What is Olympic games?

Numerous summer and winter sports tournaments involving thousands of competitors from all over the world are held during the modern Olympic Games, often known as the Olympics. Featuring over 200 teams from sovereign states and territories, the Olympic Games are widely regarded as the premier sports event in the world. Typically, the Games take the place of any World Championships in the year they are held, though individual classes usually keep their records. From 1994 forward, the Summer and Winter Olympics alternate every two years during the four-year cycle that hosts the Olympic Games.

Jonathan Edwards, the world record triple jumper, is the head of the British Olympic committee, which is the oldest Olympic body in history. Baron De Coubertin conceived the concept for the Wenlock Olympics, which are now held every four years, while seeing an Olympic competition in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England. After six years, De Coubertin introduced the Olympics to the global community. Wenlock was the name of one of the 2012 London Olympic mascots in honor of this! Since 1850, the Much Wenlock Olympics have taken place. That concludes our brief discussion on the Olympics.

The ancient Olympic Games

Origins.

Just how far back in history organized athletic contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago. However ancient in origin, by the end of the 6th century BCE at least four Greek sporting festivals, sometimes called “classical games,” had achieved major importance: the Olympic Games, held at Olympia; the Pythian Games at Delphi; the Nemean Games at Nemea; and the Isthmian Games, held near Corinth. Later, similar festivals were held in nearly 150 cities as far afield as Rome, Naples, Odessus, Antioch, and Alexandria.

Of all the games held throughout Greece, the Olympic Games were the most famous. Held every four years between August 6 and September 19, they occupied such an important place in Greek history that in late antiquity historians measured time by the interval between them—an Olympiad. The Olympic Games, like almost all Greek games, were an intrinsic part of a religious festival. They were held in honour of Zeus at Olympia by the city-state of Elis in the northwestern Peloponnese. The first Olympic champion listed in the records was Coroebus of Elis, a cook, who won the sprint race in 776 BCE. Notions that the Olympics began much earlier than 776 BCE are founded on myth, not historical evidence. According to one legend, for example, the Games were founded by Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmene.

Competition and status.

A footrace spanning one length of the Olympia track was ostensibly the only event held at the 776 BCE meeting; nevertheless, throughout the following decades, several events were added. The stade race had a length of roughly 192 meters (210 yards). The word “stade,” which originated from the word “stadium” in contemporary English, also came to refer to the racetrack. Two races were added in 724 BCE: the diaulos, which was roughly equivalent to the 400-meter race, and the dolichos, which was added four years later and was a long-distance race that would have been akin to the current 1,500- or 5,000-meter events. In 708 BCE, wrestling and the pentathlon were introduced. The latter was an all-around competition consisting of five events—the long jump, the javelin throw, the discus throw, a footrace, and wrestling.

Women and the Olympic Games.

Although there were no women’s events in the ancient Olympics, several women appear in the official lists of Olympic victors as the owners of the stables of some victorious chariot entries. In Sparta, girls and young women did practice and compete locally. But, apart from Sparta, contests for young Greek women were very rare and probably limited to an annual local footrace. At Olympia, however, the Herean festival, held every four years in honour of the goddess Hera, included a race for young women, who were divided into three age groups. Yet the Herean race was not part of the Olympics (they took place at another time of the year) and probably was not instituted before the advent of the Roman Empire. Then for a brief period girls competed at a few other important athletic venues.

In 1952, KD Jadhav, also known as Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, became the first Indian to win a bronze medal in individual wrestling at the Olympics. Despite being of British descent, Norman Pritchard competed in the 1900 Olympics from India. India could only win medals in hockey, a team sport, prior to KD Jadhav.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (born 5 July 1995) is an Indian badminton player. Considered one of India’s most successful sportspersons, Sindhu has won medals at various tournaments such as the Olympics and on the BWF circuit, including a gold at the 2019 World Championships. She is the first and only Indian to become the badminton world champion and only the second individual athlete from India to win two consecutive medals at the Olympic Games. She rose to a career-high world ranking of no. 2 in April 2017.

The Paris 2024 Olympic.

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest event ever organised in France. The Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The spectacle taking place during those weeks will go down in history and Paris will be the centre of the world – the world of sport and so much more.

Indian athletes have given their greatest performance in any Olympics to date. At the Tokyo Olympics, the nation won seven medals. There are two silver, four bronze, and one gold. Only three years remain before Paris 2024. India’s Olympic team will undoubtedly surpass expectations if they receive the necessary backing, financial assistance, and support from the government and sports ministry.