The Modern Olympics were first held in Athens, Greece in 1896. They were started by a rich Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

The Modern Olympics were first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. They were started by a rich Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

The original Olympiad of which there is certain record was held in 776 B.C. at Olympia in Greece. Coroibos, a cook from Elis, won the foot race. The Modern Olympics were first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece.

Michael Fred Phelps of the USA won eight swimming gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He holds the record for the maximum number of gold medals at a single Olympic Games in the history of the Olympics surpassing the earlier record of Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Mark Spitz of the USA won seven swimming gold medals, including four individual, all in record times at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Michael Phelps of the USA won eight swimming gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and thus set a new record for the maximum number of gold medals in a single Olympic Games in the history of the Olympics.

Michael Fred Phelps, the American swimmer, has won a total of 14 gold medals (6 golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 8 golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics).  Larissa Latynina (gymnast) of the Soviet Union, Paavo Nurmi (athlete) of Finland, Mark Spitz (swimmer) of the United States, and Carl Lewis (athlete) of the United States) have won 9 total career gold medals each.

Larissa Latynina, the gymnast of the Soviet Union, has won a total of 18 Olympic medals (9 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals) from three Olympic Games. Michael Phelps, the swimmer of the USA, has won a total of 16 Olympic medals (14 gold medals, and 2 bronze medals) from two Olympics. Nikolay Andrianov, the gymnast of the Soviet Union, has won a total of 15 Olympic medals (7 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals) from three Olympics.

After James Connelly won the triple jump event, he telegraphed to his family the following message: "The Greeks conquered Europe, I've conquered the world."

When Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast, scored the first-ever perfect 10 in gymnastics at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the scoreboard was not ready for this perfect score and showed only 1.00. Seven perfect 10s helped Nadia win 3 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal.

The distance of the marathon race is 26 miles 385 yards or 42.19 km.

Devised by a French educationist, Father Henri Didon, the Latin motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' means Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the Olympic marathon title in the 1960 Rome Olympics and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the marathon title barefoot in the 1960 Rome Olympics clocking a record time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 16.2 seconds.

The rings on the Olympic Games flag represent the five continents (Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe) of the world.  North and South America are considered as one continent, and Antartica is not included. The colors of the five rings are blue, black, red, yellow and green.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics are the XXIX (29th) Olympic Games. No games were held in 1916, 1940 and 1944 due to World Wars. The first Modern Olympic Games were held in 1896.

The Summer Olympic Games have been held every 4 years starting 1896, the exception being 1916, 1940 and 1944 when the games were cancelled due to World Wars.

Greece is always first and the hosting nation is always last in the Parade of Nations (i.e., the March Past order) at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on 17 January 1942) won the Olympic light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Rome Olympics. He lit the torch to start the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The Olympic Games moved to Asia for the first time in 1964. At Tokyo, Japan, the torch was lit by Yoshinori Sakai who was born in Hiroshima only an hour before the atomic explosion took place in 1945.

In the 1968 Mexico Olympics, doctors and trainers cautioned that strenuous efforts could be dangerous at 7000 ft above sea level site of the Games. Some athletes set records impossible at sea level. Other athletes required oxygen.

The USA has won 895 gold medals from the inception of the Olympic Games till the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Triathlon is an Olympic event containing three sports.

The Indian men's hockey team was unbeaten in the Olympics from 1928 to 1956, winning six gold medals in a row. India has won a total of  11 Olympic medals (8 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals) in field hockey.

A fixed large bird, a fixed small bird and a moving bird were used as targets in archery at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

Greg Louganis won gold medals in both the 3-m springboard and 10-m platform diving events at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as well as the 1988 Seoul Olympics.  During the preliminary rounds in Seoul, he suffered a concussion due to hitting his head on the 3-m springboard.

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.

On September 5, 1972 at the Munich Olympics, the Palestinian terrorists invaded Israeli quarters in the Olympic village killing two players and taking many others hostage. Eleven more Israeli players were killed in a crossfire between the German police and the Palestinians belonging to the Black September group. Even though several countries demanded the immediate closure of the Games, the Olympics continued.

Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis, the American track and field athlete, has won 10 Olympic medals (9 gold medals and 1 silver medal). He achieved great fame by winning four gold medals (one each in 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and as a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team) at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.  He also won two gold medals (one each in 100 meters and long jump) at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, two gold medals (one each in long jump and as a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team) at the 1992 Barelona Olympics, and one gold medal (in long jump) at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The names of the mascots were 'Millie' (from Millenium), 'Syd' (from Sydney) and 'Olly' (from Olympics).

The mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are the five Fuwa or 'good luck dolls.' Each Fuwa has a primary color (blue, black, red, yellow and green) corresponding to one of the colors of the five Olympic Rings. The five Fuwa incorporate the Fish, Giant Panda, Fire, Tibetan Antelope, and Swallow designs. Their names are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. The first syllable of their names reads 'Beijing huangying ni,' meaning 'Beijing welcomes you."

The 2004 Olympics were held in Athens, Greece.

The 2012 Olympics will be held in London, the capital of the United Kingdom.