Angola has produced some of the most successful Olympians in Africa. From track and field superstars to basketball legends, the country has had many athletes represent it on the world stage. Angola is a country with a long and proud history of excellence in the Olympic Games.
From its first appearance in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Angola has sent its athletes to compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics ever since. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best Olympians Angola has produced over the years.
We will see what events they competed in, their accomplishments, and why they are considered some of the best Olympians from Angola.
1. Albertina Kassoma
Albertina da Cruz Kassoma is an extremely accomplished handball player from Angola. She currently plays for CS Rapid București, a Romania-based handball club, and is a member of Angola’s national handball team.
Her impressive career includes representation of her country at both the 2013 World Women’s Handball Championship in Serbia and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Her athletic talent has been widely recognized, as she was awarded with the title of best player at the 2018 African Women’s Handball Championship. This accolade is a testament to her hardwork and dedication to the sport and is a huge accomplishment for the Angolan athlete.
2. Teresa Almeida
Teresa Patricia De Almeida, affectionately known as Bá, is an Angolan handball player who plays for Petro de Luanda and is part of the Angolan national team. She has achieved great feats in the sport and has represented Angola in the international arena.
In 2013, she participated in the World Women’s Handball Championship in Serbia. Three years later, she made history by being part of the Angolan team to the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Bá again represented Angola at the 2020 Summer Olympics, making her one of the most prominent players of the Angolan national team. Her dedication to the sport has made her a role model for aspiring handball players in Angola.
3. Natália Bernardo
Natália María Bernardo dos Santos is an impressive handball player from Angola. She currently plays professionally for Primeiro de Agosto and for the Angola women’s national handball team.
Natália has also had the opportunity to compete in some of the world’s biggest handball tournaments, including the World Women’s Handball Championships in Brazil and Serbia in 2011 and 2013 respectively, and the Summer Olympic Games in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Her successes in these competitions prove that she is a talented, hard-working athlete. Natália has been playing handball for many years and her dedication to the sport is evident in her achievements.
She has demonstrated her skill and passion for the game in every tournament she has participated in. Her ability to consistently perform at a high level has earned her recognition from handball fans all over the world.
Natália’s journey is an inspirational one, and she has become a role model for aspiring handball players. Natália María Bernardo dos Santos is a true champion.
Her commitment to the sport of handball has earned her numerous accolades, and her dedication to the game has been an example to others. She is an amazing handball player and her accomplishments in the sport will continue to inspire others for many years to come.
4. Hermenegildo Leite
Hermenegildo Leite is an Angolan sprinter who made history by competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics. At the time, he was only 16 years old, making him the youngest competitor in the Angolan team. Despite his young age, Leite performed admirably in the men’s 100-metre race.
Unfortunately, his time of 11.65 seconds in the preliminary round was not enough to qualify him for the first round. Nevertheless, Leite’s achievement serves as an inspiration for young Angolan athletes who aspire to reach the same level of success.
Leite’s participation in the 2016 Summer Olympics proves that age is not a barrier to success and that even the youngest of athletes can achieve great things.
5. António dos Santos
António Dias dos Santos is an Angolan athlete with expertise in the long jump and triple jump disciplines. In 1987, he competed in the Central African Games and achieved impressive results, winning a gold medal in the triple jump and a silver medal in the long jump.
His success continued the following year when he competed in the African Championships and won the gold medal in the triple jump. This remarkable achievement solidified his status as a top competitor in the sport.
Since then, he has continued to be a force to be reckoned with on the international stage and has earned several more medals throughout his career.
6. João Francisco Capindica
João Francisco Capindica is a former sprinter from Angola. He is a well-known name in the world of athletics and is remembered for his performance at the 1992 Summer Olympics. At the Olympics, he competed in the men’s 400 metres event and showed great promise.
He was one of the top contenders for the gold medal but unfortunately, he could not make it to the podium and finished in a respectable position. His performance at the Olympics was a testament to his dedication and hard work.
He is a great example for aspiring athletes and a reminder of what one can accomplish with dedication and hard work.
7. Felismina Cavela
Felismina Cavela is an accomplished Angolan middle-distance runner. She is renowned for her achievements in the 800m distance, having competed at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Cavela made her international debut in 2011, at the All-Africa Games in Mozambique.
She went on to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where she competed in the Women’s 800 metres event.
She achieved a personal best time of 2:00.71 in the heats but was unable to progress to the semi-finals. Despite her Olympic disappointment, Cavela has since gone on to achieve further success.
She has competed at various international events, including the African Championships in Athletics and the African Games. She has also won several medals at the Angolan national championships. Overall, Felismina Cavela is a talented and determined Angolan middle-distance runner.
She has competed at the highest levels of international competition, and despite not achieving success at the 2012 Summer Olympics, she has gone on to prove her worth and demonstrate her commitment to the sport.
8. Benjamim Romano
Benjamim João Romano is a former Angolan basketball player who had the opportunity to represent his country at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. In the 1992 games, he only played in one game, but unfortunately did not score any points.
However, Romano improved his performance in the 1996 Olympics, as he played in six games and scored 14 points. This was a significant increase in his performance from the previous games, and it is an indication of the hard work and dedication he put into his game.
Romano remains a prominent figure in Angolan basketball, and his legacy will continue to be remembered for many years to come.
9. Francisco Santos
Francisco José Ribeiro Lopes dos Santos, commonly known as Francisco Santos, is a talented artist from Angola and Portugal. He is highly accomplished in many different fields and is known by several different names depending on the industry.
