The Olympic Games
It held every four years.
The Olympic Games are international athletic come tuitions. They are believed to have originated from Grecian funeral ceremonies of ancient times held in the honor of dead heroes.
It is said that the early games were held on the plains of Olympia. These games reflected the interest of the Greeks in perfecting the body and the mind.
The first recorded Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. they lasted for five days. Foot races, pentathlon, wrestling, boxing, horse and chariot racing were some of the major events and winners were honored with scared olive branches.
Then for a long time, almost 1500 years, the Olympic Games were forgotten. Finally a French nobleman, Bardon Pierre de Coubertin, decided to revive them. He made a great deal of effort to secure support and contribution for this event. Ultimately, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. Bardon de Coubertin is said to have stated: `The important thing is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.’’ this can be regarded as the spirit behind these games. The games bring together athletes from around the world to display their fine physical, and mental and moral strength.
The international Olympic committee is the governing body of the games. It frames rules and regularities, and chooses the city where the games would be next played.
The motto, the flag and the symbol
The Olympic motto is `Swifter, higher, stronger’’. The Olympic flag was raised for the first at the Antwerp games in 1920. A different flag is used for the winter Olympic s. the Olympic symbol comprises of five inter-linked rings, representing the continents and the sporting friendship of all the peoples of the world. Each ring is of a different color, i.e. blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
The Olympic flame
The Olympic flame was first ceremonially lifted at the Amsterdam Olympic Games held in 1928. The flame symbolizes the continuity between the ancient and modern games. the torch used to kindle the flame is first lit by the sun’s rays at Olympia, Greece and then carried to the site of the games as their witness pledge top play with true sportsmanship.