History of the Olympic Games

The Olympic games are one of the most celebrated sporting events in history. On the 13th of September at the International Olympic Committee Session in Lima, it was confirmed that Paris will host the Olympic Games in 2024. This year over 11,000 athletes from 206 countries are competing across 45 sporting codes. Being held in Paris, the 2024 Olympic Games are set to be nothing but extraordinary. 

For the first half of Term Three, the Kiwi Kids News Feature Articles are taking a glimpse into the Olympic Games. We are going to look into some Athlete Profiles, The Best Bits, an Interesting Question, and finally looking at the Paralympic Games. 

But, how did the Olympic Games Begin? The origins of the Olympic Games date back over 2,700 years to ancient Greece. The first recorded Olympics were held in 776 BC in Olympia, a small town in the western part of Greece. These ancient games were part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. Athletes from various Greek city-states came together to compete in events such as running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, and chariot racing. The winners were celebrated as heroes and received olive wreaths as a symbol of their victory.

The ancient Olympic Games continued for nearly 12 centuries until they were abolished in 393 AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I. He banned all religious festivals, which included the Olympics, as Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

The Olympic Games remained untouched for over 1,500 years until they were brought back in the late 19th century. A French educator named Pierre de Coubertin was inspired by the idea of promoting peace, so, in 1894 he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896.

The 1896 Olympics featured 280 athletes from 13 countries competing in 43 events. Since then, the Olympic Games have grown exponentially, now featuring thousands of athletes from nearly every country in the world.

The Paris 1900 Olympic Games saw women compete for the first time. The first female Olympic Gold Medalist was Charlotte Cooper, a British tennis player who won Wimbledon five times. Out of a total of 997 athletes, 22 were women, competing in just five sports which were tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrian events and golf.

On the 26th July, the Olympic Games first start, with the Opening Ceremony on the 27th July. The Games run till the 11th August. I am super excited to watch the games, especially each sport’s finals, and now I know how the Olympic Games began back in 776 BC. 

Comprehension Questions:

1. When and where will the 2024 Olympic Games be held?
2. Who founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and when?
3. What were some of the events in the ancient Olympic Games?
4. Who was the first female Olympic Gold Medalist and in which sport did she compete?

Activities for Kids:

1. Timeline Creation: Create a timeline of the Olympic Games starting from 776 BC to the present. Include important milestones such as the revival of the modern Olympics in 1896, the first participation of women in 1900, and the upcoming 2024 Games in Paris.
2. Design Your Own Olympic Medal: Using craft supplies, design and create your own Olympic medal. Think about what symbols and images you would include to represent excellence and victory.
3. Athlete Profile: Choose a famous Olympic athlete from any era and create a profile about them. Include details about their achievements, the sports they competed in, and any interesting facts.
4. Olympic Sports Day: Organize a mini-Olympics at your school or home. Choose a few events like running races, long jump, and shot put (you can use a soft ball or bean bag). Compete with your friends and celebrate with your own homemade olive wreaths for the winners.