The Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating.

Chamonix, France hosted the first Winter Olympics from January 25 to February 5, 1924.

If one had to nominate the "worst modern Olympics" ever, 1900 would likely lead the voting. There were no opening or closing ceremonies and more athletes than spectators. The croquet event was a particular "hit", with just a single paying spectator attending the tournament.

According to legend, Pheidippides ran from the Greek City of Marathon all the way to Athens in order to deliver news of an Athenian victory in their battle against the Persians, thereby inspiring the long-distance race. However, the current distance wasn't standardized until the 1908 London Olympics. The course was laid out from Windsor Castle to White City stadium, about 26 miles. However, to locate the finish line in front of the royal family's viewing box, an extra 385 yards was added inside the stadium.

The rings, from left to right, are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. The colors were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country in the world.

Hungary and the Soviet Union (engaged in an armed conflict at the time) were both present at the 1956 Games which, among other things, led to a hotly contested and violent water polo encounter.

Due to an official's error, the 3,000 m steeplechase went for 3,460 m, or one extra lap.

Eyser competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics with a wooden prosthesis for a left leg, having lost his real leg after being run over by a train.

Lorz was banned for life by the Amateur Athletic Union after it was discovered that he had hitched a ride in a car for most of the race, then run the last four miles to claim victory.

In 2012, Zara Tindall carried an Olympic flame at Cheltenham Racecourse on her horse Toytown. As a member of the Great Britain Eventing Team, she won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, presented by her mother, Princess Anne.