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An earlier article discussed interesting information about the origins of the first Olympic Games in Greece in 776 BC. The article concluded with the Romans gaining control of Greece and ultimately canceling the Olympic Games in 393 AD. The ancient Olympic Games actually lasted for 1170 years! But then…there was a long gap with no Olympic Games. In fact, there were no games held for over 1500 years.

But who was responsible for organizing the first modern Olympic Games and bringing them back into the international spotlight?

A Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin was very interested in the history of the Olympic Games. Pierre de Coubertin strongly believed that this global sporting event could be a platform for global peace. He believed that bringing all the athletes together once every four years for this event would help promote peace among the different nations in the world. In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin assembled 79 delegates from 12 countries to attend a meeting on the re-establishment of the Olympic Games. At that meeting, they formed the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and chose the official motto of the modern Olympics Games which is still used today…”Faster-Higher-Stronger”. They decided to hold the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896 to honor the origin of the ancient Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games were a huge success in 1896. King George of Greece opened the first Olympic Games in front of a crowd of over 60,000 spectators. The first Olympic winner was James Connolly from the United States who won the triple jump with a jump of 13.71 meters. In the first few modern Olympics Games only the first place athlete was given a silver medal. The gold, silver and bronze medals were added in the 1908 Games held in London.

If you have watched any of the past Olympic Games you have probably seen the Olympic Flag with the five different colored rings. The flag made its first appearance in the 1920 Olympic Games. The Olympic flag contains at least one color from every nation’s flag. Pierre de Coubertin said of the flag in 1920…”the six colours thus combined represent those of all nations, with no exceptions. This is a real international emblem.”

Another symbol of the Olympic Games is the Olympic Torch that starts in Greece and is carried by hundreds of runners to the destination of the current Olympic Games. The first torch relay appeared in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The torch is carried to the host city and the last runner runs into the opening ceremonies and lights the Olympic Flame that burns throughout the duration of the games. This Olympic Flame symbolizes the endeavor for perfection and the struggle for victory.

The Olympics continue to bring people from all over the world together. Sigfrid Edstrom who was President of the IOC in the late 1940’s clearly stated one of the main goals of the Olympics which holds true today…”(one of the aims of the Olympics is) to improve the human race, not only physically, but to give it a greater nobility of spirit, and to strengthen understanding and friendship amongst peoples.” Watch some of the exciting Olympic events this summer. Who knows…maybe you will be at the Olympics one day. Let the games begin!