The Bahamas: The Rarest But Most Underappreciated Gem
The Bahamas is known as a place to escape, relax, and leave all your worries and problems behind for but a moment in Paradise. The Bahamas has been this and will probably be this for a long time, but this is not the only story of The Bahamas.
My focus will be the story of The Bahamas at the Olympic Games.
In 1964, The Bahamas became the smallest nation in the world with an Olympic Gold medal. A title the country held until 2012, when Kirani James of Grenada delivered his countries first Gold medal. In 2000, The Bahamas became the worlds smallest country with multiple Olympic Gold medals, a title the country still holds at present. It has won at least 1 Gold medal at 4 of the last 5 games, 2000, 2004, 2012, 2016. It is also the only country under 1 million people with multiple Olympic Gold medals. The total Olympic Gold medal count for countries under 1 million people is 10, divided between 5 countries. The Bahamas holds 6 of the 10 Gold medals with only Grenada being smaller in population size. The country has also delivered 2 individual Gold medals in the Women's 400m, a feat that only 4 countries have achieved, 5 if you include East Germany, that is no longer in existence.
I want to close with this reality. The fact that this country of under 400,000 people have been able to conquer the giants of this world in 4 of their last 5 appearances, a feat that no other country as small can claim. The fact that it is the only country under 20 million people with 2 women's 400m titles, makes The Bahamas the rarest but most underappreciated gem in the history of the Olympic Games.
My focus will be the story of The Bahamas at the Olympic Games.
In 1964, The Bahamas became the smallest nation in the world with an Olympic Gold medal. A title the country held until 2012, when Kirani James of Grenada delivered his countries first Gold medal. In 2000, The Bahamas became the worlds smallest country with multiple Olympic Gold medals, a title the country still holds at present. It has won at least 1 Gold medal at 4 of the last 5 games, 2000, 2004, 2012, 2016. It is also the only country under 1 million people with multiple Olympic Gold medals. The total Olympic Gold medal count for countries under 1 million people is 10, divided between 5 countries. The Bahamas holds 6 of the 10 Gold medals with only Grenada being smaller in population size. The country has also delivered 2 individual Gold medals in the Women's 400m, a feat that only 4 countries have achieved, 5 if you include East Germany, that is no longer in existence.
I want to close with this reality. The fact that this country of under 400,000 people have been able to conquer the giants of this world in 4 of their last 5 appearances, a feat that no other country as small can claim. The fact that it is the only country under 20 million people with 2 women's 400m titles, makes The Bahamas the rarest but most underappreciated gem in the history of the Olympic Games.
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