The Olympic Games are a huge sports game. Many people watch. They live all around the world. Players come from many lands.

The games began long ago in Greece. They were held in Olympia. That is in Greece too.

Those old games had races to run. They had throwing and jumping. They had boxing. Winners got a wreath of olive branches.

A man from France helped bring the games back. His name was Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The first new games were in Athens, Greece, in 1896.

There are Summer games and Winter games. The Summer games come every four years. Some Winter sports are figure skating, ice hockey and bobsledding.

The symbol is five rings. They are linked together. The flag is plain white. It has five rings in the middle.

The motto is Latin. It is Citius, Altius, Fortius. It means faster, higher, stronger.

Before each games, a flame is lit in Olympia, Greece. People carry it by torch to the host country.

At the games, first place wins a gold medal. Second place wins a silver medal. Third place wins a bronze medal.

As of November 2026, the next Summer games are planned for 2028. The plan is for Los Angeles, California.

Words to know

• wreath: leaf ring
• motto: short saying
• Latin: old language
• medal: a prize