| Noc: | ALB |
| Nocname: | Albanian National Olympic Committee |
| Games: | Summer Olympics |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Website: | |
| Location: | London |
| Competitors: | 11 |
| Sports: | 5 |
| Flagbearer: | Romela Begaj |
| Gold: | 0 |
| Silver: | 0 |
| Bronze: | 0 |
| Appearances: | auto |
| App Begin Year: | 1972 |
Albania competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's seventh appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1972. The National Olympic Committee of Albania sent a total of 11 athletes to the Games, seven men and four women, to compete in four sports. Weightlifter Hysen Pulaku was officially removed from the team on the first day, after failing a drug test for the banned anabolic steroid substance, as announced by the International Olympic Committee.[1] Albania, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.
The Albanians competed in five sports with the same number of athletes like they did at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in China. This time around they couldn't improve on their previous achievements as they didn't future their two Wrestlers in Elis Guri and Sahit Prizreni.[2] Albania competed in Judo with World Judo Juniors Champion of 2009 and twice European Junior Champion of 2009 and 2010 Majlinda Kelmendi, who made her debut at the Olympic games.[3] She competed at the Women's 52 kg event. In the first round she defeated Jaana Sundberg from Finland. Before losing in the round of 16 to Mauritian Judoka Legentil.[4] In Weightlifting Albania initially competed with four athletes three men and one female. Briken Calja had the best result for Albania as he finished 6th in his debut for Albania lifting 320 kg in total.[5] Romela Begaj competed for the second time for Albania but this time she wasn't able to improve on her result from the previous olympics as she finished 9th in the end.
See main article: Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Albania has qualified 1 female quota place, and selected 1 male athlete by wildcard.
See main article: Judo at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Albania had not initially qualified a judoka, but due to the International Olympic Committee's refusal to allow Kosovars of Albanian ethnicity to represent Kosovo or to compete as independent athletes, Majlinda Kelmendi represented Albania at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[7]
See main article: Shooting at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Rank | Points | Rank | |||
| Arben Kucana | align=left | Men's 10 m air pistol | 577 | 20 | did not advance | |
| align=left | Men's 50 m pistol | 524 | 37 | did not advance | ||
See main article: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Albanian swimmers are invited. One men and female.
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | |||||
| align=left | Sidni Hoxha | align=left | Men's 100 m freestyle | 51.11 NR | 37 | did not advance | ||||
| align=left | Noel Borshi | align=left | Women's 100 m butterfly | 1:05.49 | 40 | did not advance | ||||
See main article: Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Albania has qualified three men and one female quota places.[8] On 28 July, the International Olympic Committee announced that Hysen Pulaku had tested positive for stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid, and consequently ejected him from the games.
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | |||||||
| align=left | Briken Calja[9] | align=left rowspan=2 | Men's −69 kg | 143 | 12 | 177 | 7 | 320 | 6 | |
| align=left | Daniel Godelli | — | — | — | ||||||
| align=left | Endri Karina | align=left | Men's −94 kg | 155 | 15 | 195 | 14 | 350 | 14 | |
| align=left | Romela Begaj | align=left | Women's −58 kg | 101 | 7 | 115 | 12 | 216 | 9 | |
| a. | The Albanian weightlifter, Erkand Qerimaj, resulted positive in the anti-doping test at the European Championship in Antalya, where he was found European Champion for 77 kg.[10] He provisionally is suspended and replaced by Endri Karina.[11] |