For example, as a competitive swimmer, he is known as Francisco Lopes Santos, but in the visual arts he is known as Xesko. When it comes to poetry, he uses the name Elias Karipande.
Francisco Santos is a true polymath, having mastered multiple disciplines and earned recognition in each. He is a testament to the power of creative thinking and his success is an inspiration to many.
10. Ana Sofia Nóbrega
Ana Sofia Nóbrega is a swimmer from Portugal and Angola. She represented her countries at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women’s 100 metre freestyle event.
Despite her best efforts, she was only able to place 40th with a time of 59.23 seconds, which meant she did not advance to the semifinals. Ana Sofia also competed at the 2015 African Games, further demonstrating her passion and dedication to the sport.
She is a great example of how hard work and determination can help you achieve your goals, no matter the obstacles.
11. Catarina Sousa
Catarina Sousa is an Angolan swimmer who has made a name for herself on the international stage. In 2017, she competed in the women’s 50 metre backstroke event at the World Aquatics Championships. This was a major achievement and showcased her talent and potential.
Two years later, in 2019, she continued to showcase her ability by representing Angola at the African Games held in Rabat, Morocco. Most recently, Catarina competed in the women’s 100m freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
This was a remarkable feat, and she demonstrated her resilience and dedication to the sport. She is a great example for aspiring swimmers, and her accomplishments show that hard work and dedication can take you far.
12. Salvador Gordo
Salvador Vieira Gordo is an Angolan swimmer who made a splash at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Representing Angola in the men’s 100m butterfly event, he managed to achieve a 54th place overall with a time of 55.96 seconds in his heat.
Gordo’s impressive performance at the Olympics has earned him a place at the University of Tampa in the United States, where he is committed to furthering his swimming career.
At the University of Tampa, Gordo will have access to the latest training and coaching with some of the best swimmers in the world. This will give him the opportunity to compete at an even higher level and one day become a world-class swimmer.
13. João N’Tyamba
João Baptista N’Tyamba is an accomplished Angolan runner. He was born in Lubango, a city in the country of Angola. João’s career in running began as a middle-distance runner, and he went on to achieve great success in his discipline.
In 1988, João competed in the 800 meters at the Summer Olympics, representing his country on the international stage. Since then, he has gone on to compete in multiple international events and has even earned several medals for his performances.
João is a highly respected runner in his home country of Angola, and his accomplishments have been widely celebrated. His success has also been an inspiration to many young Angolan runners, who look up to him as a role model.
14. Luis Matias
Luis Matias is an Angolan swimmer who had the opportunity to represent his country in the 2004 Summer Olympics. He was competing in the Men’s 100 metre butterfly event.
He managed to win heat 1 with a time of 58.92, but unfortunately, his performance wasn’t good enough to advance him to the next round. He finished in 58th place out of 60 spots, meaning he was not able to move forward.
This was a disappointing result for Matias, as he had hoped to show off his swimming skills on the international stage.
Despite not advancing, Matias’ performance at the Olympics was a tremendous accomplishment, and he should be proud of his hard work and dedication to the sport.
15. Victor Muzadi
Victor Muzadi is an accomplished former professional basketball player from Angola. He was part of the Angola national basketball team and played in several major tournaments. In 2000, he was part of the Angola team that competed at the Summer Olympics.
Two years later, he took part in the 2002 World Basketball Championships, held in Indianapolis. He also participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics and at the FIBA Africa Championship 2005 and 2007.
During these tournaments, Muzadi proved to be a valuable asset to the Angola team and helped them achieve success. He is now retired from professional basketball, but his legacy as a talented player remains.
16. Antónia Moreira
Antónia Moreira de Fátima, more commonly known as Faia, is an Angolan judoka. She is a prominent figure in the judo world and has competed in numerous international tournaments. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Faia competed in the 70 kg division.
This is a particularly challenging weight class, with competitors from all over the world. Unfortunately, Faia’s run at the Olympics was not successful, and she lost in the round of 16 to Kim Ryon-Mi of North Korea.
Despite this setback, Faia has continued to compete at the highest level and continues to be a major figure in the sport.
17. Abdel Bouckar
Abdel Aziz Boukar Moussa is an Angolan professional basketball player who was born in Chad. He has had a successful career, playing for the Angola national basketball team in a number of international competitions.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2005 African Championship, the 2006 Lusophony Games, and the 2006 FIBA World Championship, he represented his home country of Angola. In terms of his height, Abdel Aziz stands at a towering 6 ft 8 in.
With his impressive size and agility, he has been able to make waves in the international basketball community. Not only is he an important figure on the Angola national basketball team, but he also has the potential to be a great player in the NBA.
18. Herlander Coimbra
Herlander Fernandes Silva Coimbra is a retired Angolan basketball player. He played as a forward, standing at a height of 6’7” and weighing in at 172 pounds.
Coimbra was a part of the Angolan basketball team that competed in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic games. During the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona, Coimbra was involved in a heated confrontation with American player Charles Barkley.
The incident occurred during a match between Angola and the United States, and the two players were seen exchanging words. It is unclear what sparked the argument, but it is known that both players had to be separated by officials.
Conclusion
The best Olympic players in Angola have consistently proven their worth by bringing home the gold, silver, and bronze medals from the Olympic Games.
Through their hard work, dedication, and commitment to their sport, they have been able to achieve great things in the world of sports. They have served as an inspiration to many other athletes and have shown the world that Angola is a country with great potential.
