19 Surprising Olympic Games Facts You Never Knew
With the 2026 Winter Olympics officially in full swing, athletes around the world are chasing that coveted gold medal. And if you can’t get enough of the games, here’s everything you need to know about this iconic sporting event:
2.
Fast forward to April 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece.
3.
The Olympic Games are held every four years to honor ancient Greek tradition.
4.
In 1913, the Olympic rings were publicly introduced and have since become a famous symbol of the games.
5.
Traditionally, the Olympic rings are blue, yellow, black, green and red on a white background.
6.
The Olympic rings “represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic Games”.
7.
Olympism is based on three fundamental values: excellence, respect and friendship.
8.
The United States has hosted the most Olympic Games in its history, with eight so far.
9.
The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 and were originally called “International Winter Sports Week”.
10.
And in second place, France has hosted six matches to date.
11.
In 1936, the first Olympic Games were broadcast on television from Berlin.
13.
Women got their first chance to compete at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, with athletes in tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrian and golf.
14.
While thousands of athletes have participated over the years, swimmer Michael Phelps has won the most medals in history. He has 28 in total, including 23 gold, three silver and two bronze in five Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016.
15.
There is no specific age limit for participating in the Olympic Games. However, age limits may be imposed, but this depends on each International Sports Federation and the rules it establishes for its sport.
17.
The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing had the largest audience in history with 4.7 billion viewers, according to Guinness World Records.
18.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the United States became the first country to win 3,000 medals in both the Summer and Winter Games.
19.
Finally, the United States will host the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles for the ninth time.
Do you know a unique fact about the Olympics? Share your thoughts in the comments.
