The Olympics: A Potted History by Wendy H. Jones As you read this, The Olympic Games, more accurately known as the Summer Olympics, will be halfway through; people from countries around the world will be rooting for their athletes to win, medals will have been won, and tears will have been shed. Wherever you are in the world you could not have escaped Olympic fever. I love the Olympics and root for Team GB every step of the way. That does not mean I do not cheer loudly for anyone from another country who wins a medal as I can appreciate the effort they have put in to win that medal. I recently had a children’s picture book published, Bertie at the Worldwide Games, which introduces children to sporting events such as the Olympics. This got me thinking about the history of the Olympics and where it all started. How did it grow into what we see today? I’m always curious and you can bet your last penny on the fact that a child will ask this very question. Rumour has it that Zeus, the son of Heracles actually founded the Olympics. Why not, as he was the ruler of all other Gods on Mount Olympus which is where the name Olympics originates. If we remain more tethered in the real, rather than mythical, world the first written records of the ancient Olympics have Coroebus, a cook by trade, winning the one and only event. This written record was an inscription found at Mount Olympus. The event was a 192-meter footrace, which took place in 776 B.C. Incidentally, this race was called the Stade, and this is where the word stadium supposedly originates.
sounded when the Christian Emperor Theodosius called them to a halt, saying they were a pagan festival.
It wasn’t until 1896 that the first modern Olympics were held in Athens in Greece. By this point there were 46 events and swimming, athletics, fencing, tennis, and weightlifting had all been added. It is interesting to note that in these first modern Olympic games, all the athletes were men. The Olympics have been held every four years since then, with the exception of 1916 (First World War) and 1940 and 1944 (Second World War). As the years progress more events have been added and the Olympics take place in different countries around the world, this year the host being Tokyo. This year’s Olympics were delayed for a year due to the COVID Pandemic and for the first time will be held with no spectators. I cannot help but feel sorry for the athletes who will be competing without the roar of the crowd to speed them on.
Fast forward a few hundred years where the games, taking place in the shadow of Mount Olympus, had many more events – running, pentathlon, wrestling, boxing, and equestrian events amongst others. Over the years standards declined and it is said the Emperor Nero declared himself the winner despite having fallen from his chariot in the middle of the race and not actually winning. The death knell - 16 -
