Solomon Islands at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1] This edition of the Games marked the nation's tenth appearance at the Summer Olympics since they debuted at the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, California, United States.^[2] The nation planned to use the Games as a "learning ground" for their hosting of the 2023 Pacific Games, to be held in the city of Honiara.^[3]

A coordination between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) of Nauru, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, and Nauru Airlines, used the airline to charter two flights for the four national delegations of Nauru, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. Along the way, there was a technical stop in Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia, before travel to Tokyo, due to precautions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Delegations from Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu were brought to Nauru on 19 July 2021, while the following day saw all of the delegations' departure to the Haneda Airport in Tokyo.^[4]

Edgar Iro was the only person in the Solomon Islands delegation to not take part in the IOC chartered flight. He flew in from Thailand the same week of their departure.^[5]

The Solomon Islands delegation was composed of nine people. Officials present were National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) president Martin Rara, NOCSI delegation general secretary Melinda Avosa, technical director Apollos Saeg, who was also called to be the weightlifting head coach,^[6] and chef de mission and Japanese government volunteer Naoyuki Fujiyama.^[7] Fujiyama's role in the delegation was controversial after multiple calls from Solomon Islands national sports federations for him to step down from his position due to alleged corruption and fraud, and the fact that he had breached the constitution of the NOCSI that "restricted non-citizens from participating in the administration of sports matters in Solomon Islands", as he was only a resident of the nation and not a citizen.^[8]

Coaches present were athletics head coach and two-time Olympian Francis Manioru, swimming head coach Stance Sanga, and Saeg. The athletes that competed were long-distance runner and 2016 Olympian Sharon Firisua, who competed in the women's marathon, swimmer Edgar Iro, who competed in the men's 100 m freestyle, and weightlifter Mary Kini Lifu, who competed in the women's 55 kg category.^[6] Weightlifter and two-time Olympian Jenly Tegu Wini was also expected to compete for the nation in the women's 59 kg category,^[9] but did not qualify after not tallying enough points for the rankings.^[10]

Firisua was the last Solomon Islands athlete to compete at the Games. No Solomon Islands athlete had earned an Olympic medal as of the 2020 Games.^[2]

The Solomon Islands delegation, besides Iro, returned to the nation 13 August 2021, after an act was signed by prime minister Manasseh Sogavare that allowed them to return to the country despite measures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic that prohibited people from entering the country.^[11]

The Solomon Islands delegation marched 101st out of 206 countries in the 2020 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations within the opening ceremony, due to the host's use of the local kana alphabetical system.^[a] Firisua and Iro held the flag for the delegation in the ceremony.^[6][12] At the closing ceremony, Lifu was the designated flagbearer for the nation.^[13]

The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games.^[14]

Solomon Islands received a universality slot from World Athletics to send a female athlete to the Olympics, which allows a National Olympic Committee to send athletes despite not meeting the standard qualification criteria.^[15][16] The nation selected long-distance runner and national record holder Sharon Firisua, who would be the first person from a Pacific Island nation to compete in the women's marathon at any edition of the Games. Firisua also competed in the last Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,^[17] where she competed in the women's 5000 metres and placed 15th in her heat, not advancing to the final.^[18] Before the Games, Firisua and her team aimed for her to beat her personal best of 3:08:56 and possibly run a time under 3 hours, targeting a time of 2:55:00.^[19]

Firisua was the last Pacific athlete to compete at the Games.^[19] She competed in her event on 7 August 2021 at 6:00 p.m.,^[20] in Sapporo, Hokkaido, instead of Tokyo, after a decision made and approved by the International Olympic Committee.^[21] She ran a time of 3:02:10, setting a new national record,^[22] finishing 72nd out of 73 finishers and 88 overall competitors. Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya won the race and earned the gold medal.^[23]

Track & road events

Solomon Islands received a universality invitation from FINA to send a male top-ranked swimmer in his respective individual events to the Olympics, based on the FINA Points System of 28 June 2021.^[24] The nation picked swimmer Edgar Iro, who competed in the men's 100 metre freestyle.^[25] Before the Games, Iro trained for his event in Thailand.^[5] He was the first ever swimmer to compete for Solomon Islands at the Olympic Games.^[26]

Iro competed in his event on 27 July 2021, in the first heat in the seventh lane. He finished second to last in his heat and placed last overall out of all of the finishers,^[b] finishing with a time of 1:00.13.^[25] Caeleb Dressel of the United States won the gold medal with an Olympic record-setting time of 47.02.^[28][29]