How well do you know the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games bring together athletes from more than 200 nations. Six questions, from easy to hard.
Did you know?
- At the 1900 Paris Olympics, women competed for the first time, in sports including tennis and golf. Charlotte Cooper of Britain became the first female Olympic champion in an individual event.
- Tug-of-war was part of the Olympic programme from 1900 to 1920. Teams of eight pulled a rope, and Great Britain and Sweden were among the most successful nations.
- Swimmer Michael Phelps of the United States won 23 Olympic gold medals, the most by any athlete in history, across four Games from 2004 to 2016. He also holds the record for most medals overall, with 28.
The story of the Games
The ancient Olympic Games were held in honour of Zeus at Olympia for more than a thousand years. The modern Games were revived by French educator Pierre de Coubertin, who believed sport could promote international understanding. Since 1896 they have grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 10,000, with Winter Games added in 1924.
The Olympic flame
The Olympic flame is lit at Olympia using the sun's rays and a curved mirror, then carried by relay to the host city. The relay passes through many towns and countries, and carrying the torch is a proud moment for thousands of people each Games.
New sports, new audiences
The Olympic programme changes over time. Recent additions include skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing and breaking, chosen partly to attract younger viewers. Some sports have left the programme, such as tug-of-war, which was an Olympic event in the early 20th century.
The Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games began in Rome in 1960 and are now held in the same host city shortly after the Olympics. They feature athletes with a range of impairments and have become one of the world's largest sporting events, changing attitudes towards disability.
Hosting the Olympics
Hosting the Olympics requires years of preparation and large investments in venues and transport. Some host cities gained new parks and infrastructure, while others struggled with unused venues. The International Olympic Committee now encourages hosts to use existing and temporary venues where possible.
The Winter Games
The Winter Olympics began in Chamonix, France, in 1924 and include sports such as skiing, skating, ice hockey, bobsleigh and curling. Countries with snowy climates, like Norway, often top the medal table. The Winter Games are smaller than the Summer Games but attract large audiences, especially for figure skating and alpine skiing events.