What are the Olympic Games?

The Olympic Games were an athletic festival held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BCE to about 393 CE. In 1896, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens. The 1968 Olympic Games took place in Mexico City from October 12–27. Political tensions marked the games, as ten days before the opening ceremony, the Mexican army shot and killed over 200 student protesters in the Plaza of Three Cultures. During the 200-meter run award ceremony, American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested the treatment of Black citizens in the U.S. with a Black Power salute, resulting in their ban from the Olympic Village.

When and where were the 1968 Olympic Games held?

The 1968 Olympic Games took place in Mexico City from October 12–27. These games were the 16th occurrence of the modern Olympic Games and were politically charged due to protests against the Mexican government's use of funds for the Olympics instead of social programs. Nearly 5,500 athletes from 112 countries participated, with East and West Germany competing as separate countries for the first time. First-time drug testing and female sex verification were conducted. The high elevation of Mexico City benefited sprinters but hindered distance runners. Memorable performances included Bob Beamon's long jump and Dick Fosbury's "Fosbury flop" in the high jump.

Why were the 1968 Olympic Games significant for Mexico City?

The 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City were the scene of significant political events. Student protests against the Mexican government's use of funds for the Olympics, rather than social programs, ended in the Tlatelolco Massacre where the Mexican army killed over 200 protesters. Tommie Smith and John Carlos , U.S. sprinters, protested racial inequality in the United States during the 200-meter award ceremony, raising black-gloved fists in a Black Power salute. The IOC banned them from the Olympic Village.

What new events or records happened at the 1968 Olympics?

The 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games were marked by political tensions and athletic achievements.

How did the high altitude of Mexico City affect the athletes?

The high altitude of Mexico City (2,300 meters [7,500 feet]) during the 1968 Olympic Games affected track-and-field athletes in different ways. The thin air was advantageous for sprinters and field athletes, but it presented challenges for most distance runners. African runners, who typically trained at high elevations, had a competitive edge. At the games, Bob Beamon (long jump) and Lee Evans (400-meter run) broke world records, and Kip Keino of Kenya earned gold and silver medals.

What important social or political events took place during these Games?

The 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City were marked by significant political and social events. Prior to the games, protesting students in Mexico City gathered in the Plaza of Three Cultures to demonstrate against the allocation of government funds to the Olympics instead of social programs. The Mexican army surrounded the protestors and opened fire, killing over 200 and injuring more than 1,000 in what became known as the Tlatelolco Massacre. During the games, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, protested the treatment of Black citizens in the U.S. during the 200-meter award ceremony. They bowed their heads and raised a single black-gloved fist during the U.S. national anthem. The athletes were promptly banned by the IOC and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Wolfgang Nordwig of East Germany, wearing a red tank top and white shorts, clears the bar during the pole vault event at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.

Bob Beamon of the United States in midair during his record-breaking long jump at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, with officials watching in the foreground.

Wyomia Tyus anchoring the U.S. 4 × 100-metre relay team, which won the gold medal in world record time at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City.

Quick Facts

Date:: October 12, 1968 - October 27, 1968

Location:: Mexico; Mexico City

See all related content

Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games

Also known as: Games of the XIX Olympiad

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 20, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What are the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games were an athletic festival held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BCE to about 393 CE. In 1896, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens.

The 1968 Olympic Games took place in Mexico City from October 12–27. Political tensions marked the games, as ten days before the opening ceremony, the Mexican army shot and killed over 200 student protesters in the Plaza of Three Cultures. During the 200-meter run award ceremony, American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested the treatment of Black citizens in the U.S. with a Black Power salute, resulting in their ban from the Olympic Village.
6 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
When and where were the 1968 Olympic Games held?
The 1968 Olympic Games took place in Mexico City from October 12–27. These games were the 16th occurrence of the modern Olympic Games and were politically charged due to protests against the Mexican government's use of funds for the Olympics instead of social programs. Nearly 5,500 athletes from 112 countries participated, with East and West Germany competing as separate countries for the first time. First-time drug testing and female sex verification were conducted. The high elevation of Mexico City benefited sprinters but hindered distance runners. Memorable performances included Bob Beamon's long jump and Dick Fosbury's "Fosbury flop" in the high jump.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games
2. Olympic Games: Mexico City, Mexico, 1968
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why were the 1968 Olympic Games significant for Mexico City?
The 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City were the scene of significant political events. Student protests against the Mexican government's use of funds for the Olympics, rather than social programs, ended in the Tlatelolco Massacre where the Mexican army killed over 200 protesters.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos, U.S. sprinters, protested racial inequality in the United States during the 200-meter award ceremony, raising black-gloved fists in a Black Power salute. The IOC banned them from the Olympic Village.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What new events or records happened at the 1968 Olympics?
The 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games were marked by political tensions and athletic achievements.
- Political charge The games were politically charged due to the killing of protesting students and the Black Power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
- Firsts East and West Germany competed as separate countries for the first time, and drug testing and female gender verification were introduced.
- Record Shattering At high elevation, Bob Beamon (long jump) and Lee Evans (400-meter run) shattered world records.
- Revolutionary Technique Dick Fosbury won the high jump using the "Fosbury flop," a technique that changed the sport.
- Top Athletes Debbie Meyer and Klaus Dibiasi were standouts in pool events, while Boris Lagutin and Katō Sawao earned gold medals in boxing and gymnastics, respectively.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did the high altitude of Mexico City affect the athletes?
The high altitude of Mexico City (2,300 meters [7,500 feet]) during the 1968 Olympic Games affected track-and-field athletes in different ways. The thin air was advantageous for sprinters and field athletes, but it presented challenges for most distance runners. African runners, who typically trained at high elevations, had a competitive edge. At the games, Bob Beamon (long jump) and Lee Evans (400-meter run) broke world records, and Kip Keino of Kenya earned gold and silver medals.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games
2. Olympic Games: Mexico City, Mexico, 1968
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What important social or political events took place during these Games?
The 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City were marked by significant political and social events.

