The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years on leap years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece, and the most recent Games were held in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for organising the Games and for overseeing the host city's preparations. The tradition of awarding medals began in 1904; in each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals for second place, and bronze medals for third place.
The Winter Olympic Games were created out of the success of the Summer Olympic Games, which are regarded as the largest and most prestigious multi-sport international event in the world.
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad and also known as Paris 1900, were an international multi-sport event that took place in Paris, France, from 14 May to 28 October 1900. No opening or closing ceremonies were held. They were the very first Summer Olympics ever held in a non-leap year until the 2020 Summer Olympics, which were delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, three croquet events were contested. Seven men and three women participated. The doubles competition was scheduled first, though it is unclear whether the French pair that won had any competition. The one-ball singles was played the next week, followed by two-ball singles the week after. France, which supplied all 10 competitors, therefore won all the medals.
Five equestrian competitions were held from 29 May to 2 June 1900 at the Concours Hippique International in Paris as part of the Exposition Universelle. The events were later classified as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics. The events were organised by the Société hippique française, with competitors from eight countries competing in three jumping and two driving events at the Place de Breteuil in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
At the 1900 Summer Olympics one gymnastics event for men was contested. The competition was held on Sunday, 29 July 1900, and on Monday, 30 July 1900. There were 135 competitors from 8 nations. The top 18 places were taken by French gymnasts, of which there were more than 100. The event was won by Gustave Sandras, with Noël Bas finishing second and Lucien Démanet third. The highest-placing foreign gymnast was Jules Ducret of Switzerland, in a tie for 19th place.
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, a polo tournament was contested. Matches were held on 28 May, 31 May, and 2 June. Five teams competed. Four of these teams were of mixed nationality, with British and French athletes competing on three teams. There was no playoff for third place.
At the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, many shooting events were featured within the concurrent 1900 Exposition Universelle, but only eight events currently are considered as "Olympic" by IOC. Before July 2021 the International Olympic Committee has never decided which events were "Olympic" and which were not. The competitions were held from 3 August to 5 August and took place at the military sporting complex in Satory and at Boulogne-Billancourt. According to Olympic historian Bill Mallon, one of these nine shooting events was an event for professionals with prize money and therefore does not meet inclusion criteria for 1900 Olympic Games events.
At the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, seven swimming events were contested. Only men competed in the swimming competition. There was a total of 76 participants from 12 countries competing. The games are referenced in Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi. As with the rowing events, swimming took place on the Seine between the Courbevoie Bridge and the Asnières Bridge.
The men's long jump was a track & field athletics event at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was held on July 14 and July 15, 1900. 12 athletes from six nations competed. The event was won by Alvin Kraenzlein of the United States, the second consecutive victory for the American team. Myer Prinstein, also an American, took silver. Patrick Leahy, an Irish athlete competing for Great Britain, took bronze; it was the first long jump medal for a non-American athlete as the United States had swept the 1896 medals.
The men's triple jump was a track & field athletics event at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was held on July 16, 1900. 13 athletes from six nations competed. The event was won by Myer Prinstein of the United States, the nation's second consecutive victory in the men's triple jump. Prinstein became the first, and through the 2016 Games, only, person to have won both the long jump and the triple jump. James Brendan Connolly took second, making him the first man to medal twice in the triple jump. Lewis Sheldon finished third, completing what would later be known as a medal sweep.
Belgium has competed at most editions of the Olympic Games after making its first appearance at the 1900 Games. The nation was host to the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
Norway competed at the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. Results from Norwegian athletes are typically considered separate from those of Swedish competitors despite the Union between Sweden and Norway that existed in 1900.
Italy competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
The modern Olympic Games were founded by French historian Pierre de Coubertin. France has competed in every edition, with the possible exception of the 1904 Games.
The Russian Empire competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was the first appearance of the European nation, which had entered the names of competitors for the first modern Olympics in 1896 but had failed to appear.
The men's eight was one of the competitions in the Rowing at the 1900 Summer Olympics events in Paris. It was held on 25 and 26 August 1900. 5 boats, involving 46 rowers from 5 nations, competed. The event was won by the United States, represented by the Vesper Boat Club. Silver went to the Royal Club Nautique de Gand of Belgium, with bronze to Minerva Amsterdam from the Netherlands.
Early modern Olympic Games allowed for individuals in a team to be from different nations. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) grouped their results together under the mixed team designation. A total of 25 medals were won by mixed teams in the first three modern Games, from 1896 to 1904.
The "hacks and hunter combined", also known as the "chevaux de selle", was one of five equestrian competitions held in late May and early June 1900 at the International Horse Show in Paris. The event was part of the Exposition Universelle, and later classified as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics. It is unknown how many riders competed. The top four placers are known, as are about half the remaining riders who competed, including three women. As an upper limit, 50 men and 1 woman are listed as entrants in the Official Report, but it is almost certain that not all actually competed.
