One of the most popular games that the world looks forward to is the Olympics, which happens once every four years. As part of the games, there’s also a tournament known as the Summer Olympics. The Summer Olympics are pretty much like the Winter Olympics with its own set of games.
The Summer Olympics started way back in 1896 when it was known as the Games of the Olympiad. There are different sets of games in the Summer Olympics, mostly due to weather.
These games vary from soccer to volleyball amongst many others. If you’d like to find out more about the games being held at the Summer Olympics, be sure to read on. Information on when the last games were held and when the next one will be, can also be below.
Brief History of the Games
There aren’t many global sporting events that come close to the Olympics.
This first modern Olympics occurred in 1896 in Greece. That year saw around 250 competitors taking part in the games. At that point, there were only around 42 competitions taking place at the time.
Today, there are now 306 events, 6179 male competitors, 5059 female competitors. Those numbers were derived from a total of 206 nations.
The winner of each game, whether as a team or an individual takes home the gold. The runner up takes the silver and the third-placed team takes the bronze medal.
Football
Football or soccer, as you would have it, are usually held in the Summer Olympics. As part of the most loved games across the globe, this is one of the most anticipated competitions.
The game consists of 11 players and the opponent has to have the same number of players. The team with the most goals at the end of 90 minutes, wins.
For the Olympics, there are no group ties, the games begin in elimination stages before going to the quarters and semis. The two teams who make it through get to face each other in the finals.
Volleyball
This game is played in particular sets where the team with the most points comes out on top. If you have watched other volleyball, games then this one isn’t any different.
This one starts with a qualification round where the top teams advance to the elimination rounds. From there, it is a straight shooter as to who goes through and who gets eliminated. The final two teams will play in the final.
The other two, after the semis, fight it out for the third-place bronze medal.
Synchronized Swimming
Another game that is quite popular during the summer Olympics is synchronized swimming. Other than the normal swimming events where the competitor takes up spots and swims for the finish line, this is all about strategy and teamwork. The game is judged by judges who issue out points for the best performance.
What makes this game even more loved is the idea that the moves are performed to a musical tune.
The teams have to train hard to have their moves in order. The movements have to be graceful and have to be according to the rhythm of the tune being played. It is one of the most beautiful sports that you can watch in all the Olympic Games.
Rowing
Another game that is quite popular in the Summer Olympics is rowing.
This sport requires up to 6 rowers in the same boat racing against teams from other countries. There is also the 8 player game in the men’s category. The game usually happens in around 6 days with the elimination rounds coming up first.
The elimination process is usually determined by the time they take to finish the round. The final is all about the ‘sprint’, with the fastest and most coordinated team emerging as the winners.
Gymnastics
Another game that you can look forward to in the Summer Olympics is gymnastics. This is one of the traditional games that exist in the Olympics and is still widely celebrated to date.
This is also a game where the judges have the ultimate decision as to who gets the most points. The points are determined by coordination, using different items, such as rings and boards. The one that has the best synchrony and harmony is the one that gets to advance to the later stages.
There’s usually a lot of creativity when it comes to this game making it one of the most popular games in the tournament. It takes almost as much time as the Olympics for the winner to be determined due to a large number of events.
When the Last Games Were Held
The last games of the Summer Olympics were held in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The next Summer Olympics was to take place this year, but due to COVID-19, it didn’t.
The games were pushed forward to 2021, with the games scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan. This is the second time the games are going to take place in the city of Tokyo. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1964.
Conclusion
A lot of people look forward to the Olympics every 4 years and that’s why the games have been so popular. There are a lot of other games that weren’t mentioned in this list despite being just as popular.
If you’ll be watching the 2021 Olympics, here are a few games that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
