Olympics 2008

It's always great to see a nation win its first Olympic medal as Mozambique did at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, even if it wasn't the colour they were hoping for.

The African country was one of a then record 79 countries to pick up a medal at the Games (80 managed the feat four years later in Sydney), but Maria Mutola's 800m bronze was expected to be gold.

Mutola was just 15 when she first competed on the Olympic stage at the Seoul Games of 1988 - she finished last in her first round heat but posted a personal best time of 2:04.36.

There were high hopes of a first Mozambique medal four years later in Barcelona, but Mutola faded in the final straight and finished fifth.

By 1996 though, she was a clear favourite to win the title as nobody had beaten her in an 800m or 1000m final since 1992.

However, the 23-year-old was suffering from flu at the time of the final and was beaten by Russia's Svetlana Masterkova and Cuba's Ana Quirot.

Mutola finally won that elusive 800m gold at the Sydney 2000 Games, giving her the distinction of winning Mozambique's only two medals in the country's Olympic history.

Of the 211 past and present nations to compete in the Olympic Games, 123 have won at least one medal, while 88 are yet to do so.

Which Olympian will pick up their nation's first medal in Beijing?