Tunisia at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Tunisia competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's thirteenth appearance at the Olympics, having missed the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of its partial support for the United States boycott.
The Tunisian Olympic Committee sent the nation's largest delegation to the Games, surpassing the number of athletes sent to Beijing by almost two thirds. A total of 83 athletes, 63 men and 20 women, competed in 17 sports. Men's basketball, men's handball, and men's indoor volleyball were the only team-based sports in which Tunisia was represented at these Olympic games. There was only a single competitor in artistic gymnastics, sailing, shooting, and taekwondo.
Notable Tunisian athletes included freestyle swimmer and defending champion Oussama Mellouli, who competed at his fourth Olympics, tennis player and former Youth Olympic games participant Ons Jabeur, and fencing sisters Azza and Sarra Besbes. Heykel Megannem, captain of Tunisia's handball team, made his Olympic comeback in London after a twelve-year absence and was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Tunisia left London with three medals, which were all awarded to the team in athletics and swimming. This was the nation's most successful Olympics, winning the largest number of medals in its history, sending its largest delegation ever to the games due to the presence of team-based athletes, and making Olympic history for two legendary athletes. Middle-distance runner Habiba Ghribi became the first Tunisian female athlete to win an Olympic medal in the women's steeplechase. Meanwhile, Oussama Mellouli became the first Olympic swimming champion at both pool and open water, and became most successful Tunisian athlete in Olympic history with two gold medals.
Medalists
Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
Oussama Mellouli | Swimming | Men's 10 km open water | ||
Habiba Ghribi | Athletics | Women's 3000 m steeplechase | ||
Oussama Mellouli | Swimming | Men's 1500 m freestyle |
Athletics
Tunisian athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events :finished seventy-first in men's marathon.
;Men
became Tunisia's first female Olympic medalist.
;Women
Basketball
Tunisia is qualified for the men's event- Men's team event – 1 team of 12 players
Men's tournament
;Group play
Boxing
Tunisia has so far qualified boxers for the following events;Men
;Women
Canoeing
Sprint
Tunisia has qualified boats for the following eventsQualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final ; FB = Qualify to final B
Fencing
Tunisia has qualified 6 fencers.;Men
;Women
Gymnastics
Tunisia has qualified in the following events.Artistic
;MenHandball
will participate to the Olympic Games as the defending Africa Champion.- Men's team event – 1 team of 14 players
Men's tournament
;Quarter-final
Judo
Tunisia has qualified 4 judokasRowing
Tunisia has qualified the following boats.;Men
;Women
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A ; FB=Final B ; FC=Final C ; FD=Final D ; FE=Final E ; FF=Final F ; SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Sailing
Tunisia has qualified 1 boat for each of the following events;Men
M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;
Shooting
Tunisia has qualified one shooter.;Women
Swimming
Tunisian swimmers have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following events, and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time ):;Men
;Women
Taekwondo
Tunisia has qualified 1 athlete.Tennis
Volleyball
Tunisia has qualified a men's team to the indoor tournament.- Men's team event – 1 team of 12 players
Men's indoor tournament
;Group play
Weightlifting
Tunisia has qualified 1 man and 1 woman.Wrestling
Tunisia has qualified 8 quota places.;Men's freestyle
;Men's Greco-Roman
;Women's freestyle