2024 Summer Olympics

Get ready for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games! The 2024 Summer Games in Paris are coming up fast, so get ready as we explore the incredible world of the Olympics together. From amazing athletes to colorful ceremonies, you can discover what makes the Olympics special. Stay tuned for cool facts, awesome athletes, and all the sports action!

History of the Olympics

1. Ancient Greek Origins

• Started over 2,000 years ago in Olympia, Greece

• Held to honor the Greek god Zeus

• Only men could compete

• Athletes competed naked!

2. Ancient Olympic Events

• Running races were the first events

• Later added wrestling, boxing, and chariot racing

• Winners got olive leaf crowns instead of medals

3. End of Ancient Olympics and Long Break

• Stopped around 393 AD

• A Roman emperor banned the games

• No Olympics for almost 1,500 years!

4. Revival of Modern Olympics

• French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin brought them back

• The first modern Olympics was held in Athens, Greece in 1896

• Only 241 athletes from 14 countries competed

5. How the Olympics Grew

• More sports added over time

• Women athletes started competing

• Winter Olympics began in 1924

6. Olympic Symbols and Traditions

• Five colorful rings represent the continents

• Olympic flame and torch relay started

• A flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, using sunlight and a special mirror
• The flame travels around the world in a torch
• Thousands of people carry the torch, passing it from person to person
• The last runner lights a big cauldron at the opening ceremony

• Opening and closing ceremonies became big shows

Want to learn more? Watch this fun video about Olympic history!

Paris Olympics

• When: July 26 to August 11, 2024

• Where: Paris, France

• Mascot: Phryges (pronounced free-jes) – little red hat characters

• Motto: “Games Wide Open”

• Number of sports: 32

• New sport this year: Breaking (breakdancing)

• Number of athletes: About 10,500 from over 200 countries

• Fun fact: It’s the third time Paris has hosted the Olympics (1900, 1924, 2024)

• Special places: Events will be held near famous Paris landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame Cathedral

Olympic sports and events

There are 32 different sports in the Summer Olympics!

Some sports you might know:

• Swimming
• Gymnastics
• Soccer (called football in the Olympics)
• Basketball
• Track and Field (running, jumping, throwing)

Cool sports you might not know about:

• Skateboarding
• Sport Climbing (like rock climbing)
• Surfing
• Breaking (breakdancing) – New for 2024!

Team sports:

• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Rugby

Sports with targets:

• Archery (shooting arrows)
• Shooting

Fighting sports:

• Boxing
• Judo
• Fencing (sword fighting)

Did you know? Some sports have been in the Olympics for over 100 years, while others are brand new!

Fun fact: Athletes in rhythmic gymnastics use ribbons, balls, and hoops in their performances.

Want to learn about all 32 Olympic sports? Watch this fun video!

Olympic Medals

• Three types of medals:

• Fun facts:
  • Olympic gold medals aren’t pure gold – they’re mostly silver with gold plating
  • The 2024 Paris medals will include a piece of the Eiffel Tower!
• Medal ceremony:
  • Winners stand on a podium
  • Medals are placed around athletes’ necks
  • The gold medalist’s national anthem is played
• Did you know?
  • Countries compete to win the most medals
  • Some athletes can win multiple medals in different events

How to watch the Olympics

On TV:

• The Olympics will be broadcast on NBC and its affiliated channels in the United States
• This includes NBC, USA Network, CNBC, and Peacock streaming service
• Check your local TV guide for exact schedules

Opening Ceremony:

• The Opening Ceremony will be on Friday, July 26, 2024
• It starts at 7:30 PM Paris time (1:30 PM Eastern Time, 10:30 AM Pacific Time)
• Usually lasts about 3-4 hours
• Will be broadcast live on NBC
• Location: Along the Seine River in Paris
• Special feature: For the first time, the ceremony will be held outdoors instead of in a stadium
• Spectators: Over 600,000 people are expected to watch along the riverbanks
• Highlights: Will likely include a parade of athletes, lighting of the Olympic flame, and performances showcasing French culture

Online:

• https://www.peacocktv.com/sports/olympics

Fun Olympic facts and trivia

The first Summer Olympic Games had just 14 participating countries:

• Teams from 11 European countries originally joined those of Australia, Chile, and the USA at the first host city, Athens. Now, more than 200 countries compete in the Olympics each year!

Motorboat sailing, hot air ballooning, and tug of war all used to be Olympic sports!

• Over time, different sports and events are voted into (or out of) the Olympic Games. Some disappear, then return (like golf, or rugby), while others (like running deer shooting, or dueling pistols) go out of fashion forever – thankfully!

DID YOU KNOW?

• Olympic Games organizers can choose to include additional sports! Look out for skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing, and breaking at Paris 2024.

Until 1912, first-place Olympic medals were made of solid gold!

• Possibly one of our favorite facts about the Olympics! Sadly though, it’s no longer the case. Recent games have given out around 5,000 bronze, silver, and gold medals in total – that’s a lot of metal! So instead of being created from solid gold, the heavy first-place medals are now covered in 6 grams of it.

DID YOU KNOW?

• At the Paris 2024 Olympics, medals will contain a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower – one of Paris’ most famous landmarks. How cool is that?!

Athlete spotlights

Here are some well-known athletes to watch for in the Olympics. 

 Stephen Curry

LeBron James 

Rory McIlroy 

Scottie Scheffler

Simone Biles 

Kate Douglass

Caeleb Dressel

Katie Ledecky

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 

• Track and Field 

Noah Lyles 

Sha’Carri Richardson

Apps and websites

Here are some apps and websites where you can see a schedule of events and keep up on how many metals the countries have. 

Paris 2024 Olympics

• App for iPhone and iPad 

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