The Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremony . Athletes from all the participating nations march into the stadium. Greece comes in first, because it was the first nation to hold the Olympics, and the host nation comes in last.

The Olympic flag is raised and a chosen athlete lights the Olympic flame . It is a symbol of spirit , knowledge, and life. The fire comes from Olympia , a small town in Greece and many runners transport the flame in a torch relay to the site of the games. It burns from the opening ceremony until the end of the games.

The Olympic rings were created in 1913 and represent the five continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas).

All athletes must take the Olympic oath . One of them has to promise that all athletes will give their best and compete in a fair way.

After each event, medals are given to the first three athletes. They receive gold, silver and bronze medals. Their flags are raised and the national anthem of the winner’s country is played.



Arrival of the Olympic torch in London
Image: WikiLaurent, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons



Olympic flag with rings
Image: Sam from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons