Who invented the Olympic Games. Games of the 1st Olympiad

The first modern Olympic Games were held in the Greek city of Athens from April 6 to April 15, 1896.

The decision to hold the First Olympic Games

June 23, 1894, Paris, Sorbonne University - 1st Congress of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was held. initiated an event to announce a project to revive the Ancient Greek Olympic Games. At the suggestion of the writer and translator Demetrius Vikelas (who later became the First President of the IOC), a decision was made to hold new Olympic Games in the city of Athens (Greece). According to the organizers of the Olympics, such a decision would indicate the continuity of the Olympic Games with the modern traditions of Ancient Greece and, moreover, the city had the only large stadium in all of Europe. Unfortunately, the idea of holding the Games in Olympia had to be abandoned due to the enormous costs of reconstructing the stadium.

Opening ceremony of the First Olympic Games

On Easter Monday of Christianity (Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism) and, moreover, on Greek Independence Day, April 6, 1896, the opening ceremony of the First Summer Olympic Games of our time took place. On the day of the ceremonial start of the competition, more than 80 thousand spectators were present at the stadium in Athens. The ceremony was also attended by the Greek royal family. King George I from the rostrum solemnly declared the First International Olympic Games in the city of Athens open.

From this day on, the first Olympic traditions were born: the head of the state where the competition is taking place opens the Games, and the Olympic anthem is played at the Games ceremony. True, such Olympic traditions as the fire lighting ceremony, the parade of participating countries, and the recitation of the oath have not yet been established.

Participants of the First Olympic Games

More than two hundred and forty male athletes took part in the first Olympic competitions. Forty-three sets of Olympic medals were played in the following Olympic sports: wrestling, athletics, cycling, swimming, shooting, artistic gymnastics, tennis, fencing, weightlifting.

According to the IOC, representatives of fourteen countries participated in the First Olympics of our time, their athletes were delegated by: Australia, Bulgaria, Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Izmir, Italy, Denmark, USA, Chile, France, Sweden and Switzerland .

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Domodedovo branch of a non-state educational institution

"Russian New University"

in the discipline "Physical Education"

Topic: “Modern Olympic Games”

Performed:

1st year student

correspondence courses

Faculty of Law

groups YuZ-10

Mamleeva Nadezhda Igorevna

Supervisor:

teacher M.V. Slesarev

Introduction

1. Prerequisites for the revival of the Olympic Games

2. Pierre de Coubertin - initiator of the revival of the Olympic Games

3. Olympic Congress and its role in the Olympic movement. Creation of the IOC and its Charter

4. Russia’s entry into the Olympic movement

5. Modern Olympic Games

6. Traditional rituals of the Games (in the order in which they are held)

7. Venues of the Olympic Games. Chronology and heroes of the Summer Olympic Games

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

The Olympics are the largest international complex sports competitions that are held every four years. The tradition, which existed in Ancient Greece, was revived at the end of the 19th century by the French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every 4 years since 1896, with the exception of years following the World Wars. In 1924, the Winter Olympic Games were established and were originally held in the same year as the Summer Olympics. However, since 1994, the timing of the Winter Olympic Games has been shifted by two years relative to the timing of the Summer Games.

Greek civilization is one of the most ancient in the world. It is still admired by philosophers, poets, mathematicians, sculptures, architects and, of course, athletes. The Greeks were one of the first nations in which exercise and sports formed a part of daily life.

The first reliable historical data on the holding of the Olympic Games dates back to 776 BC. It is this year that is engraved on the found marble slab, on which the name of the Olympic winner in the race, the Hellenic cook Coroibos, is carved.

The origin of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece coincided with the time when history was made by myths and legends. From the works of ancient Greek historians, philosophers and poets that have come down to us, we learn that the Ancient Olympic Games are associated with the names of the folk hero Hercules, the legendary king Pelops, the Spartan legislator Lycurgus and the Hellenic king Iphitus.

Some researchers claim that the Olympic Games were held in honor of the harvest festival. Therefore, the winners were awarded an olive branch and a wreath. The timing of the Games - August-September - seems to confirm this version.

