The 5 best performances of the DRC at the Olympic Games

The history of the DRC's participation in the Olympic Games is not the most beautiful, it is very often limited to early eliminations, from the first round for athletes in several disciplines.

But even though the DRC has not yet won a single Olympic medal, some athletes have still managed to record at least one victory during their participation in the Games. And these rare victories are to the credit of boxing and athletics. Here are the top 5 of the best Congolese performers at the Olympic Games.

5. Marcela Sakobi

Even though she failed to win an Olympic Games, Marcela Sakobi finds herself in this ranking thanks to the number of her participations. Indeed, she is the only female athlete from the DRC to qualify for two consecutive Olympics (2021 and 2024).

Read about it : 2024 Olympics – Boxing: Marcela Sakobi eliminated

If her first experience in Tokyo in 2021 was difficult, losing her first fight (5-0) against Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines, the second in Paris in 2024 was just improved in terms of rating. She lost her first fight on points (3-2) against Uzbekistan's Sitora Turdibekova.

4. Ibibongo Nduita and David Tshama

Both boxers recorded a points victory at the Olympic Games in their respective first fights.

For Ibibongo Nduita, it was in the bantamweight category at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 against Tanzanian boxer Haji Allié. For David Tshama it was in the middleweight category in Tokyo in 2021. He won against Cameroonian Seyi Ntsengue before being eliminated in the second round.

3. Serge Kabongo

Middleweight boxer Serge Kabongo won his first fight at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, winning by first-round stoppage against James Iahuat of Vanuatu before falling in the second round.

2. Kitenge Kitangawa

A welterweight boxer, Kitenge Kitawala will forever remain the first Congolese to record a victory at the Olympic Games.

It was in 1984 in Los Angeles where he won his first fight by referee stoppage in the first round against Lefa Tsapi of Lesotho before falling in the second round. The other five Congolese boxers, Zairians at the time, were eliminated in their first fights.

1. Gary Kikaya

Not only is he the only male athlete from the DRC to have qualified twice in a row for the Olympic Games (2004 and 2008), but he is also the only Congolese athlete, all versions combined, to have reached the semi-finals of an Olympic event.

Indeed, Gary Kikaya reached the semi-finals of the 400m at the Olympic Games twice; in 2004 in Athens and in 2008 in Beijing, achieving times of 44.80 and 44.96 respectively.

Unfortunately, he failed to qualify for the final each time. Gary Kikaya therefore remains to this day the best performer of the DRC in the history of its participation in the Olympic Games.

The article first appeared on Sport News Africa.