OLYMPIC HISTORY
THE GREEKS
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The first documented Olympic games were held in 776 B.C., but the games are believed to have already existed for 500 years before that date. The games began as a compition of only free born Greeks, but as they conquered new land the variety of participants increased. The champion would recieve a wreath or garland for their victory.
Originally only one event was held, the "stade" a sprint race equal to about 210 yards. By 728 B.C. two additional races had been added to the compition, one that mimicked the 400 meter and one that mimicked the 1500 meter race. Eventually, wrestleing, boxing, the pentathlon and special events were added to the compition.
While the Roman Empire grew the Greek Empire declined. In A.D. 393 the Roman Emperor Theodosis I declared an end to the games.
Originally only one event was held, the "stade" a sprint race equal to about 210 yards. By 728 B.C. two additional races had been added to the compition, one that mimicked the 400 meter and one that mimicked the 1500 meter race. Eventually, wrestleing, boxing, the pentathlon and special events were added to the compition.
While the Roman Empire grew the Greek Empire declined. In A.D. 393 the Roman Emperor Theodosis I declared an end to the games.
FIRST MODERN OLYMPICS
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A young French aristicrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, appeared on the international athletic stage in 1892 with his suggestion of the revival of the Olympic games. De Coubertin and his supporters had planned the first Olympics to be held in Paris in 1900, but chaged the date and location to Athens Greece in 1896. The olympics were loosely organized until the 1908 games held in London. The games continue to grow in population and compition. The olympics were not held in 1916, 1940 and 1944 because of World War tensions.
MODERN OLYMPICS
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The Olympics set the world stage every two years, alternateing summer and winter games. Although Cold War political tensions hit the olympics stage in the 1940s to the 1990s, the olympics have become the best competition in the world and compitition has been used to unify the world.