The glory of Olympia in the ancient world was very great. Poets glorified it, historians, philosophers and orators spoke about it, myths and legends were composed about it. Olympia was located in the Northwestern part of the Peloponnese, 20 km from the Ionian Sea, 275 km from Athens and 127 km from Sparta; on the southern side it was washed by the Alpheus River, on the western side by the Kladey River, and on the northern side was Mount Kronos. In the east there was a lowland, flooded with the waters of Alpheus. The choice for the Olympic stadium near Mount Kronos is explained by the fact that the slopes served as a natural platform for spectators, which accommodated 40 thousand people.

So, the program of the ancient Olympic Games included the following types - running at stages 1, 2 and 24; struggle; pentathlon (pentathlon); fist fights; two- and four-horse chariot racing; pankration, running in military equipment, horse racing.

Everyone who wanted to take part in the Games was included in special lists within a year of their opening. They swore an oath that they would prepare for the upcoming competition for at least ten months. The training took place in special schools, the stay in which was paid for by the participant himself. Then, 30 days before the opening of the Games, all potential participants arrived in Olympia for a centralized gathering. They were housed in rooms adjacent to the gymnasium. Athletes who arrived at the competition began training under the supervision of special judges ("helanodics"), who then dealt with the admission of athletes to the Games.

Initially, only residents of the Peloponnese took part in the Olympics. Then representatives of neighboring states - Corinth, Sparta, etc. - began to participate in them. At first, only free-born Greeks could participate in the Olympic Games. Slaves and people of non-Greek origin, as well as women, were not allowed to participate in the Games. Women not only did not participate in the Olympic Games, but they were also prohibited from watching them.

Victory at the Olympic Games was considered by the Greeks as a sign of the gods' goodwill towards the athlete, as well as towards the city where he was from. Among the ancient Olympians, the greatest successes were achieved by Leonidas from Rhodes, who achieved 12 victories (164-152 BC) in the stadium, diaulos and running in equipment, Hermogenes from Xaif - 0 victories (81-89 BC). BC) and Astilos from Croton - 7 victories (488-476 BC) in the same types of running, Chionis from Laconia - 6 victories (664-656 BC) BC) - in running and jumping, Milo from Croton - 6 victories (540-516 BC) and Hippisthenes from Sparta - 5 victories (624-608 BC) - fight.

In 394, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, who forcibly implanted Christianity and saw a pagan rite in the games, banned the Olympics. At the same time, as many historians note, he only fulfilled the sentence of time - the goals of society and the values of the Olympic Games became incompatible.

Over the course of 1168 years, 293 Olympics were held. Soon after the prohibition of the Olympic Games (394 AD), the buildings for the Games were destroyed, and in 522 and 551. n. e. strong earthquakes completely destroyed Olympia.

The ancient Olympic Games performed important cultural, pedagogical, economic, military and political functions. The degree of their popularity is evidenced by the fact that the ancient Greek historian Timaeus based chronology on the calculation of time according to the Olympics. At the same time, the Olympic Games existed almost in parallel with the slave system and were a reflection of its problems and contradictions. The development of Olympism was hampered by anti-democratic restrictions on participation in competitions, professionalization, rugged individualism and the beginning of moral degradation.

1 . Prerequisites forrevivalOlympic Games

Historians name many attempts to revive the ancient Olympic Games, which took place in the 16th-19th centuries. These were sports events, festivals, but not the Olympics.

The following prerequisites contributed to the revival of the Olympic Games:

Firstly, the first Olympic Games, with the exception of the Middle Ages, have never been forgotten.

Secondly, during this period of time, different countries were already developing their own systems of physical education.

Thirdly, in 1960-1880. Broad sports contacts begin, national and first international sports associations appear.

Fourthly, with the emergence of sports on the international stage, the need arose to hold large complex competitions.

The idea of reviving the Olympic Games at the end of the 19th century. was in the air. This idea was brought to life by the French educator Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937).

