1996 Summer Olympics Basil Poledouris. Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic cauldron and later received a replacement gold medal for his boxing victory in the 1960 Summer Olympics. For the torch ceremony, more than 10,000 Olympic torches were manufactured by the American Meter Company and electroplated by Erie Plating Company. Each torch weighed about and was made primarily of aluminum, with a Georgia pecan wood handle and gold ornamentation. The 1996 Summer Olympic programme featured 271 events in 26 sports. Softball, beach volleyball and mountain biking debuted on the Olympic program, together with women's football and lightweight rowing. In women's gymnastics, Lilia Podkopayeva became
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres Boulami. At the beginning of the final turn, Bitok got around Boulami and everybody sprinted for home. Nobody was able to make any progress except that Niyongabo slowed on the final straight to celebrate Burundi's first gold medal. These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres These are the official results of the men's 5000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The event took place between 31 July and 3 August. After a diverse semi-final round where one heat