The Olympic Games are an international sports event, involving thousands of athletes, participating in a series of competitions. Today, the athletic and competitive skills of athletes are shown on this platform. Olympics also display nationalism and politics. These two opposite elements of the Olympics have been noted since its inception. The games were used to show the superiority of a single person or a race. A number of ancient authors like Pindar and Strabo wrote about the significant exploitations of popular Olympic winners of old times for their personal benefits.
There are many different myths regarding the beginning of Olympics. It is known that the first recorded Olympic competition was held in 776 BC, although Olympics began many years before that. A tradition states that when Greek God Zeus controlled the world, he initiated the Olympics to celebrate his victory over his father. Another story states that first footrace was organized by the guardians of God Zeus. There is another myth that king Oenomaus decided to offer his daughter Hippodamia’s hand to a person who would compete with him and defeat him in a chariot race. There was a man named Pelops. He wanted to marry King’s daughter and Hippodamia loved him as well. Oenomaus had already killed twelve competitors before Pelops and placed their heads for display. Each contestant was accompanied Hippodamia in his chariot and tried to win from the king, but king was good at this game so he always won and killed the competitor. As Hippodamia was in love with Pelops so she deceived her father and secretly fixed her father's chariot so Pelops would win. During the race, King became the 13th victim. His chariot crashed resulting in his death. Pelops won and married the girl. Resultantly he became the new king and established the festival to celebrate his victory. Another tradition regarding the origin of Olympics states that Hercules established it.
The research has shown that the Greeks made some working on the movement of sun and the moon and tried to combine the lunar and solar calendar and Olympics were held during that specific time. In this way it became a moveable festival. The original Olympics comprised of competitions in music, oratory, theater and literature in addition to other Sports. People have always shown a great interest in athletics, so like modern athletes, the ancient ones captured people’s hearts as well. The 776 B.C Olympics were held in honor of Greek God Zeus in Olympia. Thus the names Olympics have been derived from Olympia. A single stade race took place in the event but over years the games became numerous like wrestling, boxing, jumping, running etc. A truce originated from the ceremony that there will be peace during Olympic events. So Olympics became a religious and sacred event for Greeks. Only free born males were allowed to participate in Olympic Games. Women other than the priestess were completely banned. The Olympic Games were banned in A.D 394 by emperor Theodosius because he felt that they were pagan. Then the Olympics were revived in late 19th century and are continued till today.
Olympics are held every other year now, one in summer and next in winter involving a number of sports. The last Olympic games were held in winter 2010 in Vancouver. The Olympic Games were initiated as a way to salute the Greek Gods, but with time the concept has been revolutionized. Now the modern Olympics praise the competitive spirits and talents of athletes from all over the world.
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