2 . Pierre de Coubertin - the initiator of the revivalOlympic Games

Pierre de Coubertin was born on January 1, 1863 in Paris in the family of a painter from an ancient family, Fred de Coubertin. As a child, he loved riding, fencing, and rowing. At the age of 12, he came across the book “Tom Brown's School Years,” translated from English. She sparked his interest in physical education. As a child, he traveled with his parents. As a youth he visited England several times. He was greatly influenced by the philosophy of Thomas Arnold, one of the propagandists of the English school of physical education from 1828 to 1842. After graduating from the Lyceum in Paris, he entered the University of Paris and after graduation became a bachelor of art, science and law. He then continued his education at the Free School of Political Sciences in Paris. He was greatly influenced by Father Caron, professor of humanities and rhetoric, who taught him Greek, the history of the Roman Empire and talked a lot about the ancient Olympic Games.

P. Coubertin devoted himself to educational reform in France and to the study of various systems of physical education. In 1886-1887 According to Coubertin himself, his campaign for the revival of the Olympic Games began on August 30, 1887, after the publication of an article in which he drew the attention of the French to the need for more comprehensive physical training of children in schools and announced the creation of the League of Physical Education. In 1888, Coubertin published the book “Education in England”, and a year later “English Education in France”, in which he already shared his ideas with readers.

In the spring of 1893, he was the official representative of France at the World Exhibition in Chicago, during which the International Congress of Physical Education was held. He took part in it and also visited a number of American universities. On his way home in December 1893, he spent several days in London and met with the secretary of the Amateur Athletic Association, G. Herbert. On August 1, 1893, at a meeting of his club, Coubertin included an additional item on the agenda regarding the possibility of reviving the Olympic Games.

3 . Olympic Congressand his role in the Olympicmovement.Creation of the IOC and its Charter

In January 1894, P. Coubertin sent out invitations and a congress program to many foreign clubs.

On June 23, 1894, a commission to revive the Olympic Games met in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne in Paris. Pierre De Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee - the IOC - was formed, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries. At the last moment, the invitation cards included the entry “Congress for the Revival of the Olympic Games.”

The congress was attended by 79 delegates from 49 sports organizations from 12 countries, including the USA, Italy, Spain, Russia, Hungary, Argentina, New Zealand, Belgium, Sweden, and Bohemia.

On the eve of the congress, on June 15, Coubertin published an article in the Revue de Paris, “The Revival of the Olympic Games.” Therefore, the discussion of the principles of “Olympism” was reduced mainly to those points that Coubertin outlined in his article, namely:

1. Like the ancient festivals, the modern Olympic Games should be held every 4 years.

2. The revived Games (unlike the ancient Olympics) will be modern and international. They will include those sports that were cultivated in the 19th century.

3. Games will be held for adults.

4. Strict definitions of “amateur” will be introduced. The money will be used only for organization, construction of structures and celebrations.

5. Modern Olympic Games should be “traveling”, i.e. be carried out in different countries.

The most important part of the work of the second section was the creation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), whose members should promote the principles of modern “Olympism” and represent the IOC in their countries.

The creation of the IOC at the congress should be considered one of the main steps in the revival of the Olympic Games. The list of its members was prepared by Coubertin. They were 15 people. there are 12 countries, including Ernest Callet from France, General Butovsky from Russia, Captain Victor Balck from Sweden, Professor William Sloan from the USA, lawyer Gut Jarkovsky from Bohemia, Ferenc Kemeny from Hungary, Charles Herbert and Lord Ampthill from England, Dr. Jose Benjamin Subnar from Argentina, Leonard Cuff from New Zealand, Count Lucchesi Palli and Duke Andrea Carafi from Italy, Count Maxime de Buene from Belgium. Coubertin was elected Secretary General of the IOC, and D. Vikelas was elected President of the IOC.

The Olympic Charter was adopted at the First Olympic Congress. The main provisions of the Charter were developed by Pierre de Coubertin. The Charter contains the goals of the IOC, its organization, structure, and the basic principles of the Olympic Movement. Coubertin, first of all, cared for the IOC to be truly international. It is no coincidence that its name includes “International” first, and then “Olympic”.

It was decided to hold the 1st Olympic Games in April 1896 in Athens. The King of Greece sent a telegram to Coubertin on June 21, thanking the members of Congress for the revival of the Olympic Games.

