The Olympic Games

Ancient Games andModern Games

The Ancient The Ancient lympics lympics

The Games were part of a religious festival, were held in honour of Zeus, king of the gods, and were staged every four years at Olympia.

People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part.

The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago (in 776 b.c.) in Olympia, in southwest Greece.

Visitors to Olympia stared in wonder as they entered the great Temple of Zeus.

Inside was a huge statue of the king of the gods, sitting on a throne.

People called it one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The statue was covered in gold and ivory, and was six times bigger than a man.

During the ancient games, only young men were able to participate.

Men had to play in the nude or with very little clothing (“gymnos”)

Running was the only event at the first Games.

In the pentathlon, there were five events: running, wrestling, javelin, discus and long jump.

Gradually more events were added to make four days of competition.

They include:

•Wrestling•Boxing •Long jump•Throwing the javelin•Throwing discus•Chariot racing

In Greece, there was no Second Place.

Only winners were honored, the losers were ignored.

Winners were given a laurel wreath for their head and a pot containing olive oil.

About 50,000 people could sit in the stadium.

Married women were not allowed into the Olympic Games.

It was hot, overcrowded and the water supply was poor.

The Games ended with a feast. Lots of oxen were roasted in a giant barbecue.

Only male athletes were allowed to participate.

Unmarried women had their own festival at Olympia every four years.

This was the Heraia, held in honour of Hera, wife of Zeus. Women could compete in running races.

Ended in 394 AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who was a Christian.

He considered them “pagan” games

Revived in 1896 and first hosted in Athens, Greece.

In the modern Olympics male and female athletes compete in the same stadium at the same time but not against each other. 

Winners receive a medal if they come first, second or third.  These medals are gold, silver or bronze.

The Olympic MedalsThe Olympic Medals

Bronze Silver Gold

The Olympic Rings are five interlocking rings that stand for the five original continents, (Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe) and the athletes from around the world.

The colours of the rings are blue, yellow, black, green, and red respectively. They were chosen because at least one of these colours is found on the flag of every nation.

On the Olympic flag, the rings appear on a white background.At the Olympic Games, the flag is brought into the stadium during the opening ceremony.

After its arrival, the flag is hoisted up the flagpole. It must fly in the stadium during the whole of the Games.

When the flag is lowered at the closing ceremony, it signals the end of the Games.

The motto of the Olympic Games is Faster, Higher, Faster, Higher, StrongerStronger. These three words encourage the athlete to give his or her best during competition, and to view this effort as a victory in itself.

To better understand the motto, we can compare it with the following well-known phrase :The most important thing is

not to win but to take part !

The lightingIn memory of the

Olympic Games’ origins, the flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, some months before the opening of the Games. The Olympic flame can only be lit by the sun’s rays.

The relay routeThe torch is carried by relay from Olympia to the host city of the Games.

Arrival at the stadiumThe day of the opening of the

Games, the flame enters the stadium. With the lighting of the cauldron by the last relay runner the flame is transferred from the torch to the place where it will continue to burn for the entire length of the Games.

The flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games at the closing ceremony

The sportsThe sports

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012.

We expect 205 nations to take part in 300 events at the Olympic Games in 2012.

London has hosted the Olympic games in 1908 and 1948.

Wenlock and Mandeville