# Mali at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Mali competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. Since the nation made its debut in 1964, Malian athletes had appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal because of the African boycott.
Mali National Olympic and Sports Committee (French: Comité National Olympique et Sportif du Mali) selected a team of six athletes, four men and two women, to compete only in athletics, judo, swimming, and taekwondo at the Games, matching the nation's roster size with London 2012. Among the Malian athletes were freestyle swimmer Fatoumata Samassékou, the lone returning Olympian from the previous Games, sprinter and opening ceremony flag bearer Djénébou Danté, and taekwondo fighter and 2015 world bronze medalist Ismaël Coulibaly, who led the squad as the most successful member and the nation's flag bearer in the closing ceremony. Mali, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

## Athletics (track and field)

Mali has received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Djénébou Danté | Women's 400 m | 52.85 | 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Mamadou Chérif Dia | Men's triple jump | 16.47 | 24 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Judo

Mali has qualified one judoka for the men's half-heavyweight category (100 kg) at the Games. Ayouba Traore earned a continental quota spot from the African region, as the highest-ranked Malian judoka outside of direct qualifying position in the IJF World Ranking List of May 30, 2016.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Ayouba Traoré | Men's −100 kg | Bye | Maret (FRA) L 000–100 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Swimming

Mali has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Oumar Touré | Men's 100 m butterfly | 57.56 | 41 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Fatoumata Samassékou | Women's 50 m freestyle | 33.71 | =81 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Taekwondo

Mali entered one athlete into the taekwondo competition at the Olympics. 2015 Worlds bronze medalist Ismaël Coulibaly secured a spot in the men's welterweight category (80 kg) by virtue of his top two finish at the 2016 African Qualification Tournament in Agadir, Morocco.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Ismaël Coulibaly | Men's −80 kg | Beigi (AZE) L 6–13 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |