At the 2016 Olympics, Pakistan has its smallest-ever contingent. A nation of 200 million is being represented by just seven sportspersons. Moreover, it is the first time that there is no direct qualifier from Pakistan. Six are there as pure wild cards while the judoka Shah Hussain Shah is in Rio only through continental quota.

Since 1948, hockey had been Pakistan’s main hope for an Olympic medal. The hockey squad always formed a major part of Pakistan’s Olympic contingent. Rio is the first time that Pakistan even failed to qualify for the hockey competition.

Still, we can have a look at Pakistan hockey team’s performances at the world’s biggest sports extravaganza.

Pakistan participated in Olympics 16 times.  The only absence was in 1980 at Moscow, when many nations boycotted Olympics in protest against the former Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

All the other sports have yielded a total of two bronze medals, won by wrestler Mohammad Bashir (1960) and boxer Hussain Shah (1988).

From 1956 to 1972, Pakistan appeared in five consecutive finals, earning two gold and three silver medals.

From 1956 to 1984, Pakistan earned a medal in every Olympics through hockey (barring 1980 when they had boycotted): three gold, three silver medals and one bronze.

The year 1988 was the first time when they failed to reach the semi-finals. Since 1992, when they won the bronze medal, Pakistan has failed to win any medal.

Pakistan’s gold medal winning captains at the Olympics were Abdul Hameed Hameedi in 1960, Tariq Aziz in 1968 and Manzoor Hussain Junior in 1984.

Pakistan’s goal scorers in the finals of the three gold medal victories were: Naseer Bunda in 1960 when Pakistan defeated India 1-0; Abdul Rasheed Junior and Asad Malik in 1968 when Pakistan defeated Australia 2-1; Hasan Sardar and Kalimullah in 1984 when Pakistan defeated West Germany 2-1.

Right in Hameedi is the only person to captain Pakistan twice in the Olympics: 1956 and 1960.

Penalty corner king Sohail Abbas is Pakistan’s all-time top scorer: 22 goals in three Olympics.

He is followed by brothers Hameedi and Abdul Rasheed Junior with 16 and 15 goals, respectively.

For a single edition also, Sohail’s tally of 11 goals in 2004 is a Pakistan record.

Hameedi and Rasheed Jr are the only pair of brothers to have captained Pakistan. Rasheed Jr was captain in 1976.

Rasheed Jr is the only Pakistani to have a complete set of Olympic medals: gold (1968), silver (1972) and bronze (1976).

Hameedi and Manzoor Hussain Atif, both brigadiers, are the only two Pakistanis to play in four Olympics: Hameedi (1948 to 1960); and Atif (1952 to 64).

Hameedi has the unique distinction to score goals in four Olympics.

Col Ali Iqtidar Shah Dara has many firsts: He was the captain of Pakistan’s first Olympic team; the first Pakistani to score in Olympics (1948), against Belgium (also Pakistan’s first goal in international hockey); and the manager of Pakistan’s first gold medal-winning team (1960).

Three players represented both Pakistan and India: AIS Dara, India (1936), Pakistan (1948); Latif-ur-Rahman India (‘48), Pakistan (‘52 and ‘56); and Akhtar Hussain, India (‘48), Pakistan (‘56).

Latif and Akhtar won medals for both the countries: They both won gold for India in ‘48 and silver in ‘56 while representing Pakistan.

The Dar family has the distinction of having contributed to all gold medal-winning teams: Munir Dar (1960), Tanvir Dar, (1968), Tauqueer Dar (1984).

Interestingly, Tauqueer’s  father-in-law Khawaja Zakauddin was also part of the 1960 team.

Brig Atif has the unique distinction of having played a role in all the three gold medal wins: As a player in 1960 and as the manager in 1968 and 1984. In addition, he has a pair of silvers from the 1956 games as a player and 1964 as the captain and a bronze as the manager in 1976 -- a grand achievement spreading over 32 years.

Asad Malik, who scored the gold medal-winning goal against Australia in the 1968 final, had the honour of his action photograph of that goal immortalised on a Pakistan postage stamp.

Goalkeeper Zakir Hussain has the longest gap between his two appearances. A member of the 1956 team (silver medal), he returned 12 years later to be part of the victorious 1968 squad.

Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic winning squad included full-backs Munir Dar and Khursheed Aslam. Their younger brothers Tanveer Dar and Akhtar ul Islam were full-backs of Pakistan’s victorious team of the first World Cup (1971).

Pakistan’s biggest victory in a single Olympic match is 10-0 against Japan in 1960.

The worst defeat came in 2012 when we lost 0-7 to Australia.

Pakistan’s highest overall tally is 26 (with 5 against) in 1968.

The highest goal difference was achieved in 1960, with 25 for and 1 against.

One hockey international participated in the Olympics, but in a different sport. Right out Iftekhar Shah, who played in test matches against Kenya and Uganda in 1968, had already competed in athletics in the 1960 and 1964 Olympics in sprints and long jump.

Khawaja Mohammad Aslam was selected to represent Pakistan in 1952 both in hockey and athletics (4 x 400 metres relay). He opted for hockey.

However, one person has the unique honour of actually representing Pakistan in two different disciplines. Shahzada Shahrukh was the left-half of the 1948 Olympics hockey squad. He then represented Pakistan in cycling in 1956.