Wheelchair racing at the Olympics Olympics, held earlier that year. Athletes who finished in the top three of these competitions did not have the performances included in the overall medal count. However, unofficial medals were awarded to the competitors nevertheless in 1984 by Juan Antonio Samaranch, the International Olympic Committee president. The events were dropped prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and multiple Paralympic gold medallist Chantal Petitclerc stated the decision was a major set-back for the sport, as she favoured its official integration as an Olympic sport. At the inaugural event in 1984 Sharon Hedrick broke the IPC world record to win the women's
Ethiopia at the 2012 Summer Olympics bronze medal. In the women's marathon, Tiki Gelana became the first Ethiopian to win the gold medal since 1996, despite falling behind the other runners during the midway of the race. Ethiopia was given two "Universality places" from the FINA. Mulualem Girma Teshale finished farther behind the other swimmers, only in fifty-seventh place, failing him to advance into the semifinals. Yanet Seyoum, the first female Ethiopian swimmer finished sixty-fifth out of 73 swimmers, and also did not advance into the semifinals. Ethiopia at the 2012 Summer Olympics Ethiopia competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to