The first Olympiad was held in 776 BC as a
tribute to the Greek god Zeus. The early Olympic Games were so respected that
kings from different parts of Greece agreed to a truce that stopped fighting among
waring nations. Athletes and military people could travel without fear of
retaliation from enemies while the games were held.
During this year’s games, in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, the 31st Modern Olympics will take place over 16 days, starting
with the opening ceremonies August 5, 2016. The national event already has
controversies and scandals centered on the late construction of several of the
venues and local officials embezzling funds. Many athletes decided to boycott
the upcoming Olympics because of health fears from the mosquito transmitted
Zika virus that exists in Brazil.
About 10,000 athletes will convene in Rio, representing over 200 member nations of the International Olympic Committee. Qualifying events are currently underway, so, the world-wide competition will certainly commence on time.
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| Rio 2016 Summer Olympics Venue |
The original Olympiad, a much simpler
competition, was held within one day in Olympia, Greece. It grew larger and
lasted several days as the games continued every four years for more than 1,000
years. After Greece fell under Roman rule, the games eventually moved to Rome,
Italy, where they ended in 393AD.
Only male athletes competed, and they did it individually;
no team events were used during the competitions. The winner of each event was
crowned with an olive branch. No second or third place awards were given.
The athletes in the original games suffered
many injuries. Biting, eye gauging and attacking below the belt were prohibited,
otherwise no other rules applied. They competed in events that included several
running competitions, long jumps, javelin throws, wresting, boxing and discus throwing
with a heavy, stone disc.
Most popular among the events was the Pankration—an
exhausting, two-man event that combined wrestling and boxing. The competition kept
going until one man was seriously hurt or killed.
The marathon wasn’t part of the competition in
the original games. The popular cross-country run of 26.2 miles is usually held
near the end of the Olympic competition. It was added to the competition for
the first time in 1896. That’s when the first modern Olympic Games started in
Athens, Greece.
The marathon race celebrates a recorded battle
the Greeks won against the Persian Army in 490 BC near the city of Marathon. A
traditional story relates that Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, ran 26 miles from
the battlefield to his home of Athens to announce the victory over the
Persians. He stopped in the center of the city, yelled “Niki!” (Victory), and
fell dead.
The first marathon was 24.85 miles (40,000
meters). It immediately became a traditional event after it was first run in
the beginning of the modern Olympics 120 years ago. The length was set to the
standard 26.2 miles during the 1908 Olympics held in London, England.
The modern Olympiad is more than two weeks
long to accommodate all the equestrian, swimming and team events that didn’t
exist during the first Olympics that started with only one day. And as host
country, Brazil will likely benefit from millions of tourist dollars that
always accompany the Olympiad.
You can follow the events of the 31st
Olympic Games using the daily event schedule provided here.
