Cyclist Erika Salumäe and sailor Tõnu Tõniste both contributed to Estonia's medal tally at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games ©Joosep Martinson/ANOC

A celebration of the 25-year anniversary of Barcelona has been held by the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK), who hosted a reception for the delegation members who represented the country at the Games. 

Barcelona 1992 was the first Summer Olympics in over half-a-century for the small Northern European country, which had regained independence only a year earlier. 

It was also in the Spanish city that Estonian athletes won the first Olympic medals of the new era.

Erika Salumäe won the gold medal in the women’s track cycling sprint event, defending the title she won at Seoul 1988 when she competed for the Soviet Union.

Twin brothers Tõnu and Toomas Tõniste claimed the bronze medal in the men’s 470 team sailing competition to add to their silver from Seoul 1988.

All members of the Estonian delegation at Barcelona 1992 were welcomed to the reception, including athletes, coaches, support and medical staff, heads of delegation, National Olympic Committee officials and journalists.

The EOK presented all delegation members with a symbolic medal.

The reception also displayed the medals won from Barcelona 1992, as well as the bicycle on which Salumäe secured Olympic success and the delegation uniform, alongside other memorabilia.

Estonia won two medals at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, including one gold ©Getty Images
Estonia won two medals at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, including one gold ©Getty Images

"After all, these were the first Summer Olympic Games where I represented my free country under the blue-black-and-white national flag," Salumäe, who now resides in Spain, said.

"Every year on the anniversary of the Olympic victory I am reminded of the those unique moments when I receive a lot of congratulations to this day.

"It seems even unbelievable that it happened such a long time ago.

"Today I am very happy to see old friends again, some even for the first time after 25 years."

The Tõniste twins added: "We were very proud to have been part of the Barcelona experience, competing under the Estonian national flag for the first time after a very long period.

"We also had the Estonian flag printed on the sail of our boat and we were looking at it every day when we were competing for our medal.

"The spirit in Barcelona was truly special and we are very happy to have won a medal from those remarkable Games."

In 2016, Tõnu Tõniste became vice-president of the EOK and earlier this year Toomas Tõniste was named Estonian Minister of Finance.

Estonia had a delegation of 38 athletes and 24 team members at Barcelona 1992.

A total of 12 national journalists covered the Games.