The 1996 Games were given a dramatic start when the cauldron was lit by Muhammad Ali. On 27 July during a concert held in the Centennial Olympic Park, a terrorist bomb killed one person and injured a further 110 people, but the Atlanta Games are best remembered for their sporting achievements. A record-setting 79 nations won medals and 53 won gold. Carl Lewis became only the third person to win the same individual event four times and the fourth person to earn a ninth gold medal. Naim Suleymanoglu became the first weightlifter to win a third gold medal. Michael Johnson smashed the 200m world record to complete a 200m and 400m double.
Participation:
197 NOCs (Nations)
10,318 athletes (3,512 women, 6,806 men)
271 events
47,466 volunteers
15,108 media (5,695 written press, 9,413 broadcasters)
CEREMONIES
Celebration in the Olympic Stadium for the Centenary Games.
Official opening of the Games by: President Bill Clinton
Lighting the Olympic Flame by: Muhammad Ali (boxing)
Marie-José Pérec (FRA-athletics) won the 200m and then broke the 400m Olympic record, thus achieving the best performance for ten years. She became the most successful French female athlete of all time and the first sportswoman to win the Olympic title over 400m twice consecutively.
Tennis player Virag Csurgo (HUN) was entered in the doubles event only. On the morning of 24 July, she was helping a team-mate to warm up when she was informed that one of the singles entrants had failed to appear and Csurgo could take her place if she showed up for the first round match which was to begin in five minutes' time. Wearing her practice shorts and a t-shirt, Csurgo hurried over to the court and actually won the match.
