In my previous post I went all the way back to 776BC when the Ancient Olympic Games first started in Olympia, Greece. They continued to be held every 4 years until around 393 A.D. when the Roman emperor Theodosius I issued a decree stopping all pagan festivals to reinforce Rome’s state religion, Christianity. This decree officially stopped the Olympic Games.
Many years later in the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe began to find interest in Ancient Greek history and staged sporting events under the informal name of “The Olympics”.
In 1894, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin assembled the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) and organised the first modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896. Coubertin was inspired by the ancient Greek games where competition ranked higher than winning. The IOC enlisted the aid of sports organisations and individuals of various countries, chiefly European at first. The committee drafted its policy and selected Athens, Greece, as the site of the first Olympic Games. In theory, athletes of all nations were eligible to participate. To keep the event as an internationally recognised event and to bring all of the nations together, the decision was made to host the Olympics in a different country each time.
Panathenaic Stadium
The first Modern Olympics of 1896 was held in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece. It was originally built in 320BC for an ancient athletic competition of Panathinea. The stadium was restored in 144AD and then again at the end of the 19th century to be used for the first Modern Olympic Games. It is the only stadium in the world to be constructed entirely from marble. It is also the oldest stadium in the world that is still used for sporting events!
Some photos from my visit to the Panathenaic Stadium:
Standing on the Podium!
Marble steps
Tunnel Stadium entrance
Inside the tunnel
Marble Floor
Olympic Torch and Medals
All participants in the first modern Olympics received a bronze medal designed by a Belgian sculptor. First-place winners were awarded silver medals and olive wreaths, while the second-place finishers received copper medals and laurel crowns. At the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded for the first time.
The Olympic torch became a part of the Modern Olympic Games in 1936. Its history goes back to ancient times when The ancient Greeks believed that fire was given to humankind by Prometheus, and considered fire to have sacred qualities. Mirrors were used to focus the sun’s rays to ignite flames that would burn perpetually in front of Greek temples. Greek rituals also included torch relays, although this was not actually part of the Olympic Games.
Today, as I discussed in my previous post, the Olympic flame is lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece where the high priestess of the Temple of Hera would light the flame using a skaphia, (the ancestor of parabolic mirrors). The flame is significant in bringing a connection between the ancient games and the modern ones. There is a long relay of runners carrying torches to bring the flame from Olympia to the site of the games. Once there, the torch is used to light a cauldron that remains lit until it is extinguished in the Closing Ceremony. The torch is kept lit using gas which prevents it being extinguished in rain and wind.
Inside the Panathenaic Stadium, there is a small Olympic museum that highlights the history of the Olympic Flame and has the original torches to view from over the years.
When the torch is lit in Olympia, there is a relay across Greece that lasts about 1 week. This relay ends at the Panathenaic Stadium where a Gold Cauldron is lit at a ceremony before passing the flame over to the hosting country. This is the Gold cauldron below:
A poster for the First Modern Olympic Games, Athens!
Recent times
In 2012, my home town London hosted the Summer Olympics. I was so happy when my friend of over 20 years (and who I met from an athletic club) was lucky in being picked in the ballot for tickets to see the mens 200m semi-final featuring the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt. It was her final attempt in trying to obtain tickets so we were really happy to be able to see the Olympics in our home town!
My sister was volunteering as an Olympic Games ambassador and was given 2 tickets to watch the pre opening ceremony event that was kept as top secret. I was also lucky and grateful for her to give me the extra ticket and it was a once in a lifetime event to experience together. The spirit of the Olympics was like no other sporting event I have been to. I could only dream of how it felt for the people actually taking part. London was buzzing during the Olympics and I enjoyed the experience from start to end.
The Opening Ceremony:
With my sister working as a Games Ambassador
Some photos of the Olympic Park and the athletics event
I was also lucky enough to witness a surreal experience of the Olympic torch passing my home town of 8 years, Edmonton North London!
Changes
Throughout the years, the Olympic have continuously developed yet the principles have always stayed the same. The first Modern Games had representation from 14 nations- this has steadily increased to over 200 nations alongside the introduction to more sports being added to the event. Women were allowed to compete from 1900. The winter and Paralympics were added later on.
The Olympics were cancelled three times due to World War: Sadly loosing the idea of truce that even the ancient Olympians were able to undergo during the event. The Olympics has also been a stage for terrorism, doping,bribery, political activism, racism and propaganda.
In more recent times, it has been the opportunity for the hosting country to showcase their event to the rest of the world. A current theme of oneupmanship has caused economic disaster for many countries hosting the games with budgets being relegated to the priority of avoiding embarrassment of putting on a poor show. Exploitation for workers on the lead up to the games has been strife alongside a undercurrent of corruption. Sadly once the Olympic Games are over, some of the facilities are left to decline into disrepair and not put into use for the local community. However, no matter how much these things tarnish its reputation, The Olympics will always create a fascinating display of sportsmanship, unity and competitive spirit across the world.
As the Olympics in Rio come to an end, you almost forget about all of the negatives and only take away a sense of sadness for those that leave Brazil without a medal and a sense of happiness for those that were able to conquer their dreams of being an Olympian. As the Olympic village empties, the people of Brazil pick up the pieces and Japan continue to prepare for 2020.
Even though I will never be able to become an Olympian, I have enjoyed the journey of learning more about the history of the biggest sporting event in the world. I encourage the continuation of the Olympics as a display of equality and love in bringing the world together as one… I leave you with a quote from the founder of the Modern Olympic Games:
“The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