The process of reviving the Olympic Games and the creation of the IOC was facilitated by a number of factors, among which should be mentioned the rapid development of communications and transport, which facilitated the exchange of material and spiritual values between peoples, the holding of world industrial and trade fairs, conferences, and the emergence of international organizations, including sports.

Coubertin used ancient customs as a source of inspiration to better serve the modern world. He developed the organization and procedure for the Olympic Games, adding elements that he believed were necessary for modern humanity.

Pierre de Coubertin drew attention to the fact that at the Ancient Olympic Games, athletes took an oath of honesty and a fair fight for victory. The idea of developing an athlete's oath was supported by the IOC leadership. The words of this oath were first pronounced at the 1920 Games by the Belgian fencer V. Bouin.

At the initiative of Coubertin, the Latin saying “Faster, higher, stronger,” which was displayed at the entrance to the Dominican Lyceum in Paris, became the Olympic motto.

From 1901 to 1914 Coubertin published a monthly magazine, Revue Olympique, which reflected the activities of the IOC and everything related to “Olympism” and the Olympic Games. During this period, many of his famous works were written: “Psychology of Sports”, “New Forms of Physical Education”, “Nudity and Sports”, “Why I Revived the Olympic Games”, “Sports Pedagogy”, “Essays on Sports Psychology”, “World history" (4 volumes). In 1931 he published Olympic Memoirs.

Pierre de Coubertin died in 1937 and was buried in Lausanne. The heart, at the request of Coubertin himself, was buried in Olympia.

Pierre de Coubertin was a supporter of liberal democracy and carried the humanistic charge of the Renaissance. He tried, through pedagogy, and primarily through physical education and sports, to reform interhuman and international relations.

4 . Introductionse Russia in the Olympic Movement

The ancient Olympic Games aroused interest among representatives of the Russian public.

At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy was created in Russia, where the Greek language, philosophy and literature were studied. In the literature on academic disciplines there are references to ancient Olympic festivals. Holding such holidays in Russia became a reality when Catherine II organized a kind of tournament in 1766, consisting of horse riding competitions and a demonstration of costumes. The tournament was held in St. Petersburg on June 16 and July 11, 1766 and was called the court carousel. The winners of the tournaments were awarded special gold and silver medals with the inscription: “From the Alpheus to the Neva banks.” It is known that the ancient Olympic Games took place in the valley of the Alpheus River, therefore, we can talk about the existence of a direct connection between the ancient Olympic Games and tournaments in St. Petersburg.

In addition to theoretical issues, in Russia, from the middle of the 19th century, such sports as tennis, sailing, speed skating, cycling, and athletics began to rapidly develop. Prominent government and public figures of Russia took an active part in the Olympic movement.

At the First Olympic Congress in 1894, A.D. was elected a member of the IOC for Russia. Butovsky (1894-1900), who was the author of many works on the theory and methods of physical training in the army and educational institutions. A teacher, general of the Russian army, as a member of the IOC, he made a significant contribution to the organization and conduct of the Games of the First Olympiad in Athens.

The question of Russia's participation in the Olympic Games arose in 1896, when its representatives A.D. Butovsky and N. Ritter visited the Games of the First Olympiad. Repeated attempts were made to achieve the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympic movement, but the lack of government support and funds, the weakness and disunity of sports organizations, as well as the mistrust of many skeptics who did not believe in the success of the Olympic Games and their real existence were the reasons for the absence of Russian representatives in sports arenas. the first three Olympics.

Only in 1908 On the initiative of sports clubs and societies, Russian athletes went to the Games in London for the first time. The delegation consisted of 8 people. The first Russian champion was figure skater N. Panin-Kolomenkin. Wrestlers A. Petrov and N. Orlov were awarded silver medals. The successful debut of Russian athletes caused a wide resonance among the Russian sports community. Participation in the subsequent Games at the Olympics in 1912, as well as interest in the further success of Russian sports at the Olympic Games, contributed to the creation of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in 1911. It was headed by the chairman of the St. Petersburg Society of Skating Fans V.I. Sreznevsky, and G.A. was elected secretary. Duperron.

After the formation of the ROC, its local branches begin to be created. So during that period of time the St. Petersburg, Kiev, Odessa and Baltic Olympic Committees were created.

