Rings

Olympics

  • Athens

    Athens
    When the Summer Olympics of 1896 was held in Athens, Greece, many new things happened. It was the first International Olympic Game held in the Modern Era and the International Olympic Committee was established. There were 14 nations participating and the games made the Olympics of 1896 the largest international participation of any sporting event.
  • Period: to

    Olympics Held in the Modern Era and Olympics to Come

  • Paris

    Paris
    The Sumer Olympics held in Paris, France in 1900. Oddly, it had no opening or closing ceremony and the games were held as part of 1900 World's Fair. It was also the first time women took part in the games.
  • St. Louis

    St. Louis
    The 1904 Summer Olympics were held in St. Louis, Missouri and boxing, dumbbells, freestyle wrestling, and the decathlon made their debuts. What was really interesting was that the swimming events were held in a pond and an athlete named George Eyser won six gold medals while having a wooden leg!
  • Athens

    Athens
    It was the first intercalated games and it was quite successful in Athens, Greece 1906.
  • London

    London
    The 1908 Summer Olympics was held in London, England. The Olympics were originally going to be in Rome. One of the highlights was that the Swedish flag was not displayed in the stadium so they did not participate in the opening ceremony.
  • Stockholm

    Stockholm
    The 1912 Summer Olympics were held in Stockholm, Sweden. Surprisingly Francisco Lazaro died from a heart attack while running the marathon. There was a match between Klein and Asikainen that lasted eleven hours and forty minutes (which was the longest wrestling match). Oscar Swahn was the oldest Olympic mentalist to get the gold (at the time). Finally, women's events in swimming and diving were introduced.
  • 1916 Canceled

    1916 Canceled
    The 1916 Summer Olympics were canceled due to World War I but was going to be held in Berlin, Germany.
  • Antwerp

    Antwerp
    The 1902 Summer Olympics were held in Antwerp, Belgium. This was first Olympics with the Olympic Oath, doves being released, and the Olympics flag was flown. There were 29 nations participating and figure skating and ice skating made their appearance.
  • Chamonix

    Chamonix
    The 1924 Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France. The very first gold medal awarded in the Olympic Winter games was won by Charles Jewtraw for the 500 meter speed skating.
  • Paris

    Paris
    Paris, France held the 1924 Summer Olympics. The marathon's distance was set at 42.195 Km and it was the first time they used the standard 50 meter pool with marked lanes for the swimming events. The Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger) was used for the first time.
  • St. Moritz

    St. Moritz
    St. Moritz, Switzerland held the 1928 Winter Olympics. Sonja Henie won her first gold medal in women's figure skating.
  • Amsterdam

    Amsterdam
    The Summer Olympics in 1928 has held in Amsterdam, Holland. This Olympics was the one where the Olympic flame was first lit. The whole event was supposed to be 16 days but then it was stretched to several months.
  • Lake Placid

    Lake Placid
    In 1932, Lake Placid, New York, USA held the Winter Olympics and you can go to Lake Placid and see where the events took place.
  • Los Angeles

    Los Angeles
    The Summer Olympics in 1932 has held in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Olympic Village was build for the first time and it was the first time a victory podium was used.
  • Garmisch-Partenkirchen

    Garmisch-Partenkirchen
    Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics
  • Berlin

    Berlin
    The Summer Olympics in 1936 were held in Berlin, Germany. Since the Olympics happened in the time of Hitler, he had the "Jews not welcomed" signs removed from main tourist attractions. They also arrested gypsies to "clean up" Berlin for the games.
  • Canceled

    Canceled
    Summer Olympics in 1940 canceled due to World War II. It was going to be in Tokyo, Japan.
  • Canceled

    Canceled
    The 1940 Winter Olympics were canceled due to World War II.
  • Canceled

    Canceled
    The Summer Olympics were canceled due to World War II and it was going to be in London, England; so they moved London's turn to 1948.
  • Canceled

    Canceled
    The 1944 Winter Olympics were canceled because of World War II.
  • St. Moritz

