History of the Olympic Games
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The first Olympics
The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia in Greece in 776 BC. In these early games the events were very traditional and included running, javelin throwing, wrestling and boxing. The games were held every four years and were for men only. Women could not compete in them or even watch them. The athletes didn’t wear any clothes and there were no medals or trophies for the winners. The prizes were crowns made of olive leaves.
The Olympic flame
The Olympic flame is an important symbol of the Games. A few months before the games start, the flame is carried from Greece to the country holding the Olympics. Often it is carried by runners with torches. On the first day of the Olympic Games the flame is used to light a much bigger fire usually at the centre of the Olympic stadium and it will burn for as long as the games last.
The flag
The flag of the Olympic Games is white with five rings: blue, yellow, black, green and red. The rings represent the union of the five continents: Africa, America, Asia, Oceania and Europe.
The modern Olympics
Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. The IOC has since become the governing body of the Olympics and the first modern event took place in Athens in 1896. The Games are still held every four years and nowadays there are about 26 Olympic sports which are broken down into different events or disciplines. These include badminton, baseball, basketball, gymnastics, boxing, judo, tennis, football and even beach volleyball. Today, billions of people watch the Olympic Games around the world.
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Hello . I don't know .
yes, i knew it already because i've read a lot about the Olympic games and i find them very interesting !
Thanks. It is very interesting text.
Yes,I have known it already.But I cann't remmber all of them.So today I have a chance to review it again,thank you.
Hello everyone,
Very interesting text. Actually, I read it one year ago, and now I read it again because I want to remind the facts of Olimpics history. There are many interesting things regarding this topic. I find out that five colored interlocking rings on a white background was conceived by Pierre de Coubertin.
Best regards for all British Council members.
Hi,
Yes, I knew it.
I had learnt at secondary school some information about Olympic Games in Greece when I learned/studied History.
I think that Sport is Health, I used to play football, volleyball and gymnastics I have also a gold medal of Basketball Game at school;)
Thanks for the text.
Thanks for such an interesting history of the Olympic Games!
No, i didn't all,
Thanks for this information, it is very interesting. I can learn a lot of things about the Olympic games
Hello,
No, I did not, at all! As such, I have learnt so much on the Olympic Games as a topic. If my memory is not failing me, there are 27 Olympic sports today, which are in turn subdivided into sports events. The Paralympic Games started in London, but the Olympics saw the light of day in Greece in 776; they died out for a long time. In 1894, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman brought them back to life. The first took place in 1896 in Athens in the last but one century. London is to host the Games for the third time.
As for the flag, it si a white fabric with 5 interwoven rings representing the five continents.
I am really so grateful for learning so much in a while and for realising how much the thing has evolved, including women and the disabled. Cheer up!!!
yes,I knew about them but your information is GREAT.