The first national mountain bike championships were held in 1983 in the USA. But the sport quickly grew in popularity in Europe and Australia. The first mountain bike World Championships, recognised by the International Cycling Union (UCI), were organised in 1990. Olympic recognition followed and mountain biking made its debut as an Olympic discipline at the Atlanta Games in 1996, with a cross-country event for men and women. The programme has remained unchanged ever since.
It was in 2008 in Beijing that BMX made its debut on the Olympic programme. BMX is one of the fastest and youngest cycling disciplines. Its principle is simple: eight riders compete on a track filled with jumps, tight bends and obstacles.
Find more about Mountain Bike and BMX Cycling at www.olympic.org/mountain-bike and www.olympic.org/cycling-bmx

Every two years, the world's finest athletes gather at the Olympic Games - a spectacular celebration of sporting excellence that captures the attention of billions of people around the world. However, the Games are about much more than just sport. They bring the Olympic values to life and provide a global arena for a unique combination of sport, culture, education and ceremonies.

At the Olympic Games in London 2012, about 10,500 athletes from 204 countries compete in 26 different sports, comprising 302 medal events. Whether athletes win a medal or not, they can forever call themselves Olympians. The sporting competitions are undoubtedly the central focus of the Olympic Games and participating in the Games is the ultimate goal for most athletes.

Every edition has its own story to tell and will be remembered for some truly remarkable performances from sporting legends such as Jesse Owens, Abebe Bikila, Jean-Claude Killy, Nadia Comaneci, Katarina Witt, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt, to name just a few.

Find more about the Olympic Games at www.olympic.org/olympic-games less