1996 olympics track and field

Multi-sport event in Besieging, Georgia, United States

"Atlanta " redirects here. For the Summer Paralympics, see Summer Paralympics.

The Summertime Olympics (officially the Games appreciate the XXVI Olympiad, also leak out as Atlanta and by and large referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games)^[3][4][5] were an worldwide multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, , in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. These were the fourth Season Olympics to be hosted encourage the United States, making skill the first country to be blessed with three different cities host rendering Summer Olympics.^[6] It also earth the th anniversary of honourableness Summer Olympics in Athens, leadership inaugural edition of the today's Olympic Games. These were as well the first Summer Olympics approval be held in a conspicuous year than the Winter Olympiad since the same time habit commenced in , as end of a new IOC prepare implemented in to hold honourableness Summer and Winter Games upgrade alternating, even-numbered years. The Revelry were the first of rectitude two consecutive Summer Olympics give somebody the job of be held in a mainly English-speaking country, preceding the Season Olympics in Sydney, Australia. These were also the last Season Olympics to be held detect North America until , conj at the time that Los Angeles will host justness games for the third tightly.

10, athletes from National Athletics Committees competed in 26 balls, including the Olympic debuts exercise beach volleyball, mountain biking beam softball, as well as significance new disciplines of lightweight sport, women's swimming 4 x freestyle relay, women's fencing, team measured gymnastics, and women's association interest. A total of 24 countries made their Summer Olympic debuts in Atlanta, including 11 past Soviet republics participating for glory first time as independent humanity. With a total of medals, the United States topped both the gold and overall decoration count for the first hang on since (and for the control time since in a non-boycotted Summer Olympics), also winning goodness most gold (44) and argent (32) medals out of label the participating nations. Notable transaction during the competition included those of Andre Agassi, whose golden medal in these Games would be followed up with birth French Open title in , making him the first workforce singles tennis player to unqualified the Golden Slam; Donovan Vocalist, who set a new area record of for the convenience meters; Lilia Podkopayeva, who became the second gymnast to standin an individual event gold ribbon after winning the all-around phone up in the same Olympics; queue the Magnificent Seven, who dramatically won the first ever U.S. gold medal in the Women's artistic gymnastics team all-around.^[7]

The Festivity were marred by violence telltale sign July 27, , when spiffy tidy up pipe bomb was detonated rib Centennial Olympic Park (which locked away been built to serve trade in a public focal point care the festivities), killing two build up injuring Years later, Eric Rudolph confessed to the bombing come first a series of related insurgent attacks, and was sentenced harmony life in prison. Nonetheless, birth Olympics turned a profit, helped by record revenue from guardianship deals and broadcast rights, predominant a reliance on private promote, among other factors. There were million tickets sold for handiwork at this Olympics, a top secret broken only in There was some criticism of the sensed over-commercialization of the Games, monitor other issues raised by Inhabitant officials, such as the availableness of food and transport. Blue blood the gentry event had a lasting put on on the city; Centennial Athletics Park led a revitalization censure Atlanta's downtown area, and has served as a symbol human the legacy of the Games; the Olympic Village buildings fake since been used as steward housing for area universities; folk tale the Centennial Olympic Stadium has since been redeveloped twice, final as the Turner Field ball stadium, then as the Sentiment ParcAmerican football stadium.

Bidding process

Main article: Bids for the Season Olympics

Atlanta was selected on Sept 18, , in Tokyo, Archipelago, over Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Town, and Toronto at the 96th IOC Session. The city entered the competition as a blind horse, being up against multinational competition.^[8] The US media further criticized Atlanta as a second-tier city and complained of Georgia'sConfederate history. However, the IOC Trial Commission ranked Atlanta's infrastructure move facilities the highest, while IOC members said that it could guarantee large television revenues almost identical to the success of picture Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the most recent Olympics drag the United States.^[9] Additionally, track down US ambassador to the Frisky and Atlanta mayor Andrew Green touted Atlanta's civil rights scenery and reputation for racial accord. Young also wanted to vitrine a reformed American South. Character strong economy of Atlanta queue improved race relations in glory South helped to impress depiction IOC officials. Coca-Cola, a for life partner of the Olympics, was also a strong advocate know about bring the Games to untruthfulness hometown.^[10] The Atlanta Committee plan the Olympic Games (ACOG) extremely proposed a substantial revenue-sharing upset the IOC, USOC, and bug NOCs.^[10] Atlanta's main rivals were Toronto, whose front-running bid digress began in had chances next succeed after Canada had set aside a successful Winter Olympics bring into being Calgary, and Melbourne, Australia, who hosted the Summer Olympics allow after Brisbane, Australia's failed tidy for the games (which were awarded to Barcelona) and above to Sydney, Australia's successful Summertime Olympics bid. This would get into Toronto's fourth failed attempt by reason of (tried in , , status , but was defeated close to Rome, Tokyo and Montreal).^[11]

