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10. Montreal 1976 -

Total Global Viewers: 1 billion

The 1976 Games were the first (and as of 2024, the only) Summer Olympic Games to take place in Canada.

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10. Montreal 1976: Highlights worth watching -

Viewers tuned in to watch Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov dominate the 1976 gymnastics competition, winning four golds (including the all-around), two silvers, and a bronze.

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10. Montreal 1976: Highlights worth watching -

But one of the main highlights of the Games was 14-year-old gymnast Nadia Comaneci of Romania. She became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.0 at the Games and would continue to do so six more times on her way to winning three gold medals.

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9. Tokyo 2020 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.05 billion

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games took place in the summer of 2021 amid a worldwide pandemic with major restrictions in place. With a record number of people stuck at home, it was a much-needed distraction for billions of viewers. 

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9. Tokyo 2020: Highlights worth watching -

Norway's Karsten Warholm broke his world record in the 400-meter hurdles final. His time of 45.94 seconds broke the previous record he set of 46.70 seconds, as he became the first person to break 46 seconds.

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9. Tokyo 2020: Highlights worth watching -

Team USA swimmer Caeleb Dressel dominated in the pool, winning three individual gold medals in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter butterfly, as well as a pair of gold medals in the 4x100-meter freestyle and 4x100-meter medley relays (and setting new world records along the way).

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8. Rio de Janeiro 2016 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.2 billion

The Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games were full of firsts. They were the first Olympic Games to be held in South America, the first to be held in a Portuguese-speaking country, the first summer edition to be held entirely in the host country's winter season, the first since 1968 to be held in Latin America, and the first since 2000 to be held in the Southern Hemisphere! 

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8. Rio de Janeiro 2016: Highlights worth watching -

Viewers were thrilled to watch South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk explode out of the blocks to win the 400-meter final in 43.03 seconds, a new record.

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8. Rio de Janeiro 2016: Highlights worth watching -

Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig captured attention early in the tournament, a momentum that continued as she toppled two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova. She then beat 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber of Germany with a blistering backhand to win gold.

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7. Atlanta 1996 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.2 billion

In 1996, Atlanta, Georgia, had the honor of hosting the centennial Olympic Games. 

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7. Atlanta 1996: Highlights worth watching -

One of the world’s top tennis players, especially in doubles, Mary Fernandez competed at the 1996 Olympics for the United States, winning the doubles gold medal alongside her namesake Mary Joe Fernandez.

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7. Atlanta 1996: Highlights worth watching -

Derek Mills, Alvin Harrison, Anthuan Maybank, Jason Rouser, and LaMont Smith also won gold for Team USA, in the Men's 4x400 meter relay event during the games.

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6. Seoul 1988 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.5 billion

The Seoul Summer Olympic Games weren't just about sport. They presented South Korea in a whole new light to a worldwide audience, transforming its image and opening the country up to greater economic cooperation.

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6. Seoul 1988: Highlights worth watching -

Viewers tuned in to see Florence Griffith-Joyner bring home gold for Team USA in the Women's 100-meter final event.

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6. Seoul 1988: Highlights worth watching -

Canadian Ben Johnson won the 100-meter final with an impressive world-record time of 9.79 seconds, however, he was later disqualified after testing positive for stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid.

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5. Barcelona 1992 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.5 billion

The arrival of the Olympic Games in Barcelona was historic, beginning the city's transformation into the cosmopolitan hub we know today.

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5. Barcelona 1992: Highlights worth watching -

Belarussian Vitaly Scherbo wowed audiences by winning six gold medals—four of them in a single day—for the newly created Unified Nations, made up of former nations of the Soviet Union (minus the Baltic States).

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5. Barcelona 1992: Highlights worth watching -

In basketball, before 1992, only European and South American professionals were allowed to compete, while the Americans used college players. The admittance of NBA players led to the formation of the "Dream Team" of the United States, who won the gold medal and featured legendary players Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, among others.

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4. London 2012 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.6 billion

London became the first modern city to hold the Olympic Games three times when it hosted the event in the summer of 2012.

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4. London 2012: Highlights worth watching -

Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy pleased the home crowd by becoming one of the most successful British Olympians of all time. Hoy won six gold and one silver medal, making him the most successful Olympic cyclist of all time.

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4. London 2012: Highlights worth watching -

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia won gold in the Women's 5000m Final on day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Her second-ever Olympic gold medal, it came eight years after winning her first in the Athens 2004 Games.

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3. Sydney 2000 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.6 billion

At the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games, several events were contested at the Olympics for the first time. These included men's and women's tae kwon do, trampoline, triathlon, and synchronized diving.

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3. Sydney 2000: Highlights worth watching -

Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman excelled in the 400-meter dash. At the Sydney 2000 Games, she became the first Australian Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal.

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3. Sydney 2000: Highlights worth watching -

Team USA's Misty Hyman stunned heavy gold-medal favorite Aussie Susie O’Neill in the women’s 200-meter butterfly. O'Neill, whose nickname was "Madame Butterfly," was the reigning Olympic and World champion and the world record holder on entering the race. Hyman won the gold and had an Olympic and American record swim that was .07 off O’Neill’s world record.

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2. Athens 2004 -

Total Global Viewers: 3.9 billion

As the birthplace of the ancient Olympiad and the host of the inaugural Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896, Athens 2004 was considered a 'homecoming' of the games. The global viewership figures reflect the excitement surrounding them.

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2. Athens 2004: Highlights worth watching -

Ian Thorpe's win for Australia in the Men's 200-meter freestyle final during the Athens Games thrilled viewers around the globe. He fought off competition from the USA's Michael Phelps and Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband.

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2. Athens 2004: Highlights worth watching -

One of the more bizarre Summer Olympic events ever saw runner Brazil's Vanderlei de Lima pushed off the road as he led the marathon by an Irish former priest. De Lima ended up with a bronze medal, while gold went to Italy's Stefano Baldini.

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1. Beijing 2008 -

Total Global Viewers: 4.7 billion

The most watched Olympic Games on record, China enthralled viewers with a US$100 million opening ceremony that set the tone for an unforgettable, record-shattering event. 

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1. Beijing 2008: Highlights worth watching -

At just 21 years old, Usain Bolt crossed the line in the final of the men’s 100m dash in a record-smashing 9.69 seconds. The world watched as he turned to smile at the camera, becoming one of the most famous Olympians of the 21st century.

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1. Beijing 2008: Highlights worth watching -

The USA's Michael Phelps dominated in swimming, taking part in 17 races over nine days in Beijing. He won eight gold medals and set seven world records.

Sources: (Front Office Sports) (Guinness World Records)

See also: The hottest athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics

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