For the first time, Russia officially took part in the Games of the V Olympiad in 1912. The Russian team consisted of 170 athletes who performed in all sections of the Olympic program. The results turned out to be modest: 2 silver and 2 bronze awards, and the penultimate place in the unofficial team competition was regarded as a defeat.

For more targeted preparation for the Games of the VI Olympiad in 1916, as well as for the further development of the sports movement, they are held in Russia in 1913 and 1914. All-Russian Olympics, the program of which was in many ways similar to the Olympic one. However, with the outbreak of World War I, the Games of the VI Olympiad were not held in 1916. After its completion, Russia, due to internal and external reasons, did not take part in the Olympic Games until 1952.

5 . Modern Olympic Games

The 1st Olympic Games were held in April 1896 in the capital of Greece, Athens.

Coubertin's energy and the enthusiasm of the Greeks overcame many obstacles and made it possible to fulfill the planned program of the first games of our time. Spectators enthusiastically received the colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the revived sports festival and the awarding of competition winners. The interest in the competition was so great that the marble stands of the Panathenaic Stadium, designed for 70 thousand seats, accommodated 80 thousand spectators. The success of the revival of the Olympic Games was confirmed by the public and press of many countries, which greeted the initiative with approval.

However, even at the beginning of preparations for the Games in Athens, difficulties associated with the economic weakness of Greece emerged. The country's Prime Minister Trikonis immediately told Coubertin that Athens was not able to carry out such a large international event, associated with large expenditures and volumes of work for the reconstruction of the city and sports facilities. Only the support of the population helped to overcome this obstacle. Prominent public figures in Greece formed an Organizing Committee and raised funds. The fund for the preparation of the games received private contributions, which amounted to large sums. Postage stamps were issued in honor of the Olympic Games. The proceeds from their sale went to the training fund. The energetic measures of the organizing committee and the participation of the entire Greek population brought the desired results.

And yet, Greece's obvious unpreparedness for serious events of this scale affected primarily the sporting results of the competition, which were low even according to the estimates of that time. There was only one reason for this - the lack of properly equipped facilities.

The famous Panathenian Stadium was clad in white marble, but its capacity was clearly insufficient. The sports arena did not stand up to criticism. Too narrow, with a slope at one edge, it turned out to be poorly suited for track and field competitions. The soft cinder track to the finish had a rise, and the turns were too steep. Swimmers competed in the open sea, where the start and finish were marked by ropes stretched between the floats. In such conditions one could not even dream of high achievements. It became clear that athletes could not achieve high results in the primitive stadium arena. In addition, the unprecedented influx of tourists flocking to Athens revealed the need to adapt the city's economy to receive and serve them.

Currently, the Marble Stadium in Athens is not used for competitions, remaining a monument to the first games. Naturally, the organization of modern Olympic Games is only possible for economically developed countries, whose cities have the necessary sports facilities and are sufficiently landscaped to properly accommodate the required number of guests. When making a decision on the next games of 1900-1904 in Paris in St. Louis, the IOC proceeded from the fact that world exhibitions were held in these cities at the same time. The calculation was simple - selected cities in France and the USA already had the minimum necessary sports facilities, and preparations for world exhibitions provided conditions for serving tourists and participants in the games. The preparation of the Olympic Games did not add anything significantly new to the famous Parisian ensembles.

After the first success, the Olympic movement experienced its first crisis. The II Olympic Games of 1900 in Paris (France) and the III Olympic Games of 1904 in St. Louis (Missouri, USA) were combined with the World Exhibitions. Sports competitions dragged on for months and attracted almost no interest from spectators. Almost only American athletes participated in the Games in St. Louis, since getting from Europe across the ocean in those years was very difficult for technical reasons.

Quite good results were shown at the competitions of the Games of the 2nd Olympiad in Paris. However, plans to use existing structures and combine the Games with the World Exhibition did not justify themselves. They attracted few spectators and were poorly reflected in the press.

The Games of the Third Olympiad in St. Louis turned out to be even less effective. They were also dedicated to the 1904 World Exhibition. The vast majority of participants were Americans themselves.