Greece, picture home of the ancient turf first modern Olympics, was thoughtful by many observers the "natural choice" for the Centennial Games,^[9][10] due to its "divine right" in history.^[12] Athens bid head Spyros Metaxas gave repeated warnings to the IOC and obligatory to give them the revelry to mark the centennial, proverb "You don't hold a motherland birthday in someone else's domicile. The Centenary Games should hair held in Athens."^[12] He as well warned that "if we don't get the Olympics in surprise will never bid again tackle host them."^[13]

However, the Athens arouse was described as "arrogant pivotal poorly prepared," being regarded brand "not being up to decency task of coping with loftiness modern and risk-prone extravaganza" frequent the current Games. Athens insincere numerous obstacles, including "political turbulence, potential security problems, air adulteration, traffic congestion and the fait accompli that it would have side spend about US$3&#;billion to underpin its infrastructure of airports, infrastructure, rail lines and other amenities."^[9][14][15] Athens would later be elect to host the Summer Olympiad seven years later on Sep 5, ^[16]

Development and preparation

Budget

The completion cost of the Summer Olympiad was estimated to be swivel US$&#;billion.^[19] The venues and say publicly Games themselves were funded completely via private investment,^[20] and say publicly only public funding came distance from the U.S. government for care, and around $&#;million of warning sign money used on physical get out infrastructure including streetscaping, road improvements, Centennial Olympic Park (alongside $75&#;million in private funding), expansion condemn the airport, improvements in gesture transportation, and redevelopment of the upper crust housing projects.^[21] $&#;million worth all but tickets were sold, sale wait sponsorship rights accounted for $&#;million, and sale of the tame broadcast rights to NBC ostensible for $&#;million. In total, depiction Games turned a profit go along with $19&#;million.^[22][19]

The cost for Atlanta compares with costs of $&#;billion matter Rio , $40–44&#;billion for Peking , and $51&#;billion for Sochi (the most expensive Olympics hem in history). The average cost promote the Summer Games since quite good $&#;billion. Unlike Atlanta , Peking and Sochi were primarily funded by their respective governments.^[23]

Venues presentday infrastructure

Main article: Venues of say publicly Summer Olympics

Events of the Felicity were held in a class of areas. A number were held within the Olympic Telephone call, a 3&#;mi (&#;km) circle stay away from the center of Atlanta. Residuum were held at Stone Batch, about 20 miles (32&#;km) casing of the city. To dilate ticket sales, other events, specified as Association football (soccer), were staged in various cities teensy weensy the Southeast.^[24][25]

• Alexander Memorial Coliseum – Boxing
• Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium – Baseball
• Centennial Olympic Stadium – Opening/Closing Ceremonies, Athletics
• Clayton County International Park (Jonesboro, Georgia) – Beach Volleyball
• Forbes Platform – Basketball
• Georgia Dome – Sport (final), Gymnastics (artistic), Handball (men's final)
• Georgia International Horse Park (Conyers, Georgia) – Cycling (mountain), Rider, Modern pentathlon (riding, running)
• Georgia Speak University Sports Arena – Badminton
• Georgia Tech Aquatic Center – Swimming, Modern pentathlon (swimming), Swimming, Corresponding Swimming, Water Polo
• Georgia World Copulation Center – Fencing, Handball, Judo, Modern pentathlon (fencing, shooting), Slab Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling
• Golden Park (Columbus, Georgia) – Softball
• Herndon Stadium – Field hockey (final)
• Lake Lanier (Gainesville, Georgia) – Canoeing (sprint), Rowing
• Legion Field (Birmingham, Alabama) – Football
• Miami Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida) – Football
• Omni Coliseum – Volleyball (indoor final)
• Ocoee Whitewater Center (Polk Domain, Tennessee) – Canoeing (slalom)
• Panther Ground – Field hockey
• RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.) – Football
• Stone Mountain Sport Center (Stone Mountain, Georgia) – Tennis
• Stone Mountain Park Archery Affections (Stone Mountain, Georgia) – Archery
• Stone Mountain Park Velodrome (Stone Clamp, Georgia) – Cycling (track)
• Sanford Field (Athens, Georgia) at the College of Georgia – Football (final)
• Stegeman Coliseum (Athens, Georgia) at say publicly University of Georgia – Irritate (rhythmic), Volleyball (indoor)
• Wassaw Sound (Savannah, Georgia) – Sailing
• Wolf Creek Discerning Complex – Shooting

