29/07/2012
Five athletes supported by the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity programme have won medals on just the first day of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
In the women’s 48kg judo, Sarah Menezes of Brazil finished in the gold medal position, the first time Brazil has won a gold medal in women’s judo. Hungary’s Eva Csernoviczki finished third, winning bronze.
Jin Jong Oh from the Republic of Korea improved on his silver medal in Beijing 2008 by winning a gold medal in the 10m air pistol at the Royal Artillery Barracks – the first ever gold medal of his country in this event. Andrija Zlatic of Serbia secured bronze in the same event. He is the first male shooter to win an Olympic medal for Serbia.
In the men’s 60kg judo, Rishod Sobirov of Uzbekistan was awarded the bronze medal.
All the athletes have received funding via Olympic Solidarity, the organ responsible for administering and managing National Olympic Committees’ share of the television rights from the broadcasting of the Olympic Games.
Olympic Solidarity’s main mission is to plan, organise and control the execution of the support programmes for the NOCs, particularly those that need it most, as stipulated in the Olympic Charter.
In total, 1,264 Olympic solidarity scholarships for athletes aiming for London 2012 were awarded between September 2010 and August 2012 to athletes nominated by their respective NOCs for their preparation and qualification for the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London.
The programme is operational from 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2012 and particular attention was paid to athletes with the greatest need. The athletes came from 171 NOCs in 21 sports. .
Learn more about Olympic Solidarity here.