The 1996 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, were held in Atlanta, Georgia from July 19 to August 4, 1996. It was the first time the Olympics were held in the American South.
The 1996 Olympics featured 10,320 athletes from 197 nations competing in 26 sports and 271 events. This Olympics was notable for being the first to have women's soccer and women's softball as official events.
The United States finished at the top of the medal table with 44 gold medals, followed by Russia and Germany. The most successful athletes of the Games were Russian gymnast Alexei Nemov and American swimmer Amy Van Dyken, who each won six medals.
The 1996 Olympics were also marred by tragedy, as a bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park on July 27, killing two people and injuring dozens more. Despite this, the Games continued and were hailed as a success in terms of organization and sporting achievements.