The organizers of the Games of the IV Olympiad in London took into account the mistakes of their predecessors. In the capital of Great Britain, the White-city stadium with a stand for 100 thousand seats was erected in a short time. The Olympic Games in London marked the beginning of the construction of special sports complexes to host them.

The popularity of the modern Olympic movement was reinforced by the Games of the V Olympiad in Stockholm. Their clear organization, and most importantly the specially built royal stadium, brought the games well-deserved success. All subsequent games left an indelible mark on the history of the Olympic movement, not only in the form of high sporting achievements, but also in the form of unique works of architecture, equipped with progressive technical devices that contributed to the high achievements of athletes, improving the structure of the cities - the capitals of the Olympic Games.

Games of the VII Olympiad 1920 in Antwerp (Belgium). The Olympic Stadium was designed as a city building. At the Olympic stadium, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, a white flag with five intertwined rings was raised, symbolizing the unity of athletes from all continents, and the Olympic oath was taken.

In 1924, the thirtieth anniversary of the Olympic movement was celebrated. The honor of organizing the Games of the VIII Olympiad was given to Paris. This time Paris carefully prepared for the Olympic Games. For this purpose, an architectural competition was announced for the best design of the Olympic Stadium. On the outskirts of Paris, the Colomb stadium was built with stands for 40 thousand seats, meeting the requirements of the time, but not particularly beautiful or comfortable for spectators.

The games of the IX Olympiad (1928) took place in Amsterdam, a major economic and cultural center of the Netherlands.

The Games of the X Olympics in Los Angeles (1932) marked the beginning of the formation of the city's Olympic complex, which included a stadium, a swimming pool, and an Olympic village. The Coliseum stadium, built in the ancient style (1923), was reconstructed for the Olympics, its stands began to accommodate over 100 thousand spectators.

In 1932, the Games of the XI Olympiad in Berlin. In 1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany and began to use the preparations for the Olympics for their own propaganda purposes. To host the Games in Berlin, a complex was built that was distinguished by its excessive pomp. The project by architect Werner March was awarded a gold medal at the games.

The Games of the XIV Olympiad, held in 1948 in London, showed firsthand how great is the desire of people for peace and mutual cooperation. Organized under the conditions of a brutal post-war austerity regime, they nevertheless attracted a record number of participating countries for that time (59) and many tourists. No new sports facilities were built for the games. But the very fact of holding a world festival of physical education shortly after the end of World War II became confirmation of the life of the Olympic movement.

The games of the XV Olympiad of 1952 in Helsinki turned out to be even more representative. It was there that, among 69 national teams, athletes of the Soviet Union entered the Olympic arena for the first time. The debutants, contrary to predictions, achieved amazing success. In the unofficial standings, they shared first and second places on points with the generally recognized favorites - US athletes

The year 1956 marked a new stage in the development of the Olympic movement. The Games of the XVI Olympiad were held for the first time on the Australian continent in Melbourne. The high sporting achievements shown by envoys from different countries became the best assessment of the activities of the organizing committee. Preparation for the games of the XVI Olympiad became an outstanding event for Australian architects and largely determined the nature of the further development of architecture on the continent.

The games of the XVII Olympiad in 1960 in Rome can rightfully be considered the beginning of a new direction in organizing the preparation of subsequent Olympiads. For the first time, an attempt was made to cover in general the entire range of issues to be decided by the organizing committee. Along with the preparation and construction of sports complexes and individual facilities, much attention was paid to improving the infrastructure of the Olympic capital - Rome. New modern highways were laid through the ancient city, and a number of old buildings and structures were demolished. Symbolizing the connection of the current games with the Ancient Greek ones, some of the most ancient architectural monuments of Rome were converted to host competitions in certain sports. The main Olympic stadium, Stadio Olimpico, with a capacity of 100 thousand spectators, topped the list. The Games of the Roman Olympiad are also notable for the fact that they were broadcast on television to some European countries. Although the broadcasts were broadcast over radio relay and cable lines, this was already a sign of the entry into the sports arenas of the scientific and technological revolution.

