When “Las Niñas de Oro” became the youngest Olympic champions in Spain’s history at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, the rhythmic gymnastics sextet had little idea of the magnitude of their historic achievement, and how they would continue to inspire the younger generations far into the future.

Tokyo 2020’s test events aren’t just about checking the venues are ready; they’re also a forum for sports federations and organisers to experiment with innovations. Among the most interesting is the one being trialled in taekwondo. 

Taking advantage of the power of sport to build bridges, President Bach was in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Sunday following a visit to Doha in Qatar.

Ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, IOC-supported Olympic champion and environmentalist Hannah Mills spoke at the UN Youth Climate Summit, highlighting the power of sport to help the world address climate change.

A symbol of new-found peace after the global conflict of 1914-1918 which had left Europe in ruins, the Games of the VII Olympiad in Antwerp in 1920 were the setting for exploits by legendary champions, but also an opening ceremony that made its mark in the history of the great sports gathering imagined by Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic flag was flown for the first time, and Belgium’s Victor Boin pronounced the first athletes’ oath.

Fifteen years ago the Olympic Games Athens 2004 were considered a “homecoming”: Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games and host of the inaugural Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896. Despite challenges related to the post-Games use of some of the Olympic venues, the Games did not disappoint their hosts: they created wide-ranging benefits, some of which the Greek capital continues to enjoy to this day.