5 Big Questions About the Olympics

A very long time! The first Olympic Games took place in Greece in 776 B.C., about 2,800 years ago. The only event was a footrace. The Games later grew to include sports such as wrestling and chariot racing. They were held every four years until 393 A.D., when Roman emperor Theodosius (thee-uh-DOH-shuhs) put an end to the Olympics. The Games did not return until 1,503 years later.

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Since then, the Summer Olympics have been scheduled to take place every four years in a different city.^*

_{*The Olympics were canceled due to world wars in 1916, 1940, and 1944.}

This year, Tokyo, Japan, is hosting the Summer Olympics for the second time. In 1964, Japan’s capital became the first city in Asia to host the world’s biggest sporting event. This year’s Games, set to begin on July 23, promise to be unlike any other in history. 

For starters, they are taking place a year late. The Games were originally slated for last year but were postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hoping to curb the spread of the virus, officials will not allow foreign spectators to attend the events. Countries are also working to make sure athletes get vaccinated before they travel to Japan.

Officials say it’s important for the Games to take place. They have the potential to be “a signal of hope,” says International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Baseball and softball are returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2008. Athletes from around the world will also compete in several new sports, like three-on-three basketball. It’s similar to basketball played on school playgrounds, with both teams shooting at the same basket.

Sport climbers will also go for the gold for the first time. They’ll race against the clock—and each other—to scale a wall. Other new Olympic sports this year include karate, skateboarding, and surfing.

We don’t exactly know yet. The teams have been chosen for sports like surfing and sport climbing. But many other athletes still need to take part in competitions that will determine who makes the Olympic team.

At each Olympics, some athletes become superstars. Five years ago, gymnast Simone Biles was one of them. She won five medals—four of them gold—at the 2016 Olympics. Will she repeat a similar feat in Tokyo? What other athletes will become Olympic legends? We’ll find out this summer!