The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games

Do you know when and where the next Olympic Games will be held? D you know how the Olympic Games began?

ANCIENT 

The beginning

Three thousand years ago people came from all over Greece to attend a special festival at Olympia. There were celebrations and races. As time passed, the races grew bigger and more events were included, such as wrestling, discus and javelin throwing, and chariot racing. These events were only for men.

A time of peace

 The games were held every four years, like they are today. During the games any Greek cities who were at war with each other agreed to stop fighting. As soon as the games finished, they began fighting again!
 

Parades

 At the beginning of the games, athletes took part in a parade on the way to the sports stadium. Thousands of people lined the streets to cheer them. A trumpet was used to start each event.

Winner takes all

 Only the winner of each event won a prize. Athletes in second and third place got nothing. The winner was awarded a wreath made of laurel leaves to wear round his head.

MODERN

 

The modern Olympics

The modern Olympics are held every four years and are open to every country of the world. Baron Pierre de Coubertin first had the idea for the modern Olympic Games. He held a planning meeting in Paris in 1894 and two years later, in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens. This city was chosen because Greece was the original home of the Olympics. Only twelve countries attended, and took part in the different sports. Many of the competitors just happened to be in Greece at the time and did not go specially for the games!

The marathon 

The history of the marathon race is very interesting. Many years ago the Greeks of Athens won a great battle at a place called Marathon; which was about 42 kilometres away from the city. A messenger was ordered to take the news of the victory to the city. Although he was already exhausted from the battle, the messenger ran the whole way. As he arrived in the city, he cried out the good news -and then fell down dead! Today marathon runners must still run 42 kilometres from start to finish .

The flag

 

T-he Olympic Flag shows five rings linked together. The rings stand for the five continents -Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Australasia. Each ring is a different colour. They are linked together to show that people from all five continents are joined together in peaceful and friendly competition.

The flame

At every opening ceremony, an athlete runs into the stadium carrying the Olympic Flame. The flame is lit at Olympia in Greece and is then carried to wherever the Games are being held. Special torches are used to keep the flame alight. The torch is used to light a big Olympic Flame which is then kept alight all through the Games. It is a great honour to be chosen to carry the Olympic Flame into the stadium and to light the Olympic Flame there.

THE PARALYMPIC GAMES

What are they?

The Paralympic Games are like the Olympic Games except that they are for

people with disabilities. They, too, take place every four years. The Paralympic Games started as a small event and got bigger and bigger.
 

When did they begin?

The first Games were held in 1948 when patients from a hospital in England, competed with other patients from other hospitals. Most of the competitors were in wheelchairs.
 

The Games get bigger

In 1976 the Games were enlarged to include blind people and people without arms and legs, but it wasn't until 1988 that the Games became really international. For the first time the Games were televised and seen all over the world.

The Games today

Today, over 3,500 atheletes from 100 countries take part in the Paralympic Games. Events include archery, basketball, athletics, swlmming and 'goalball' -a version of football played by blind people.