What do you know about our athletes? Do you you have a favorite one? What about the sports? What's your favorite?

Source: Wikipedia
Posters: Olympic Games