The Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics alternate every two years which means the Summer Olympic Games are spaced four years apart and always come in between the Winter Olympic Games. In 2020 the Summer Olympics are held while in 2022 the Winter Olympics will take place.
The first Summer Olympic Games in 1896 were held with fourteen participating countries. Then 200 of the 241 sportsmen were from Greece and there were 43 sports events held in 9 sports.
The first countries to take part in these games were Greece, the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Austria, Australia, Denmark and Switzerland.
No women were allowed to compete at the first Olympic Games, although one woman from Greece, 30-year-old Stamata Revithi, joined in the marathon event on her own.
