USA 5-Rings

USA 5-Rings is the symbol that represents the United States Olympic Team. America's top athletes wear the logo proudly as they represent the USA at the Olympic Games. The logo is made up of the letters "USA," the common abbreviation for the United States of America, and the Olympic Rings logo. The United States of America has been competing in the Olympic Games since 1896, the beginning of the modern Olympic Games.

Olympic Rings

Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, designed the Olympic Rings as a symbol to encourage world unity. The five rings represent the five continents, however the colours do not correspond to specific continents. The rings are interlaced to show the universtiy of Olympism and the meeting of the athletes of the world during the Olympic Games. Coubertin first presented the rings in a flag in June 1914 in Paris at the Olympic Congress. Due to the First World War, the flag and its five rings were not displayed in an Olympic stadium until 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.

Victory Ceremony
Photos: Jamie Squire and Nick Laham/Getty Images
The greatest honor for an Olympic athlete is to particpate in a Victory Cermony. At the conclusion of each competition, the top three athletes are placed on a podium as medals are presented to the first, second and third-place finishers. The winner stands in the middle at the highest elevation; the runner-up stands slightly below to the victor's right; and the third-place finisher stands at the lowest elevation to the left of the victor.In addition, each athlete's flag is placed in the same fashion on beams and upon being raised the winner's anthem is played.

 

Medals

 

The medals - gold, silver, and bronze - represent the highest levels of athletic achievement at the Games. The design of the medal varies with each Olympic Games and they are the responsibility of the host city's organizing committee. Olympic medals must be at least 60 millimeters in diameter and at least three millimeters thick. Gold and silver medals must be made of 92.5 percent pure silver; the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold.

Torch & Flame

 

One of the most enduring symbols of the Olympic Games is the Olympic flame. The flame made its first appearance at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and since then the lighting of the flame has become a major focal point of every Opening Ceremonies. The concept of lighting a flame for the duration of the Games comes from the ancient Greeks, who used a flame lit by the sun's rays at Olympia - the site of the original Olympic Games.

Olympic Hymn
Photo: John Gichigi/Getty Images
The Olympic Hymn is played when the Olympic Flag is raised. The music was composed by Spirou Samara. The words were added by Costic of Greece in 1896.
Ancient Immortal Spirit, chaste Father Descending appear with Thy presence Illuminate Thine Earth and the Heavens. Shine upon noble endeavors wrought at the Games on Track and in the Field. Crown with thy eternal evergreen branch The bodies, making them stronger and worthy. Dale, Mount and Ocean, with Thy Light, Is a white a purple temple, brighten! To thine Temple, to Thy Worship, come all. Oh! Ancient Eternal Spirit!

Olympiad

 

The term "Olympiad" refers to the four year interval between the Olympic Games, which was first used by the ancient Greeks in reckoning dates. The Olympiads are numbered consecutively from the first Olympic Games (or The I Olympiad), held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Even the Games cancelled by the wars of 1916, 1940 and 1944 are counted.  The XXVIII Olympiad marked a return to Athens, Greece in 2004. However, the term Olympiad is not used in conjunction with the Olympic Winter Games, which are numbered only when they are actually held.