1996 Summer Olympics
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 Japanabove Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne and Toronto. Athens was the sentimental favorites around the world and for this reason hoped to organise the games conmemoring the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games. The IOC's vote for Atlanta was therefore slightly surprising; however, the reasoning behind this decision was that Athens' infrastructure could not be improved enough in time to successfully host the Games. It was later claimed (but never substantiated) that several of the IOC's key voters had been bribed by Atlanta executives in order to quash the other candidate cities' chances for the hosting bid. Other winning bids have since been similarly scrutinized. For this reason Greek Olympic Commitee announcing boycott to any event celebrating the Olympic Centennial, but its Olympic Team goes to the Games. In 1997 Athens won the right to host the 2004 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics have been regarded by many elites and Olympic observers as being relatively unsuccessful. Problems of traffic congestion sometimes made travel between venues difficult. Though the Games made a financial profit, this was accomplished through a major advertising presence, particularly from Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, which caused numerous observers to consider the Games "over commercialized". 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. In his closing speech, Juan Antonio Samaranch, head of the IOC, for the first time did not describe the games as being the "best ever." However, the citizens of Atlanta and the United States enjoyed the games and the hospitality that came with them.
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.
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Atlanta was chosen as the host city by the
International Olympic Committee on
September 18,
1990. The final round vote was 51-35.
Atlanta beat out other host candidates
Athens,
Toronto,
Melbourne, Australia,
Manchester, and
Belgrade.
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Slovene gymnast Leon Štukelj arises at the open ceremony as one of the oldest living sportsmen in the world.
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Naim Süleymanoğlu becomes the first
weightlifter to win three gold medals.
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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.
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Donovan Bailey of
Canada wins the men's 100 m, setting a new World Record of 9.84 seconds at that time.
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Marie-José Perec equals Johnson's performance, although without a world record, by winning the rare 200 m/400 m double.
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Softball,
beach volleyball and
mountainbiking debut on the Olympic programme, together with women's
football (soccer) and lightweight
rowing.
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Cycling professionals were admitted to the Olympics, with five-time
Tour de France winner
Miguel Induráin winning the inaugural
individual time trial event.
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Michelle Smith of
Ireland wins three gold medals and a bronze, but her victories are overshadowed by
doping allegations, which are later reinforced as she is banned after failing a test in
1999.
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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.
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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", also includes
Shannon Miller,
Amy Chow,
Jaycie Phelps,
Amanda Borden,
Dominique Dawes and
Dominique Moceanu.
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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.
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Kurt Angle of the United States won the gold medal in 100 kg (220 lb) freestyle wrestling while suffering from a neck injury. Angle would later go on to fame in
Vince McMahon's
World Wrestling Entertainment, winning the WWE Championship on four different occasions as one of the company's top
villains.
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:
Articles about Atlanta Summer Olympics by nation:Top medal-collecting nations at the 1996 Summer Olympics:
(for the full table, see 1996 Summer Olympics medal count)
(Host nation in bold.)
See also:
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1996 Summer Olympics medals per capita*For a list of medals
per capita and similar statistics, see http://simon.forsyth.net/olympics1996.html .
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1996 Summer Paralympics*
Coca-Cola Olympic City*
International Olympic Committee*
IOC country codes*
WikiProject Sports Olympics*
IOC Site on 1996 Summer Olympics
