Brazil Fails to Meet Expectations, Finishes in 20th Place at Paris Olympics

The Brazilian Olympic team finished the 2024 Paris Olympics in 20th place, despite earlier projections by the president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), Paulo Wanderley, who had stated two years prior that the country would not finish in this position.

This outcome is particularly disappointing given Brazil’s strong performance in the previous two Olympic Games, where it placed 13th in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and 12th in Tokyo in 2021.

Missed Projections

Wanderley’s prediction that Brazil would finish outside of the top 20 was based on the country’s impressive medal hauls in recent Olympics. However, Brazil fell short of expectations in Paris, winning only three gold medals compared to seven in each of the previous two Games.

This decline in gold medals contributed to Brazil’s lower overall ranking, despite winning a total of 20 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze). The country also failed to meet its target of matching its total medal count from Tokyo, which was 21.

Reasons for Underperformance

Wanderley attributed Brazil’s underperformance to a combination of factors, including the failure of several athletes to win medals despite being considered strong contenders.

He acknowledged that the COB had provided ample financial support to athletes and teams, but emphasized that external factors, such as weather conditions, can sometimes influence results.

Looking Forward

Despite the disappointing outcome in Paris, Wanderley remains optimistic about Brazil’s future Olympic prospects. He believes that the country has made progress in certain areas and that with continued investment and support, it can improve its performance in future Games.

The COB will be conducting an internal review to identify the factors that contributed to Brazil’s underperformance in Paris. The findings of this review will be used to develop strategies for improvement in the lead-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.