Games of the XVIII Olympiad in Tokyo in 1964. The organizers of the first Olympic Games on the Asian continent prepared more than 110 different facilities for competitions and training of athletes. The huge capital of Japan has been transformed. New metro lines and a monorail urban railway have appeared. Dilapidated buildings were demolished and streets were widened. To solve the city's transport problem, highways were built through it. Street junctions were constructed by constructing overpasses and bridges. The Japanese capital's hotel industry has expanded significantly. The true center of the Tokyo Olympics was the indoor facilities - the gyms in Yoyogi Park. Their architectural appearance was borrowed from nature. Olympic construction largely predetermined the future direction of urban planning in Japan. A characteristic feature of the Tokyo Games was the full-fledged entry of electronics into the Olympic arenas. Its use in sports refereeing has greatly increased its accuracy and efficiency. A new stage in the development of the media was opened by television broadcasts through space, which crossed the boundaries of continents and brought previously unimaginable numbers of viewers to what was happening in the Olympic arenas. The opportunity for anyone on earth to see the Olympic Games immeasurably increased the popularity of the Olympic movement.

In 1968, the XIX Olympic Games were held for the first time in Latin America. The city of Mexico honorably fulfilled its honorable duty as host of the Games of the XIX Olympiad.

The organizers of the Games of the XX Olympiad in Munich took into account the experience of Rome, Tokyo and Mexico City and did everything possible to surpass the achievements of their predecessors. First of all, the infrastructure of the Olympic capital was improved.

When starting to prepare for the 1980 Olympics, its organizers comprehensively studied the experience of their predecessors and the traditions of the Olympic movement. The main arena for the Games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow was determined to be the Luzhniki stadium.

The modern Olympic Games continue to be held to this day. It is held in the first year of the 4-year (Olympic) cycle. The Olympiads have been counted since 1896, when the first Olympic Games took place (I Olympiad - 1896-99). The Summer Olympics also receives its number in cases where the games are not held (for example, VI - in 1916-19, XII - 1940-43, XIII - 1944-47). In the numbering of the Winter Olympics, missed games are not taken into account (the IV Games of 1936 were followed by the V Games of 1948). The symbol of the Olympic Games is five fastened rings, symbolizing the unification of the five parts of the world in the Olympic movement, the so-called. Olympic rings. The color of the rings in the top row is blue for Europe, black for Africa, red for America, in the bottom row is yellow for Asia, green for Australia. In addition to Olympic sports, the organizing committee has the right to choose to include in the program exhibition competitions in 1-2 sports that are not recognized by the IOC. In the same year as the Olympics, the Winter Olympic Games have been held since 1924, which have their own numbering. Since 1994, the dates of the Winter Olympic Games have been shifted by 2 years relative to the summer ones. The location of the Olympics is chosen by the IOC; the right to organize them is granted to the city, not the country. The duration of the Games is on average 16-18 days. Taking into account the climatic characteristics of different countries, the Summer Games can be held not only in the “summer months”. Thus, the XXVII Summer Olympic Games in 2000 in Sydney (Australia), due to Australia’s location in the Southern Hemisphere, where summer begins in winter, were held in September, that is, in the spring. The Olympic movement has its own emblem and flag, approved by the IOC at the suggestion of Coubertin in 1913. The emblem is the Olympic rings. The motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius (Latin for “faster, higher, stronger”). III

6 . Traditional ritualsGames (in the order they are played)

Traditional rituals of the Games (in the order in which they are held):

grandiose and colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. From year to year, the best of the best from all over the world are involved in developing the scripts for these spectacles: screenwriters, organizers of mass shows, special effects specialists, etc. Many famous singers, actors and other important people strive to take part in this spectacle. Broadcasts of these events break records of viewership every time. Each country organizing the Olympics strives to surpass all previous ones in the scope and beauty of these ceremonies. Ceremony scripts are kept in the strictest confidence until they begin. Ceremonies take place in central stadiums with large capacity, where athletics competitions are held;

opening and closing begin with a theatrical performance, which should present to the audience the appearance of the country and city, introduce them to their history and culture;

