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The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was selected in September 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, above Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne and Toronto.
Selection
Some felt Athens should have had the right to host the games because it marked the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic games. The IOC instead voted for Atlanta citing the reasoning behind this decision was that Athens' infrastructure could not be improved enough in time to successfully host the Games. Athens would eventually win the right to host the 2004 Summer Olympics in 1997. Though there were claims that executives in Atlanta had bribed the IOC officials, these were never substantiated though they prompted other winning bids from Nagano, Sydney, and Salt Lake City to be more carefully scrutinized.
Incidents
Though the Games made a financial profit, it was not without issues. Numerous observers considered the Games "over commercialized". Problems of traffic congestion sometimes made travel between venues difficult. More seriously, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing of July 27, 1996, killed spectator Alice Hawthorne and wounded 111 others, and elicited the death of Melih Uzunyol by heart attack. Even with the problems, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said, in his closing speech, "Well done, Atlanta", although did not say they had been the best Olympics yet, which is said at most Olympic closing ceremonies.
Effect on the city
The games had a profound impact on the city of Atlanta and many in the Atlanta metro area consider the games to be instrumental in transforming Atlanta into the more modern city it has become since. Examples of this are the mid-rise dormitories built for the Olympic village which became the first residential housing for Georgia State University and Turner Field which was a modification of the original Centennial Olympic Stadium. Also Centennial Olympic Park was built for the events and it is still in use.
Songs and themes
The Olympiad's official theme, Summon the Heroes, was written by John Williams, making it the third Olympiad for which he has composed. The song "The Power of the Dream", composed by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and David Foster, with words by Linda Thompson was performed in the opening ceremony by Céline Dion accompanied by Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Centennial Choir. The closing ceremony featured Gloria Estefan singing "Reach", the official theme song of the 1996 Olympics.
Highlights
- Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic torch during the opening ceremonies of the games.
- Slovene gymnast Leon Štukelj arises at the open ceremony as one of the oldest living sportsmen in the world.
- Naim Süleymanoğlu becomes the first weightlifter to win three gold medals.
- Michael Johnson wins gold in both the 200 m and 400 m, setting an amazing new World Record of 19.32 seconds in the 200 m.
- Donovan Bailey of Canada wins the men's 100 m, setting a new World Record of 9.84 seconds at that time.
- Marie-José Perec equals Johnson's performance, although without a world record, by winning the rare 200 m/400 m double.
- Softball, beach volleyball and mountainbiking debut on the Olympic programme, together with women's football (soccer) and lightweight rowing.
- Cycling professionals were admitted to the Olympics, with five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Induráin winning the inaugural individual time trial event.
- Michelle Smith of Ireland wins three gold medals and a bronze in swimming, but her victories are overshadowed by doping allegations, which are later reinforced as she is banned after failing a test in 1998.
- Amy Van Dyken wins four gold medals in the Olympic swimming pool, the first American woman to win four titles in a single Olympics.
- A record 197 nations, all current IOC member nations, take part, with a record 79 of them winning at least one medal.
- Five athletes were disqualified for using banned drugs. A few more were reinstated since the drug they took had been declared illegal only a week before the Olympics.
- Kerri Strug becomes an American heroine after bringing victory to the American female gymnastics team in spite of having to perform with an injury in the final event. Her gymnastics team, popularly known as the "Magnificent Seven (Gymnastics)", also includes Shannon Miller, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps, Amanda Borden, Dominique Dawes and Dominique Moceanu.
- Andre Agassi wins the gold medal in the tennis event. This helps him become the first male player to ever win the career Golden Slam. (completes his Career Grand Slam in 1999 when he wins the French Open singles title).
- Kurt Angle of the United States won the gold medal in 100 kg (220 lb) freestyle wrestling while suffering a fractured neck. Angle would later go on to fame in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment, winning the WWE Championship on four different occasions and the World Heavyweight Championship on two occasion as to date making him a six time world champion. He is widely regarded as one of the best athletes to ever participate in pro wrestling.
- Deng Yaping of China wins two gold medals in Women singles and doubles of table tennis. She is also the winner of these two titles in 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Venues
- Centennial Olympic Stadium (now Turner Field)
- Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (demolished 1997)
- The Omni (Demolished 1997 and replaced by Philips Arena in 1999.)
- Georgia Dome
- Georgia International Horse Park (Conyers, Georgia)
- Lake Lanier (Near Gainesville, Georgia)
- Georgia World Congress Center
- Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
- Sanford Stadium (Athens, Georgia)
Medals awarded
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
=Nations=(zizugee@yahoo.com). Articles about Atlanta Summer Olympics by nation:
Medal count
(Host nation in bold.)
| 1996 Summer Olympics medal count | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 26 | 21 | 16 | 63 | ||
| 20 | 18 | 27 | 65 | ||
| 16 | 22 | 12 | 50 | ||
| 15 | 7 | 15 | 37 | ||
| 13 | 10 | 12 | 35 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 23 | 41 | ||
| 9 | 8 | 8 | 25 | ||
| 9 | 2 | 12 | 23 | ||
| 7 | 15 | 5 | 27 | ||
Leading Medal Winners
| MEN'S LEADING MEDAL WINNERS AT THE ATLANTA GAMES | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | ATHLETE'S NAME | SPORT / DISCIPLINE | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL | |
| Gymnastics | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |||
| Swimming | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Swimming | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Swimming | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Swimming | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Gymnastics | 3 | 3 | |||||
| WOMEN'S LEADING MEDAL WINNERS AT THE ATLANTA GAMES | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | ATHLETE'S NAME | SPORT / DISCIPLINE | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL | |
| Swimming | 4 | 4 | |||||
| Swimming | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| Swimming | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Gymnastics | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Swimming | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| Gymnastics | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| Swimming | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Gymnastics | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Athletics | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Swimming | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
See also
Olympics with significant criminal incidents
- 1972 Summer Olympics – Munich, Bavaria, West Germany — Munich massacre
- 1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta, Georgia, USA — Centennial Olympic Park bombing
External links
1996 in sports | 1996 Summer Olympics | History of Atlanta | Sports festivals hosted in the United States
XXVI. Olimpijske igre - Atlanta 1996. | Letní olympijské hry 1996 | Sommer-OL 1996 | Olympische Sommerspiele 1996 | 1996. aasta suveolümpiamängud | Juegos Olímpicos de Atlanta 1996 | Jeux Olympiques d'été de 1996 | 1996년 하계 올림픽 | XXVI. Olimpijske igre - Atlanta 1996. | Olimpiade Atlanta 1996 | XXVI Olimpiade | אולימפיאדת אטלנטה (1996) | Olympische Zomerspelen 1996 | アトランタオリンピック | Sommer-OL 1996 | Sommar-OL 1996 | Letnie Igrzyska Olimpijskie 1996 | Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 1996 | Jocurile Olimpice de vară din 1996 | Летние Олимпийские игры 1996 | Poletne olimpijske igre 1996 | Olimpijada 1996 | 1996 kesäolympialaiset | Olympiska sommarspelen 1996 | 1996年夏季奥林匹克运动会
"1996 Summer Olympics"