¡¡   ATHENS, Aug. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Following are some facts of the past Olympic Games opening ceremonies:

    1896: Games of the I Olympiad, Athens, Greece

    Following a parade of athletes representing 13 teams, the Games was declared open by King George of Greece.

    The Olympic anthem written by Kostis Palamas and composed by Spyros Samaras was performed for the first time.

    James B. Connolly of the United States won the triple jump competition, the first competition final of the event, and so became the first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic Games.

    This was the first time the marathon race was run, and it was won by Greek Spiros Louis.

    1900: Games of the II Olympiad, Paris, France

    There was no Olympic Games opening ceremony because the Games was held in conjunction with the Universal Paris Exposition.

    1904: Games of the III Olympiad, St Louis, Missouri, the United States

    There was no Olympic Games opening ceremony because the Games was held in coujunction with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

    1908: Games of the IV Olympiad, London, Britain

    The Games was declared open by King Edward VII.

    The opening ceremony reinstated the parade of athletes and written protocol.

    1912: Games of the V Olympiad, Stockholm, Sweden

    The Games was declared open by King Gustav of Sweden.

    Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, President of the Swedish Olympic Committee, delivered an address.

    1916: Games of the VI Olympiad

    The Games was not held due to World War I.

    1920: Games of the VII Olympiad, Antwerp, Belgium

     The Games was declared open by King Albert I.

    The Olympic oath, the Olympic flag, known as the "Antwerp Flag",and the release of the Doves of Peace, were all introduced for thefirst time.

    1924: Games of the VIII Olympiad, Paris, France

    The Games was declared open by President Gaston Doumerge.

    For the first time, the Athletes' Oath was transmitted by microphone so that everyone could hear it.

    1928: Games of the IX Olympiad, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    The Games was declared open by HRH Prince Hendrick.

    The alphabetical line-up for the Parade of Nations was established, but with the Greek delegation first and the host country last.

    The Olympic flame was lit for the first time and burned for theduration of the Games.

    1932: Games of the X Olympiad, Los Angeles, the United States

    The Games was declared open by Vice President Charles Curtis.

    A loudspeaker system was used for the first time.

    1936: Games of the XI Olympiad, Berlin, Germany

    The Games was declared open by Adolf Hitler.

    The torch relay was run for the first time. It passed through 7 countries and travelled 3,000kms before arriving in Berlin.

    1940: Games of the XII Olympiad

    The Games was not held due to World War II.

    1944: Games of the XIII Olympiad.

    The Games was not held due to World War II.

    1948: Games of the XIV Olympiad, London, Britain

    The Games was declared open by King George VI.

    Placards bearing the names of the parading teams were carried by senior members of the Boy Scouts Association.

    1952: Games of the XV Olympiad, Helsinki, Finland

    The Games was declared open by President Juho Kusti Paasiviki.

    Just before the Oaths were to be delivered, a pacifist from Germany, Barbara Rotraut-Pleyer attempted to reach the speakers onthe podium in order to make a statement.

    1956: Games of the XVI Olympiad, Melbourne, Australia

    The Games was declared open by HRH, the Duke of Edinburgh.

    Australian miler, Ron Clark, brought the Olympic flame into thestadium, the final runner in the longest torch relay in history upto that time.

     1960: Games of the XVII Olympiad, Rome, Italy

    The Games was declared open by President Giovanni Gronchi.

    Athletes paraded in time to 12 marches played by military bands.

     1964: Games of the XVIII Olympiad, Tokyo, Japan

    The Games was declared open by Emperor Hirohito.

    The flame was lit by a young student -- Yoshinori Sakao, who was born on the same day Hiroshima was bombed.

     1968: Games of the XIX Olympiad, Mexico City, Mexico

    The Games was declared open by President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz.

    Enriqueta Basillo Sotalo became the first woman to light the Olympic flame.

    1972: Games of the XX Olympiad, Munich, Germany

    The Games was declared open by President Gustav Heineman.

    Heidi Schuller became the first woman to pronounce the Athletes' Oath.

    1976: Games of the XXI Olympiad, Montreal, Canada

    The Games was declared open by HM Queen Elizabeth II.

    Two people simultaneously lit the Olympic flame -- Sandra Henderson and Stephane Prefontaine -- to represent the joining of French and English Canadians. The couple later married.

    1980: Games of the XXII Olympiad, Moscow, Soviet Union

    The Games was declared open by President Leonid Brezhnev.

    The ceremony paid homage to ancient Greece.

    1984: Games of the XXIII Olympiad, Los Angeles, the United States

    The Games was declared open by President Ronald Reagan.

    The finale emphasised American and Olympic multiculturalism with representatives from every Olympic delegation performing.

    1988: Games of the XXIV Olympiad, Seoul, South Korea

    The Games was declared open by President Roh Tae-Woo.

    The theme was "The Fate of Traditional Culture in A Post Modern World".

    1992: Games of the XXV Olympiad, Barcelona, Spain

    The Games was declared open by King Juan Carlos I.

    Paralympian archer Antonio Rebollo shot a flaming arrow 230 feet from the floor of the stadium to light the cauldron.

    1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad, Atlanta, the United States

    The Games was declared open by President Bill Clinton.

    The ceremony featured a tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King.

    2000: Games of the XXVII Olympiad, Sydney, Australia

    The Games was declared open by Sir William Deane, Governor General of Australia.

    Gold medal winner Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron.Enditem