    St. Moritz
    Once again St. Moritz, Switzerland hosted the Winter Olympics in 1948. Barbara Ann Scott became the first Canadian to win the figure skating gold medal. Dick Button became the first American to win a figure skating title for the United States, and also became the first figure skater to perform a double axel during an Olympic figure skating event.
  • London

    London
    The 1948 Summer Olympics were held in London, England. 59 nations competed with 4,104 athletes that were comprised from 3,714 men and 390 women. There were 19 sports that you could enroll for. Bob Mathias became the youngest Olympian at age 17.
  • Oslo

    Oslo
    Oslo, Norway hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics.
  • Helsinki

    Helsinki
    The 1952 Summer Olympics were hosted by Helsinki, Finland. That was the year that Israel made its Olympic debut and the Republic of China withdrew from the games because they were protesting.
  • Cortina d'Ampezzo

    Cortina d'Ampezzo
    In 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy hosted the Winter Olympics. This was the first time the Soviet Union participated in the Winter Olympics.
  • Melbourne

    Melbourne
    The Summer Olympics were in Melbourne, Australia in 1956. That was when India's national field hockey team won its 6th consecutive gold. Hungary and the Soviet Union also were present at the games.
  • Squaw Valley

     Squaw Valley
    The 1960 Winter Olympics were held in Squaw Valley, California, USA. This Winter Olympics introduced Disney artist John Hench's Olympic torch design, which all further torches would be based on.
  • Rome

    Rome
    Rome, Italy hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics. Danish sailor Paul Elvstrøm wins his fourth straight gold medal in the Finn class and he was the first athlete to achieve this feat in an individual event and Swedish canoer Gert Fredriksson wins his sixth Olympic title.
  • Innsbruck

    Innsbruck
    Innsbruck, Austria hosted the 1964 Winter Olympics. Athletes from East and West Germany competed together as the "United Team of Germany,” designated as the EUA. This combined team appeared in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Winter Olympics.
  • Tokyo

    Tokyo
    In 1964, Tokyo, Japan was the location of the Summer Olympics. Yoshinori Sakai, who lit the Olympic Flame, was born on the day of the atomic bomb. Abebe Bikila became the first person to win the Olympic marathon twice. Also, the women's pentathlon was introduced for the first time.
  • Grenoble

    Grenoble
    Grenoble, France hosted the Winter Olympics in 1968. The year 1968 marked the first time the IOC first permitted East and West Germany to enter separately, and the first time the IOC ever ordered drug and gender testing of competitors.
  • Mexico City

    Mexico City
    Mexico City, Mexico hosted the 1968 Summer Olympics. Because of Mexico City's high altitude, many athletes had trouble breathing and therefore medical complications arose. Dick Fosbury wins the gold medal in the high jump using the radical Fosbury flop technique, which quickly became the dominant technique in the event. In a medal award ceremony, 2 African-Americans (Tommie Smith and John Carlos) lifted their fists as a symbol of Black Power and were banned from the Olympic Games for life.
  • Sapporo

    Sapporo
    The Olympics in 1972 were held in Sapporo, Japan. There were 10 events ranging from ice hockey to the luge.
  • Munich

    Munich
    In 1972, Munich, Germany hosted the Summer Olympics. On September 5, Palestinian terrorists killed 2 Israeli athletes and took 9 hostages. After a failed rescue attempt, all hostages and all but three of terrorists were killed. All Olympic events were suspended for one day after the terrorist action became known. They were continued a day later, although some athletes decided to leave Munich. Mark Spitz set seven World Records to win a record seven gold medals in one Olympics.
  • Innsbruck

    Innsbruck
    Innsbruck, Austria hosted the Winter Olympics in 1976. It was going to be in Denver, Colorado, USA in May, 1970 but the cost that it was originally going to be rose and the environmental impact would be huge.
  • Montreal

    Montreal
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics. After Montreal organized the events, they were in great debt and it took them a while to recover. 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci scored seven perfect 10s and won 3 gold medals in gymnastics.
  • Lake Placid

