The Olympic games in pictures from the GNM Archive

The British coxed four team who won Gold at the 1984 Olympics games in Los Angeles. Print taken from the Observer's sports picture library which is held in the GNM Archive.
Photograph: Eamonn McCabe /Observer

Colour transparency of Anne Packer and fiancé Robbie Brightwell at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, from the Observer Colour Magazine Archive. Despite commissioning a colour feature on the Games the 1964 Olympics received little coverage in the magazine and this image along with many others remained unpublished. Anne Packer won a gold medal in the 800 meters in an extraordinary race which has gone down in history as one of the great sporting moments. Her win was featured as one of the Guardian's 50 stunning Olympic moments. Photograph: Observer

Pocket cartoon by David Austin for the Guardian relating to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The Archive holds an extensive collection of original artwork by David Austin - find out more on our online archive catalogue
Illustration: David Austin/Guardian

Work on the Olympic stadium in preparation for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Print taken from the Observer's sports picture library which is held in the GNM Archive. Photograph: Observer

'Going for Gold' - the British Hockey team winning gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Photograph: The Guardian

Athlete Gordon Pirie the day before he got married and a week before he flew to compete in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. He went on to win Silver in the 5000 meters. This picture is just one of thousands of portraits of personalities taken by Jane Bown for the Observer. A near complete archive of her work is held by the GNM Archive Photograph: Jane Bown/Observer

Cartoon by Les Gibbard for the Guardian relating to the 1988 Olympic Games. The GNM Archive holds an extensive collection of Les Gibbard's political cartoons for the paper dating from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Illustration: Les Gibbard/Guardian

Inside the Olympic Stadium in Rome, c1959 Photograph: Jane Bown/Observer

Athlete competing at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Photograph taken for the Observer Colour Magazine but never published. Photograph: David Moore/Observer

Final touches to the LA Memorial Coliseum, May 1984 Photograph: Laurence Cottrell/Observer

Opening ceremony for the 1980 Olympics held in Moscow. Print taken from the Observer's sports picture library which is held in the GNM Archive.
Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/Observer

Olympic athletes model their uniforms for the Montreal Olympics in 1972. The tracksuits were red and blue and featured zip-up flared trousers. Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

Spread from the Observer Colour Magazine's Olympics Special published 19 August 1984. Photographs show contestants in a 1500m heat and Sebastian Coe embracing his father after winning the final for Britain. Coe was the first athlete to take the 1500m gold in 2 successive Olympics. Photograph: Observer

Torch bearer at the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles Photograph: Observer

Gemini News Service graphic from the 1980 Moscow Olympics showing world records for the pole vault. Founded in 1967, Gemini was a pioneering independent news agency specialising in the field of international and development journalism. Gemini was owned by the Guardian from 1973 to 1982, and after the service ceased operation in 2002 its records were donated to the GNM Archive
Illustration: Gemini News Service/Guardian

Weight lifter competing in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/Observer

Start of the 50km walk at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City Photograph: Bryn Campbell/Observer

David Austin pocket cartoon for the Guardian, August 2004
Illustration: David Austin/Guardian

Preparations in the Olympic Stadium ahead of the Rome Games in 1960 Photograph: Jane Bown/Observer