Suriname has been taking part in the Summer Olympics since 1968. In 1980, the country followed the US call for a boycott and stayed away from Moscow for the Games. So far, no athletes have been sent to the Winter Games. Young athletes have taken part in both of the youth summer games that have been held so far.
The first Olympic team in Suriname consisted of a track and field athlete. The middle-distance runner Siegfried Willem (Wim) Esajas was to become the first Olympian in his country . But Esajas had overslept on the day of the competition and did not show up for the start of the 800-meter run. Thus, on October 13, 1968, the sprinter Edward George (Eddy) Monsels became the first Surinamese participant in the Olympic Games. The first women of Suriname at the Olympic Games were sprinter Yvette Bonapart and middle distance runner Letitia Vriesde on September 24, 1988 in Seoul .
In addition to track and field athletes, judoka (since 1972), swimmers (since 1984), cyclists (since 1988) and badminton players (since 1996) also took part.
Suriname's most successful Olympian was swimmer Anthony Nesty . In 1988 in Seoul he won the gold medal over 100 meters dolphin. He finished eighth over the 200-meter distance. Four years later in Barcelona he won bronze again over the 100-meter course. It was the only Olympic medal ever given by an athlete from Suriname.
Youth games
Five young athletes, two boys and three girls, competed in athletics, badminton, swimming and taekwondo at the first 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore .
In 2014, six athletes, four boys and two girls, competed in the same sports in Nanjing . The athlete Miguel van Assen became a youth Olympic champion in the triple jump.