Flag of the Gambia In 1982, the Gambia formed a confederation with Senegal, which lasted for seven years before its dissolution in 1989. However, this closer union did not result in change of national symbols, and the Gambian flag continued to be flown during this time. The colours of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The blue alludes to the Gambia River, which is the nation's key feature and is where the country derives its name from. The red evokes the sun – given the Gambia's close proximity to the Equator – as well as the savanna, while the thin white stripes
The Gambia at the 2016 Summer Olympics Faye Njie represented The Gambia in men's judo. He gained qualification into the men's lightweight category (73 kg) by earning a continental quota place from the African region at the Rio Games during the 2016 African Judo Championships, signifying the country's first Olympic appearance in the sport. Before his event Njie said that he was proud to represent his country and commented his opponent was "good" but not undefeatable. He was narrowly defeated by his opponent Kazakhstan's Didar Khamza in a five-minute closely contested match on technical point. Pap Jonga was the youngest athlete to represent The Gambia at the