Ancient Olympic Games

During the celebration of the games, an Olympic Truce was enacted so that athletes could travel from their countries to the games in safety. The prizes for the victors were olive leaf wreaths or crowns. The games became a political tool used by city-states to assert dominance over their rivals. Origins An artist's impression of ancient Olympia To the Greeks, it was important to root the Olympic Games in mythology.[5] During the time of the ancient games their origins were attributed to the gods, and competing legends persisted as to who actually was responsible for the genesis of the games.[6] These origin of traditions have become nearly impossible to untangle, yet a chronology and patterns have arisen that help people understand the story behind the games.[7] Another myth, this one occurring after the aforementioned myth, is attributed to Pindar. History The "Exedra" reserved for the judges at Olympia on the north embankment of the stadium Culture Politics Events

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques[1]) are the leading international sporting event featuring summer and winter sports competitions wherein thousands of athletes variously compete. The Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating.[2] The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority. The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has caused several changes to the Olympic Games. Ancient Olympics Modern Games Forerunners Revival 1896 Games Changes and adaptations

Pierre de Coubertin Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ də kubɛʁtɛ̃]; 1 January 1863 – 2 September 1937) was a French educator and historian, and founder of the International Olympic Committee. He is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games. Born into a French aristocratic family, he became an academic and studied a broad range of topics, most notably education and history. Early life[edit] Pierre de Frédy was born in Paris on January 1 1863 into an established aristocratic family.[1] He was the fourth child of Baron Charles Louis Frédy, Baron de Coubertin and Marie–Marcelle Gigault de Crisenoy.[2] Family tradition held that the Frédy name had first arrived in France in the early 15th century, and the first recorded title of nobility granted to the family was given by Louis XI to an ancestor, also named Pierre de Frédy, in 1477. Educational philosophy[edit] Unfortunately for Coubertin, his efforts to incorporate more physical education into French schools failed.

List of Olympic Games host cities Since the Modern Olympics began in 1896, there have been 27 Summer Olympic Games held in 22 different cities and 22 Winter Olympic Games held in 19 different cities. In addition, three summer and two winter editions of the Games were scheduled to take place but were later cancelled due to war: Berlin (summer) in 1916, Tokyo (summer) and Sapporo (winter) in 1940, and London (summer) and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy (winter) in 1944. The 1906 Summer Olympics, held in Athens, are no longer officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which refers to them as 1906 Intercalated Games, although they were at the time.[1] Three cities have been chosen by the IOC to host upcoming Olympic Games: Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Pyeongchang, South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Host cities are selected by the IOC membership, usually seven years in advance.[2] The selection process lasts approximately two years. 3 times

The Olympic Games By Kelsey Age Range: 5 to 11 This is a great activity to teach students about other countries, learn about the Olympics, get exercise, and have a healthy competition. Here's how it works: 1) In most schools there are more than one class of each year group. 2) Children in each year group will compete against each other. 5) The students will study the country that their class has chosen, learn about the rules of their competition, and learn about the Olympics. 6) After a couple of weeks of preparation, each class will present what they have learnt about their country to the school, and then the "Olympics" will begin - that's when the classes will compete against each other. *This activity also works well for Social Studies.

100 metres The reigning 100 m Olympic champion is often named "the fastest man/woman in the world". Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are the reigning world and Olympic champions in the men's and women's 100 metres, respectively. On an outdoor 400 metres running track, the 100 m is run on the home straight, with the start usually being set on an extension to make it a straight-line race. Runners begin in the starting blocks and the race begins when an official fires the starter's pistol. The 10-second barrier has historically been a barometer of fast men's performances, while the best female sprinters take eleven seconds or less to complete the race. The 100 m (109.361 yards) emerged from the metrication of the 100 yards (91.4 m), a now defunct distance originally contested in English-speaking countries. Race dynamics[edit] Start[edit] Male sprinters await the starter's instructions For many years a sprinter was disqualified if responsible for two false starts individually. Notes[edit]

Swimming The Australian Swim Team heads to London 2012 with an enticing mix of proven champions and the next generation of superstars. Half the Team will make their Olympic debut in London and Leisel Jones becomes the first Australian swimmer to compete in four Olympics. Men to watch: The Australian Team is spearheaded by Port Macquarie's James Magnussen. Always close by Magnussen's side is James Roberts. Medal chances in backstroke and breaststroke respectively, Beijing dual medallist Hayden Stoeckel and Christian Sprenger fire up the versatile Team, promising a strong medley relay. Women to watch: The Aussies rose out of the water as a female superpower in Athens and Beijing and are keen to stay on top. First off the blocks is Rice, defending her 400m individual medley crown on day one. 2011 World Championships silver medallist Kylie Palmer races in three individual events (200m, 400m, 800m freestyle) with friend and rival Bronte Barratt by her side in two (200m, 400m). Open water: FAQs Sports

