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The Olympic torch relay began at Berlin 1936, not in antiquity

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Olympic torches displayed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne
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1936

The Olympic torch relay began at Berlin 1936, not in antiquity

The first modern Olympic torch relay carried a flame from Olympia to Berlin in 1936. A stadium flame had already appeared at Amsterdam 1928, so flame and relay have different starting dates.

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Olympic stadium illuminated during a closing ceremony
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5 rings

The Olympic rings represent five continents, not five colour-coded continents

The five Olympic rings symbolise the union of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. No individual ring colour officially belongs to a particular continent.

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Panathenaic Stadium in Athens
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1896

The first modern Olympics opened in Athens in 1896

Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games from 6 to 15 April 1896. The IOC records 241 athletes, 14 national teams and 43 events.

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