Many people around the world watch the Olympic Games. It is a huge sports competition. How did it begin? Let's find out. The Olympic Games began long ago in Greece. The ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, in Greece. There are Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. The Summer Olympic Games happen every four years. Let's look at three symbols of the Games: a flame, a flag and five rings.

Before each Olympics, a flame is lit in Olympia, Greece. It is lit with the rays of the sun and a curved mirror. Then it is carried by torch to the host country. You might think this is an ancient custom. It is not. The torch relay began with the 1936 Olympic Games. The Olympic symbol is five rings linked together. According to many accounts, the five rings represent five continents joined together.

The Olympic flag has a plain white background with five rings in the middle. It was flown at the Olympic Games for the first time in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1920. In 1924, the Olympics were in Paris. The motto Citius, Altius, Fortius was used officially for the first time there. It is Latin. It means faster, higher, stronger. The first purpose-built Olympic Village was used at those Games. The athletes lived in a village of wooden cabins.

Medals have changed over time. At the 1896 Olympics, the winner got a silver medal and an olive branch. Gold, silver and bronze medals were first given at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. At the Olympics, first place wins a gold medal, second place a silver medal and third place a bronze medal. Gold Olympic medals are mostly silver covered with at least six grams of gold. In 1932, winners first stood on a podium while flags were raised and the winner's anthem played.

Athletes from many different countries take part in the Olympics. That was not always true for women. Let's see how it changed. In the ancient Olympics, only men from Greece could compete. There were no women's events. Women first competed in the modern Olympic Games in Paris in 1900. Women took part in track and field at the Olympics for the first time in 1928.

Let's see what was added. The first Olympic Winter Games were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Paralympic Games are held right after the Olympic Games. They are held in the same host city. The first Paralympic Games were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960. The 2026 Winter Olympics were held in northern Italy in February 2026. As of November 2026, the next Summer Olympics are planned for Los Angeles, California, in 2028.

Words to know

• torch: carried flame
• continents: big land areas
• podium: winners' stand
• Paralympic: Games after Olympics