The first modern Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, reviving the ancient tradition that dates back to 776 BC.
The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Olympics alternating every two years since 1994.
The five interlocking rings of the Olympic flag represent the union of the five inhabited continents (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) and the meeting of athletes from around the world.
The Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, and carried by a torch relay to the host city, symbolizing the continuity between the ancient and modern Games.
The United States has won the most medals in Summer Olympics history, with over 2,500 medals, including more than 1,000 golds.
The 1912 Stockholm Olympics were the first to feature electronic timing devices and a public address system, marking the beginning of technological advancements in the Games.
The youngest Olympic medalist is Dimitrios Loundras, a Greek gymnast who won a bronze medal at the age of 10 during the 1896 Athens Olympics.
The 1936 Berlin Olympics were the first to be broadcast on television, giving millions of people the opportunity to watch the Games from their homes.
The 1968 Mexico City Olympics were the first to be held in Latin America and were notable for the high altitude, which affected athletes' performances, particularly in endurance events.
The iconic Olympic motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' means 'Faster, Higher, Stronger,' and was introduced by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics.
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were the first Games to be financially profitable, largely due to the use of existing facilities and extensive corporate sponsorship.
Women's participation in the Olympics has grown significantly since the first modern Games, where only 22 women competed; now, nearly half of the athletes are women.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics featured the most sports and events of any Summer Olympics, with 28 sports and 302 events.
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals, including 23 golds, won across four Summer Olympics (2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016).
The Summer Olympics have been hosted by 19 different countries, with Tokyo, Japan, being the most recent host in 2021, a year later than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
