The African nation hopes to compete in sports including athletics, golf, rowing and swimming at next month's postponed Games but is not confident of any major success.

"In terms of the team size, I think we are probably going to be sending one of the smallest teams ever," Mudawarima said to The Herald.

"It's expected, given what has been happening, in the last two years.

"The Games were postponed, it's been hard for athletes to prepare, to get qualification events, qualification events cancelled, to get athletes to be ready physically and psychologically as well.

"We also have to be realistic, in terms of our expectations, to say if our swimmers haven't attained the A standard, or the B standard time, then all we are basically looking at is to say, look go out there, get the experience and learn.

"We are getting the whole Olympics hype out of the way so that they can now prepare for the forthcoming events.

"Our athletes, if they are not getting on the podium at the World Championships, if they are not getting on the podium at the Diamond League, at the Africa Championships, it then becomes almost impossible for them to then miraculously win a medal at the Olympics."

Zimbabwe has won eight medals in its Olympic history - with swimmer Kirsty Coventry winning all but one of them.

Coventry is the outgoing chair of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission, as well as being Zimbabwe's Sports Minister, and won two gold, four silver and one bronze medal during her career.

The country's remaining medal is the gold won by the women's hockey team at the boycotted Moscow 1980 Olympics.