Djibouti's debut came at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where they fielded three athletes but did not take home a medal.

The country came close to its second medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics when Ayanleh Souleiman finished fourth in the men's 1500 metres.

Djibouti have competed primarily in athletics, but have also participated in judo, swimming, sailing and table tennis events.

Djiboutian Olympians have primarily been men; the first female athlete was Roda Ali Wais who participated in the 2000 Games.

Djibouti's oldest athlete to compete in the Olympics was Hussein Ahmed Salah during the 1996 Games at the age of 39 years and 217 days.

[4] The 1980 Moscow Olympics was the first edition of the Summer Games that Djibouti would have been eligible for, but the country boycotted the event in protest of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

[6] Djama Robleh finished eighth with a time of 2:11:39, while Hussein Ahmed Salah and Omar Abdillahi Charmarke came in 20th and 32nd place respectively.

Ahmed Salah, the only Djiboutian athlete to return from the 1984 Olympic Games, was awarded with Djibouti's only medal, a bronze for finishing third in the men's marathon with a time of 2:10:59.

[19][20][21] In the men's marathon event, Ahmed Salah placed 30th with a time of 2:19:37 while Talal Omar Abdillahi did not finish.

[25] At the age of 39 years and 217 days, Ahmed Salah set the record as Djibouti's oldest athlete competing in the Olympics.

[29] She also set the record as Djibouti's youngest participant in the Olympic Games, at the age of 16 years and 62 days.

[41] Djibouti fielded its second largest deletion for the 2016 Olympic Games, consisting of five competitors in athletics, and one each in judo and swimming.

[45][46] Mumin Gala, the country's only returning Olympian from the 2012 Games, competed in the men's marathon and finished 12th overall with a time of 2:13:04.

[50] Zourah Ali represented Djibouti at the Olympics for the first time since 2012 and participated in the women's 1500 metres, but did not finish her heat and was eliminated.

In the men's 5000 metres, Abdi Waiss Mouhyadin and Mohamed Ismail Ibrahim were both eliminated in the first heat and did not advance to the final.

[61] Djibouti's only medal is a bronze awarded to Hussein Ahmed Salah in the men's marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.