    Lake Placid
    Lake Placid, New York, USA hosted the Winter Olympics in 1980. This was the second time the games were held in Lake Placid and it was the first time that they used artificial snow for the competitions.
  • Moscow

     Moscow
    When Moscow was part of the USSR, it hosted the Summer Olympics in 1980. It was the first time the Olympics had been held in a socialist country.
  • Sarajevo

    Sarajevo
    In 1984, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia hosted the Winter Olympics. This was the first Winter Games held in a socialist country.
  • Los Angeles

    Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, California, USA hosted the Summer Olympics for a second time in 1984. Synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, and wind surfing had their first debut. Oddly tennis and baseball were just demo sports.
  • Calgary

    Calgary
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada hosted, in 1988, the Winter Olympics. After a story about two men who had little experience with the event they were doing, inspired everyone with how well they were doing and the story was made into a movie called Cool Runnings.
  • Seoul

    Seoul
    In 1988, Seoul, South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics. Oddly South Korea's government became a democracy under the pressure of organizing the Olympics and North Korea, Cuba, Ethiopia and Nicaragua boycotted the games.
  • Albertville

    Albertville
    The Winter Olympics in 1992 was hosted in Albertville, France. Freestyle skiing and short-track speed skating made their debuts, as did women's biathlon.
  • Barcelona

    Barcelona
    Barcelona, Spain hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992. They lit the Olympic Flame by Paralympics archer Antonio Rebollo shooting an arrow into the cauldron.
  • Lillehammer

    Lillehammer
    Lillehammer, Norway hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. For the first time, the Winter Olympics were not held in the same year as the Games of the Olympiad. Also, the Olympic flame was brought into the stadium by a ski jumper.
  • Atlanta

    Atlanta
    Atlanta, Georgia, USA hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. Five athletes were disqualified for using banned drugs. A few more were reinstated since the drug they took had been declared illegal only a week before the Olympics.
  • Kerri Strug's Inspiration

    Kerri Strug's Inspiration
  • Nagano

    Nagano
    The Winter Olympics in 1998 were held in Nagano, Japan. NHL players were able to compete in men's ice hockey due to a three week suspension of the competition. Snowboarding and curling debuted as official sports and women's ice hockey was introduced to the Olympic program.
  • Sydney

    Sydney
    The 2000 Summer Olympics were in Sydney, Australia. Sadly, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau passed away; Canada held a ceremony before lowering their flag to half-staff.
  • Salt Lake City

    Salt Lake City
    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. The skeleton returned as a medal sport in the 2002 Games for the first time since 1948. Germany won the most medals for the events and Norway won the most gold medals.
  • Athens

    Athens
    Yet again, Athens, Greece hosted the Summer Olympics in 2004. The games were 17 days long and 202 countries were present.
  • Turin

    Turin
    Turin, Italy was the location of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
  • Beijing

    Beijing
    Beijing, China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals and in total he has gotten 14 Olympic gold medals. Michael also broke thirty-seven world records in swimming. There was a gymnast from China that was under the age of 16 and just recently got her gold medal taken away from her.
  • Michael Phelps

    Michael Phelps
  • Nodar Kumaritashvili's Death

    Nodar Kumaritashvili's Death
    Georgian luger dies in crash
    Please know that there is a death involved so be cautious when going to this link, but there is no video that is shown of the crash. They just describe it.
  • Vancouver

    Vancouver
    The most recent Olympics was the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada 2010. There was a death of Nodar Kumaritashvili after a horrible luge accident. The opening ceremony was dedicated to Nodar Kumaritashvili because he died while practicing before the games had begun.
  • All About Olympics

    All About Olympics
  • Going to London

    Going to London
    The 2012 Summer Olympics is going to be held in London, England.
  • Sochi

    Sochi
    The next will be in 2014 at Sochi, Russia.
  • Going to be in Rio de Janeiro

    Going to be in Rio de Janeiro
    The 2016 Summer Olympics are going to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.