| Liechtenstein at the 2024 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | LIE |
| NOC | Liechtenstein Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| inParis, France 26 July 2024 (2024-07-26) – 11 August 2024 (2024-08-11) | |
| Competitors | 1 (1 man) in 1 sport |
| Flag bearer (opening) | Romano Püntener |
| Flag bearer (closing) | Volunteer |
| Medals |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Liechtenstein competed at the2024 Summer Olympics inParis, France, which were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The country's participation in Paris marked its nineteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in1936, and after boycotting the1956 and1980 Summer Olympics.
The Liechtenstein athlete delegation consisted of one competitor, cyclistRomano Püntener, which tied for the smallest athlete delegation of a country at these Games. Püntener qualified through auniversality slot given by theUnion Cycliste Internationale. He was the flagbearer for the nation at theopening ceremony, while a volunteer held it at theclosing ceremony. He competed in themen's cross-country event in mountain biking and placed 28th. Thus, Liechtenstein has yet to win a Summer Olympic medal.
The Games were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024, in the city ofParis, France.[1] This edition of the Games marked the nation's nineteenth appearance at theSummer Olympics since its debut at the1936 Summer Olympics, and after boycotting the1956 Summer Olympics due to theHungarian Revolution of 1956 and the1980 Summer Olympics due to theSoviet invasion of Afghanistan. The nation had never won a medal at the Summer Olympics, with its only medals coming from the Winter Olympics.[2][3]
In the lead-up to the Games, theLiechtenstein Olympic Committee created an employment programme in 2023 to support six of the nation's athletes. It provided athletes with a salary and social and financial security so that they could focus on their sports. The athletes that were first chosen for the programme were tennis playerKathinka von Deichmann, cross-country skierRobin Frommelt, alpine skiersNico Gauer andMarco Pfiffner, mountain bikerRomano Püntener, and racing driverFabienne Wohlwend, due to the support from their sports' national federations and dedication to their respective sports.[4]
The Liechtenstein delegation was composed of three people. They traveled to Paris on 23 July.[‡ 1] The official present at the Games waschef de mission Mathias Briker.[5] A singular athlete qualified for the Games, Swiss-LiechtensteinerRomano Püntener, a mountain biker who competed in themen's cross-country event. Püntener was trained by Swiss former cyclist and OlympianRalph Näf, who won a silver and bronze medal at theUCI Mountain Bike World Championships.[6][7] The nation also tried to qualify tennis playerKathinka von Deichmann as awild card, but failed to do so asDanka Kovinić ofMontenegro earned the berth from theInternational Tennis Federation.[‡ 2] The nation's athlete delegation at the Games tied withBelize,Nauru, andSomalia, for the fewest athletes of a country at the Games.[8]
The Liechtenstein delegation came in 107th out of the 205National Olympic Committees in the2024 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations within the opening ceremony. Püntenerheld the flag for the delegation in the ceremony.[9] At theclosing ceremony, a volunteer held the flag.[10]
The following is the list of number of competitors for the nation at the Games.
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycling | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 |
For the first time since the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, Spain, Liechtenstein competed in a cycling event.[11] The nation received auniversality slot from theUnion Cycliste Internationale to send one male mountain biker for the Games, which allows aNational Olympic Committee to send athletes despite not meeting the standard qualification criteria.[12][13] The nation pickedRomano Püntener, who would compete in themen's cross-country event.[6]
Over a distance of 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) with eight laps, the men's cross-country event was held atColline d'Élancourt and started at 2:10 p.m. on 29 July 2024. Püntener maintained an average speed of 22.337 kilometres per hour (13.880 mph) and finished with a time of 1:34:33. He placed 28th out of the 36 athletes that competed. The winner of the event wasTom Pidcock ofGreat Britain, who was the defending champion from the previousSummer Olympics in Tokyo. Pidcock won in a time of 1:26:22.[14][15]
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romano Püntener | Men's cross-country | 1:34:33 | 28 |
In the text, these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):