The Atlanta Olympics was a Games of extremes: outstanding sporting action on the field, and a string of organisational problems and serious disasters off it. The low point of the Games was the terrorist bombing of the packed CentennialPark, killing an Olympic fan. The transportation system struggled to cope with the crowds, some official buses getting lost on their way to venues, as summer temperatures soared to sweltering levels. Yet through the tragedy of the bombing and the blunders of organisers, the excellence of competition did much to revive spirits and inspire others.
The Games began with a flourish with a trembling Muhammad Ali, boxing gold medal winner in 1960, lighting the Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony. He was cheered by athletes from 197 nations, 28 more teams than had ever before attended the Games. It would be the United States that would lead the medal table with 44 gold, with American swimmer Amy van Dyken’s haul of four gold medals the best of any athlete of 1996. The program was expanded to 26 sports and 271 events, with softball, mountain biking and beach volleyball among the inclusions.
