The Olympic Games, the biggest sporting celebration in the world, is taking place right now in Paris, France. The games this year started on July 26 and will continue through August 11. The world’s best athletes – around 10,500 of them from more than 200 countries – are competing in more than 40 different sports!
As the Olympics Committee explains it: “Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles. The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
Here are some fun facts about the Olympics, from the present and the far, far past!
* The first Olympic Games took place in 776BC! It was part of an Ancient Greek festival, which celebrated the Greek god, Zeus. It included games like chariot racing, wrestling, boxing, javelin, discus, and long jump.
* Because of the religious elements incorporated into the celebrations, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympics. He said the Olympics was a pagan festival and did not want it to take place in a Christian country. The games did not start again for another 1,500 years!
* In 1896, Baron Pierre de Coubertin – a man from Paris (this year’s host city) – started to revive the games, and these “modern Olympics”, which started in Athens, Greece, are what is still going strong today!
* The modern Olympics have been hosted in more than 20 countries, all around the world, from Australia, to Mexico, to The Netherlands and Yugoslavia!
* The modern Olympic Games have only been cancelled three times, ever, and that was due to World War I and World War II.
* The famous Olympic torch is symbolic of the Games’ Greek origins. Since 1928, the modern Olympics have included a burning torch, an ode to the flame that burned throughout the Games in ancient times, in tribute to the goddess Hestia.
* Nowadays, the torch flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, and passed on from person to person in a massive international relay that ends in the host city. This is incredible because cities in all parts of the world have hosted the Olympics! Over time, and with the games living through an ever-evolving world, lit torches have scaled the highest mountains of the Himalayas, been on a plane, and even under water. It is a great honour to be a bearer of the torch.
* This year, the Olympic flame followed an epic route never seen before! Remarkably, the relay included towns and cities over the entire mainland France, as well as many overseas French territories, which are located all over the world. This included French Guyana and our Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe!
* Over time, different sports have been voted into, and out of, the Olympics.
- New at the Paris 2024 Olympics are the following: Breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surging.
- Both rugby and golf had previously dropped out, but are now back in.
- Long ago, sports like running deer shooting and duelling pistols were included!
* From 1921 to 1948, different artists also participated in the Olympics, competing for medals by creating works out art, usually celebrating sports. These included musicians, writers, painters, sculptors and architects.
* At this year’s Olympics, winners will take home a piece of the city of Paris, quite literally: Medals contain a small piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower. The Tour D'eiffel, as it’s called in French, is one of the city’s most famous landmarks.
* The funny-looking mascot for the Paris 2024 Olympics is called the Olympic Phryge. It is shaped after traditional small Phrygian hats. The name and design were chosen as symbols of freedom and to represent allegorical figures of the French republic. The Olympic Phryge is decked out in blue, white and red – the colours of France’s famed tricolour flag – with the golden Paris 2024 logo emblazoned across its chest.
