Olympic Central

Discover the world's greatest sporting celebration. Explore Olympic sports, learn about the rich history of the Games, and celebrate the spirit of athletic excellence that unites nations and inspires generations worldwide.

Explore Olympic Sports

The Olympic Spirit

The five interlocking rings represent the unity of the five inhabited continents and the meeting of athletes from around the world at the Olympic Games.

Olympic Sports

Swimming

Swimming

One of the most popular Olympic sports, featuring multiple disciplines from freestyle to butterfly, showcasing speed, technique, and endurance in the pool.

  • 50+ medal events
  • 4 main strokes
  • Individual & relay races
  • Pool & open water events
Track and Field

Track & Field

The cornerstone of the Olympics, featuring running, jumping, and throwing events that test the limits of human athletic performance.

  • 47 medal events
  • Track, field & road events
  • Sprints to marathons
  • Jumps & throws
Gymnastics

Gymnastics

A sport combining strength, flexibility, agility, and grace, featuring artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline disciplines.

  • 18 medal events
  • Artistic gymnastics
  • Rhythmic gymnastics
  • Trampoline
Basketball

Basketball

Fast-paced team sport featuring the world's best players competing for Olympic gold in both men's and women's tournaments.

  • 2 medal events
  • Men's & women's tournaments
  • 12 teams per tournament
  • 5-on-5 format
Cycling

Cycling

Multiple cycling disciplines including road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, and BMX, testing speed, endurance, and skill.

  • 22 medal events
  • Road, track, mountain, BMX
  • Individual & team events
  • Sprint & endurance races
Weightlifting

Weightlifting

Pure strength sport featuring the snatch and clean & jerk lifts, showcasing incredible power and technique from athletes worldwide.

  • 14 medal events
  • Snatch & clean & jerk
  • Multiple weight categories
  • Men's & women's events

Olympic Games by Numbers

200+
Nations Participating
10,000+
Athletes Competing
300+
Medal Events
32
Olympic Sports
17
Days of Competition
125+
Years of Modern Olympics

Olympic History Timeline

776 BC

Ancient Olympics Begin

The first recorded Olympic Games take place in Olympia, Greece, featuring athletic competitions in honor of Zeus.

1896

Modern Olympics Revival

Pierre de Coubertin revives the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, with 241 athletes from 14 nations competing.

1924

First Winter Olympics

The inaugural Winter Olympic Games are held in Chamonix, France, featuring winter sports competitions.

1960

First Paralympics

The Paralympic Games begin in Rome, providing Olympic-level competition for athletes with disabilities.

2021

Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The most recent Summer Olympics, held during the COVID-19 pandemic with unprecedented safety measures.

About the Olympic Games

Olympic Values

The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of international sporting competition, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete in the spirit of excellence, friendship, and respect.

Founded on the principles of Olympism, the Games promote peace, unity, and understanding among nations through sport. The Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger) embodies the pursuit of athletic excellence.

Every four years, the world comes together to celebrate human achievement, cultural diversity, and the power of sport to inspire and unite people across all boundaries.

Olympic stadium