1988 Junior Olympics

The 1988 Junior Olympics took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Children from around the world competed in junior versions of Summer Olympics events. Auditions were being held in most elementary schools and junior high schools across the world. Over 125 countries competed including Canada, the United States of America, Italy, Romania, France, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The minimum age for competition at that time was 12 years of age. These events were eventually succeeded by the 1992 Junior Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and were preceded by the 1984 Junior Olympics.

Like the regular Olympics, medals of gold, silver, and bronze were awarded to the three best athletes of a particular event. The most notable events were basketball and football. Many athletes from these games went on to play in the 2000 Summer Olympics, the 2004 Summer Olympics, and the recent 2008 Summer Olympics. These events took place during the last decade of the Cold War. Germany competed as two countries (East Germany and West Germany) for the final time while Yugoslavia dissolved years after the end of the 1988 Junior Olympics.