Football When the 'world game’ graces the Olympic program it delivers all the drama that fans have come to expect from major international tournaments. Add to the mix locations such as Wembley, Old Trafford and Millenium Stadium, to name a few, and the heart rate kicks up a notch. The London Olympic football tournaments promise to excite football fans and athletes like never before with play traversing England, Scotland and Wales. In men’s football, Hungary has won three gold medals-an Olympic record in the sport-but Argentina are the defending champions having won in 2008 and 2004. Australia's Olympic men's football team - the Olyroos - faced a tough qualification process for the London Games, playing in the Asian Confederation Tournament against Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates. Unfortunately neither team was successful in qualifying for the Games. The men’s and women’s football competitions begin with a group stage kicking off two days before the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

Jamaica - 2012 Olympic News, Athletes, Medals All sportsAll sportsAlpine SkiingAmerican footballArcheryAthleticsBadmintonBaseballBaseball-SoftballBasketballBasque PelotaBeach VolleyballBiathlonBobsleighBoxingCanoeCanoe SlalomCanoe SprintCricketCroquetCross Country SkiingCurlingCyclingCycling BMXCycling Mountain BikeCycling RoadCycling TrackDivingEquestrianEquestrian / DressageEquestrian / EventingEquestrian / JumpingEquestrian / VaultingFencingFigure skatingFootballFreestyle SkiingGolfGymnastics ArtisticGymnastics RhythmicHandballHockeyIce HockeyJeu de PaumeJudoLacrosseLugeMilitary PatrolModern PentathlonNordic CombinedPoloRacketsRink-HockeyRoqueRowingRugbySailingShootingShort Track Speed SkatingSkeletonSki JumpingSnowboardSoftballSpeed skatingSpeed skiingSquashSwimmingSynchronized SwimmingTable TennisTaekwondoTennisTrampolineTriathlonTug of WarVolleyballWater MotorsportsWater PoloWater SkiingWeightliftingWrestlingWrestling FreestyleWrestling Greco-Roman

Closing Ceremony Choose Event men + 100kg (heavyweight) men + 100kg (super heavyweight) men + 108kg (super heavyweight) men + 110kg (super heavyweight) men + 71.67kg (heavyweight) men + 73kg (heavyweight) men + 79.38kg (heavyweight) men + 80 kg men + 80kg (heavyweight) men + 81kg (heavyweight) men + 82.5kg (heavyweight) men + 82.5kg (super heavyweight) men + 82.5kg, one-two hand 3 events (heavyweight) men + 82.5kg, one-two hand 5 events (heavyweight) men + 82kg (super heavyweight) men + 87kg (heavyweight) men + 87kg (super heavyweight) men + 90kg (heavyweight) men + 91kg (super heavyweight) men + 93kg (heavyweight) men + 93kg (super heavyweight) men + 95kg (heavyweight) men + 97kg (heavyweight) men +105kg (superheavyweight) men - 47.63kg (flyweight) men - 47.6kg (light-flyweight) men - 48kg (light-flyweight) men - 50.8kg (flyweight) men - 51kg (flyweight) men - 52.62kg (bantamweight) men - 52kg (flyweight) men - 54kg (bantamweight) men - 55kg men - 56kg (bantamweight) men - 58 kg men - 58kg (bantamweight) men - 60 kg men -54kg (flyweight)

Usain Bolt Although gaining worldwide popularity for a sprint double victory at the Beijing Games, Bolt has had more victories as 200 m runner. While he had not won any significant 100 m title prior to the 2008 Olympics, he had won numerous crowns in the 200 m event at the youth, junior and senior levels. Further, at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Bolt completed a hat-trick of 200 m world titles by winning his 3rd straight gold in the event. His 2009 record breaking margin for 100 m, from 9.69 seconds (his own previous world record) to 9.58, is the highest since the start of fully automatic time measurements.[15] Bolt's achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname "Lightning Bolt",[16] and awards including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track & Field Athlete of the Year, and Laureus Sportsman of the Year (three times). Early years Early competitions He made his first appearance on the world stage at the 2001 IAAF World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

Olympic Games ceremony Olympic Games ceremonies were an integral part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies harken back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies. The ceremonies have evolved over the centuries. Ancient forerunners[edit] The Ancient Games, held in Greece from ca. 776 BC to ca. 393 AD,[1] provide the first examples of Olympic ceremonies. There is evidence of dramatic changes in the format of the Ancient Games over the nearly 12 centuries that they were celebrated. Opening[edit] As per tradition, Greek athletes lead the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics The lighting of the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics The Olympic opening ceremonies represent the official commencement of an Olympic Games. Artistic program[edit] Parade of Nations[edit] Doves[edit]