---
id: kb-2026-00379
title: Olympic Games History
schema_type: TechArticle
category: sports
language: en
confidence: medium
last_verified: '2026-05-26'
created_date: '2026-05-22'
generation_method: ai_structured
ai_models:
  - claude-opus
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-sports-001
    statement: >-
      The Olympic Games trace to ancient Greece (776 BCE, Olympia). Modern Olympics revived by Pierre de Coubertin (1896, Athens). Summer and Winter Games held every 4 years (with exceptions for world
      wars and 2020 COVID postponement). Motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter (Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together).
    source_title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    source_url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-sports-002
    statement: 'Most successful Olympian: Michael Phelps (swimming, 28 medals, 23 gold).'
    source_title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    source_url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-sports-003
    statement: 'Most golds single Games: Phelps (8 golds, Beijing 2008).'
    source_title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    source_url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-sports-004
    statement: 'Marathon: 42.195 km — route from Marathon to Athens (legend of Pheidippides).'
    source_title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    source_url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-sports-005
    statement: 'Boycotts: 1980 Moscow (US-led), 1984 LA (Soviet-led).'
    source_title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    source_url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    confidence: medium
completeness: 0.88
known_gaps:
  - Coverage is at a general level; specialized sub-topics and regional variations are not exhaustively addressed
  - Statistics cited may have been updated since publication; readers should verify current data for time-sensitive claims
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)
    type: book
    year: 2012
    url: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-wallechinsky/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics-2012-edition/9781845137830/
    institution: Aurum Press / Hachette Book Group
  - title: Olympic Charter (2023)
    type: standard
    year: 2023
    url: https://olympics.com/ioc/olympic-charter
    institution: International Olympic Committee
secondary_sources: []
---


## TL;DR

The Olympic Games trace to ancient Greece (776 BCE, Olympia). Modern Olympics revived by Pierre de Coubertin (1896, Athens). Summer and Winter Games held every 4 years (with exceptions for world wars and 2020 COVID postponement). Motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter (Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together).

## Core Explanation

Most successful Olympian: Michael Phelps (swimming, 28 medals, 23 gold). Most golds single Games: Phelps (8 golds, Beijing 2008). Marathon: 42.195 km — route from Marathon to Athens (legend of Pheidippides). 2024 Paris: 329 events, 206 nations. 2028 Los Angeles, 2032 Brisbane. Paralympics (1960+): athletes with disabilities. Boycotts: 1980 Moscow (US-led), 1984 LA (Soviet-led).

## Further Reading

- [The Complete Book of the Olympics (David Wallechinsky)](https://www.aurumpress.co.uk/books/the-complete-book-of-the-olympics/)
atomic_facts:
  - id: "fact-sports-001"
    statement: "Summer and Winter Games held every 4 years (with exceptions for world wars and 2020 COVID postponement)"
    confidence: "medium"
  - id: "fact-sports-002"
    statement: "Most golds single Games: Phelps (8 golds, Beijing 2008)"
    confidence: "medium"
  - id: "fact-sports-003"
    statement: "2024 Paris: 329 events, 206 nations"
    confidence: "medium"

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