Prior to the games, protesting students in Mexico City gathered in the Plaza of Three Cultures to demonstrate against the allocation of government funds to the Olympics instead of social programs. The Mexican army surrounded the protestors and opened fire, killing over 200 and injuring more than 1,000 in what became known as the Tlatelolco Massacre.

During the games, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, protested the treatment of Black citizens in the U.S. during the 200-meter award ceremony. They bowed their heads and raised a single black-gloved fist during the U.S. national anthem. The athletes were promptly banned by the IOC and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
6 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Mexico City that took place October 12–27, 1968. The Mexico City Games were the 16th occurrence of the modern Olympic Games.

The 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City were the most politically charged Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin. Ten days before the Games were to open, students protesting the Mexican government’s use of funds for the Summer Olympics rather than for social programs were surrounded in the Plaza of Three Cultures by the army and fired upon. More than 200 protesters were killed and more than a thousand were injured. At the victory ceremony for the men’s 200-meter run, Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos (gold and bronze medalists, respectively) stood in black socks, each with head bowed and a single black-gloved fist raised in the Black-power salute during the national anthem. The athletes described the gesture as a tribute to their African American heritage and a protest of their country’s treatment of Black citizens. Officials from the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic Committee judged the display to be counter to the ideals of the Games; both athletes were banned from the Olympic Village and sent home.

Most medals by country

United States: 107
U.S.S.R.: 91
Hungary: 32
West Germany: 26
Japan: 25

Note: Medal count per the IOC website.

Almost 5,500 athletes representing 112 countries attended the Games. East and West Germany competed for the first time as separate countries. Drug testing and female sex verification were conducted for the first time.

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Silhouette of hand holding sport torch behind the rings of an Olympic flag, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; February 3, 2015.

Britannica Quiz

The Olympics Quiz

Bob BeamonBob Beamon breaking the world record in the long jump at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

The high elevation of Mexico City (2,300 meters [7,500 feet]) was both a benefit and a hindrance to track-and-field competitors. The sprinters and field athletes thrived in the thin air. The same was not true for most of the distance runners. African runners, who trained at high elevations, had an advantage; Kip Keino of Kenya did particularly well, earning gold and silver medals. Americans Bob Beamon (long jump) and Lee Evans (400-meter run) shattered world records, and Dick Fosbury won the high jump with his revolutionary “Fosbury flop” technique.

The pool events starred Debbie Meyer of the United States, who won three gold medals in freestyle races, and Klaus Dibiasi of Italy, who won the first of his three career gold medals in platform diving. Soviet light middleweight boxer Boris Lagutin won his second gold medal, and gymnast Katō Sawao of Japan won the first of his two individual gold medals in the combined exercises. The top medal-winning athletes are listed below.

athlete	country	sport	gold	silver	bronze	total
1. Mikhail Voronin	U.S.S.R.	gymnastics	2	4	1	7
2. Věra Čáslavská	Czechoslovakia	gymnastics	4	2	0	6
3. Akinori Nakayama	Japan	gymnastics	4	1	1	6
4. Charlie Hickcox	U.S.	swimming	3	1	0	4
5. Katō Sawao	Japan	gymnastics	3	0	1	4
6. Susan Jane Pedersen	U.S.	swimming	2	2	0	4
7. Michael Vincent Wenden	Australia	swimming	2	1	1	4
7. Mark Spitz	U.S.	swimming	2	1	1	4
7. Jane Margo Henne	U.S.	swimming	2	1	1	4
10. Nataliya Kuchinskaya	U.S.S.R.	gymnastics	2	0	2	4

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Mindy Johnston.

Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games

Thank you for signing up!