Summer Olympic Games

The Summer Olympics are international multi-sport events occurring every four years, which are organized by the International Olympic Committee.  There is a tradition that Medals are awarded in each Olympic event. Gold medals are awarded for first place, silver for second place and bronze for third place. The Winter Olympic Games were produced due to the success of the Summer Olympics Games. The Summer Olympic Games were first held in 1896. 

The Olympic Games have increased from 42-event competition with fewer than 250 male athletes from 14 nations to a 300-event sporting celebration with over 10,000 competitors from 205 nations. The Olympic Organizers for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing expected approximately 10,500 athletes to take part in the 302 events on the program for the games.

The United States has hosted for four Summer Olympic Games. The United Kingdom has hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, in its capital London, making London the first city to host the Summer Olympic Games three times. Australia, France, Germany and Greece have all hosted the Summer Olympic Games twice. Other countries that have hosted the Summer Olympics are Belgium, China, Canada, Finland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the Soviet Union and Sweden. In 2016, Rio de Janeiro will host the first Summer Games in South America. Three cities have hosted two Summer Olympic Games: Los Angeles, Paris and Athens.