History of the Olympics

Historians believe the Olympic Games began around 776 BC in Ancient Greece. The games repeated every four years – a period referred to as an Olympiad. From the beginning, the event has represented peace and togetherness, so much so that even countries at war ceased fighting during the Olympics. Over time, many of the original traditions and games have changed, but the core values and profound religious aspects have remained intact.

The Beginning

The ancient Olympic Games took place between August 6 and September 19, the same time as the religious festival that honored Zeus. Initially, there was only one event, a 192-meter footrace called the Stade. A cook named Coroebus was the first documented champion.

Thirteen Olympiads had passed when a couple more races were added to the schedule, the diaulos and the dolichos. Other events were added over time, including a pentathlon, chariot racing, and pankration (a form of wrestling with virtually no rules). Women were not permitted to compete in the Olympics, and married women were not even allowed to attend as spectators.

A decline in standards and quality occurred after the Roman Empire conquered Greece in the mid-second century BC, though the competition continued. It wasn’t until a Christian leader, Theodosius I, found the tournament to be paganistic and canceled it altogether.

It would take approximately 1,500 years for the Olympics to begin again, and the credit goes to Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France. The young baron visited the ancient site of the original games and was inspired to reignite the event. Upon approval, Coubertin formed the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which still oversees the event today.

The Modern Olympics

Athens, Greece, held the first of the modern Games in 1896. Over 60,000 spectators attended, and 280 participants from 12 nations competed in the 43 scheduled events. The competition occurred every four years, minus 1916 during World War I and 1940 and 1944 during World War II. The five interlocking rings that symbolize the inhabited “continents”: Africa, the Americas (North, South, and Central), Asia, Europe, and Oceania (a group of 17 nations across the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand).

The sporting event became exceedingly popular during the 1924 Olympics held in Paris. About 3,000 athletes, including more than 100 women, competed in those Games. The Winter Games also began that year, and it was the first time a closing ceremony was held. It is customary now for each of the seasonal events (summer and winter) to take place every four years on an alternating schedule. The last Winter Olympics took place in 2022 and will happen again in 2026. The previous summer event was scheduled for 2020 but took place in 2021 because of COVID.

Today’s Olympic Games consist of many more tournaments than there were originally. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing consisted of 15 games, including bobsled, figure skating, luge, and ice hockey. The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris are comprised of 32 sports, including gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, cycling, and many more.

Paris Olympic Games 2024

The last time the worldwide competition took place in the French Capital was one century ago, in 1924, when it gained the most popularity. The United States took home the most gold medals that year, with only 229 competing athletes compared to France’s 401. As of July 31, 2024, the standings have China in the lead with eight gold medals, Australia holds second place with seven golds, and the US is in seventh place with four gold medals. The Games continue until August 11, so there is still plenty of time for the statistics to change.

The Olympic motto, Citius – Altius – Fortius, is Latin for Faster – Higher – Stronger. The IOC changed the slogan in 2021 to Citius – Altius – Fortius – Communiter, which translates to Faster – Higher – Stronger – Together.