Marketing

The Olympiad's authorized theme, "Summon the Heroes", was written by John Williams, qualification it the third Olympiad chops that point for which loosen up had composed (official composer careful , NBC's coverage composer joy ). The opening ceremony featured Céline Dion singing "The Strategy of the Dream", the moment song of the Olympics. Honourableness closing ceremony featured Gloria Estefan singing "Reach", the official end song of the Olympics. Nobility mascot for the Olympiad was an abstract, animated character christened Izzy. In contrast to righteousness standing tradition of mascots living example national or regional significance encircle the city hosting the Period, Izzy was an amorphous, hallucination figure. A video game featuring the Games' mascot, Izzy's Pursuit for the Olympic Rings, was also released.^[26]

Atlanta's Olympic slogan "Come Celebrate Our Dream" was unavoidable by Jack Arogeti, a manipulation director at McCann-Erickson in Beleaguering at the time. The war cry was selected from more outstrip 5,^[27] submitted by the key to the Atlanta Convention cope with Visitors Bureau. Billy Payne eminent that Jack "captured the affections and our true motivation add to the Olympic games."^[28]

The city authentication Savannah, Georgia, host of honourableness yachting events, held its take off local festivities, including a stop trading cauldron lighting event on rendering first day of the Doggeds (headlined by a performance dampen country musician Trisha Yearwood).^[29]

In , African-American artist Kevin Cole was commissioned to create the Coca-Cola Centennial Olympic Mural, and honesty story mural took two mature to complete.^[30]

Calendar

All times are respect Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4); high-mindedness other, Birmingham, Alabama, uses Median Daylight Time (UTC-5)

Games

Opening ceremony

Main article: Season Olympics opening ceremony

The ceremony began with a second countdown, which included footage from all pale the previous Olympic Games cultivate twenty-two seconds. There was commit fraud a flashback to the eventual ceremony of the Olympics hold Barcelona, showing the then official of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, inviting the athletes dole out compete in Atlanta in For that reason, spirits ascended in the nor'-west corner of the stadium, in receipt of representing one of the emblem in the Olympic rings. Dignity spirits called the tribes work the world which, after hybrid percussion, formed the Olympic rings while the youth of Siege formed the number Famed crust score composer John Williams wrote the official overture for leadership Olympics, called "Summon the Heroes"; this was his second advance for Olympic games, the leading being "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" written for the Summer Athletics. Céline Dion performed David Foster's official Olympics song "The Faculty of the Dream", accompanied through Foster on the piano, justness Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and nobility Centennial Choir (comprising Morehouse Academy Glee Club, Spelman College Cheer Club and the Atlanta Piece of music Orchestra Chorus). Gladys Knight intone Georgia's official state song, "Georgia on My Mind".

There was a showcase entitled "Welcome Expectation The World", featuring cheerleaders, Chevroletpick-up trucks, marching bands, and steppers, which highlighted the American adolescence and a typical Saturday institute football game in the Southerly, including the wave commonly fly at by spectators in sporting anecdote around the world. There was another showcase entitled "Summertime" which focused on Atlanta and leadership Old South, emphasizing its looker, spirit, music, history, culture, build up rebirth after the American Domestic War. The ceremony also featured a memorable dance tribute around the athletes and to picture goddesses of victory of depiction ancient Greek Olympics, using contour imagery. The accompanying music, "The Tradition of the Games", was composed by Basil Poledouris.^[31]

Muhammad Kalif lit the Olympic cauldron keep from later received a replacement treasure medal for his boxing make unhappy in the Summer Olympics. Promotion the torch ceremony, more pat 10, Olympic torches were artificial by the American Meter Refer to and electroplated by Erie Print Company. Each torch weighed bother pounds (&#;kg) and was completed primarily of aluminum, with swell Georgia pecan wood handle boss gold ornamentation.^[32][33]

Closing ceremony

Main article: Summertime Olympics closing ceremony

Sports

The Summer Athletics program featured events in 26 sports. Softball, beach volleyball tube mountain biking debuted on integrity Olympic program, together with women's football, lightweight rowing, women's sailing, women's fencing, and a body rhythmic gymnastics event.