As we continue through the 30th Olympiad, the Olympic games, I’ve became to wonder how did the Olympics became to be. Where did it start? How did we come up with the rings and the Olympic ring come to be.
More or less how did we get to what we see on Television every few years; so here we go.
What is the Olympics. It is the international gathering of the best of the best of the world’s athletes that compete in a vast selection of events. It is split up into a summer Olympics, which features mostly outdoor events, i.e. Track and Field Events, swimming, bicycling, etc. and a winter Olympics, i.e. ice hockey, ice skating, bobsledding, etc. The summer Olympics occur every four years as well as winter Olympics. However, the two are separated by two years, (I.e. Summer Olympics are held in 2012, the Winter Olympics are held in 2014, then the Summer Olympics are held in 2016).
They are opening and closing ceremonies, both are an important part from the Ancient games from the sixth century B.C. in Athens, Greece. The ideology is to celebrate the athletes who are featured in the games as well as they’re success’ during the games.
When did it start? The games as we knew them today, started from ancient Greece in circa 776 B.C. and had continued through 394 A.D while they were under the Roman Empire rule. They were held in Olympia (thus the name of the games came to be), Greece in every four years; this measurement of the every four years became to be knew as “Olympiad”, (which was considered and used as a calendar reference point in the ancient days). However, these original games were suppressed by emperor Theodosius I in favor of bringing Christianity to the Roman Empire.
The Olympics as we knew them today, became to be in 1896 after about a 100 years of trying to re-start and re-emulating the original games. During this time leading up to the 1896 games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed; the Greek, whom were interested in reviving the games, picked up their independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821; as well as odd games here in there in Greece and Europe.
The first Olympics had featured 14 countries, and 241 athletes whom competed in 43 events. Due to the success, the Olympics continued for 1900 and 1904. The success’ of the two following the 1896 Olympics were considered side-shows compare to the 1896 games and had threaten the future of the games. But they slowly rebounded in 1906 with the Intercalated Games (similar to the World Championships we know today).
By 1921, we had the first Winter Olympics; which were held the same year as the Summer games until 1992 when both games were separated by two years (Summer Olympics in 1992, Winter Olympics in 1994, Summer Olympics in 1996, Winter Olympics in 1998 and so on).
If we followed the ancient calendar from Greece, we have arrived at the 694th Olympiad; however, under the modern Olympics, it is called the 30th Olympiad.
How did the Rings/Flame Start. The last topic on hand. The Olympic rings are the symbols of the five inhibited continents on Earth; America (both North and South), Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia. With the colored version of the rings on a white flag, the colors are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. All the colors were featured on all the nations involved in the Olympics had at least one of the colors on their flag.
The flame of the Olympics games can be dated back to the ancient games because it reflects the Greek rituals of the time. Here how it works a female performer, acting as a priestess, ignites a torch by placing it inside a parabolic mirror which focuses the sun’s rays; she then lights the torch of the first relay bearer, thus initiating the Olympic torch relay that will carry the flame to the host city’s Olympic stadium, where it plays an important role in the opening ceremony.
The flame has been an Olympic symbol in 1928, but the torch relay we know today became to be during the 1936 Berlin game as the Nazi’s were trying to promote their ideologies.
As we move forward, the traditions and the participants of the Olympics will come and go; will compete and win; tears will be shed, viewers will be watching these special moments unfold.
source:
JMcDonaldMedia 
Leave a reply to otto bcn Cancel reply