Solomon Islands at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Olympics, the Atlanta Olympics were their fourth appearance in Olympic competition. The 1996 Summer Olympics were held from 19 July to 4 August 1996; 10,318 athletes represented 194 National Olympic Committees. The Solomon Islands' delegation to Atlanta consisted of four athletes, three in track and field: Selwyn Kole, Primo Higa, and Nester Geniwala'a; and one in weightlifting: Tony Analau. Selwyn Kole was 22 years old at the time of the Atlanta Olympics, and was making his Olympic debut. In the first round of the men's 1500 meters, held on 29 July, he was drawn into heat five.
1996 Summer Olympics and Toronto at the 96th IOC Session. Atlanta's bid to host the Summer Games that began in 1987 was considered a long-shot, since the U.S. had hosted the Summer Olympics 12 years earlier in Los Angeles. Atlanta's main rivals were Toronto, whose front-running bid that began in 1986 seemed almost sure to succeed after Canada had held a successful 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and Melbourne, Australia, who hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics and after Brisbane, Australia's failed bid for the 1992 games (which were awarded to Barcelona) and prior to Sydney, Australia's successful 2000 Summer Olympics bid, they felt