ceremonial passage of athletes and members of delegations through the central stadium. Athletes from each country go in a separate group. Traditionally, the delegation of athletes from Greece, the “ancestor” country of the Games, goes first. Other groups are in order corresponding to the alphabetical order of the names of countries in the language of the host country of the Games. (Or in the official language of the IOC - French or English). At the front of each group is a representative of the host country, carrying a sign with the name of the respective country in the language of the host country of the Games and in the official languages of the IOC. Behind him at the head of the group is a standard bearer - usually an athlete participating in the games, carrying the flag of his country. The right to carry the flag is highly honorable for athletes. As a rule, this right is trusted to the most titled and respected athletes;

delivering welcoming speeches by the IOC President (mandatory), the head or official representative of the state in which the Games are taking place, sometimes the mayor of the city or the Chairman of the Organizing Committee. The latter, at the end of the speech, must utter the words: “(serial number of games) Summer (Winter) Olympic Games I declare open.” After which, as a rule, a gun salvo and many volleys of salutes and fireworks are fired;

raising the flag of Greece as the parent country of the Games with the performance of its national anthem;

raising the flag of the host country of the Games and singing its national anthem;

the pronouncement by one of the outstanding athletes of the country in which the Olympics are taking place, the Olympic oath on behalf of all participants in the games about fair fight in accordance with the rules and principles of sport and the Olympic spirit (in recent years, words have also been uttered about the non-use of prohibited drugs - doping);

the pronouncement by several judges on behalf of all judges of an oath of impartial judging;

raising the Olympic flag with the playing of the official Olympic anthem;

sometimes - raising the flag of Peace (a blue cloth depicting a white dove holding an olive branch in its beak - two traditional symbols of Peace), symbolizing the tradition of stopping all armed conflicts during the Games;

The opening ceremony culminates with the lighting of the Olympic flame. The fire is lit from the sun's rays in Olympia (Greece) in the Temple of the pagan Greek god Apollo (in Ancient Greece, Apollo was considered the patron saint of the Games). The “High Priestess” of Hera says a prayer with the following content: “Apollo, god of the sun and the idea of light, send your rays and light the sacred torch for the hospitable city ... (name of the city).” The Olympic torch relay took place around the world until 2007. Now, for the purposes of the anti-terrorism campaign, the torch is carried only within the country in which the games are taking place. The flame is delivered from country to country by plane, and in each country an athlete or other figure from that country runs his part of the relay to pass the flame on. Carrying the torch is considered a great honor. The first part of the relay passes through the cities of Greece. The latest by city in the host country of the Games. On the opening day of the Games, the torch is delivered to the host city. Athletes of this country deliver the torch to the central stadium at the very end of the ceremony. At the stadium, the torch is carried around the circle, changing hands several times until it is given to the athlete who is entrusted with the right to light the Olympic flame. This right is the most honorable. The fire must burn throughout the Olympics and is extinguished at the end of the closing ceremony;

presentation of medals to the winners and prize-winners of the competition on a special podium with the raising of national flags and the playing of the national anthem in honor of the winners;

During the closing ceremony there are also: a theatrical performance - farewell to the Olympics, the passage of participants, a speech by the IOC President and a representative of the host country. However, the closure of the Olympics is already announced by the IOC President. This is followed by the singing of the national anthem, the Olympic anthem, while the flags are lowered. A representative of the host country solemnly hands over the Olympic flag to the IOC President, who in turn hands it over to a representative of the Organizing Committee of the next Olympiad. At the end of the ceremony, the Olympic flame slowly goes out to lyrical music.

Since 1932, the host city has been building an “Olympic village” - a complex of residential premises for the participants of the games.

The organizers of the Games are developing the symbols of the Olympics - the official emblem and mascot of the Games. The emblem and mascot of the Games are an integral part of the souvenir products produced in large quantities on the eve of the Games. Revenue from sales of souvenirs can make up a significant part of the income from the Olympics, but they do not always cover expenses.

According to the charter, the Games are a competition between individual athletes and not between national teams. However, since 1908 the so-called unofficial team standings - determination of the place occupied by teams based on the number of medals received and points scored in competitions (points are awarded for the first 6 places according to the system: 1st place - 7 points, 2nd - 5, 3rd - - 4, 4th - 3, 5th - 2, 6th - 1). The title of Olympic champion is the most honorable and coveted title in an athlete’s career in those sports in which Olympic tournaments are held.

7 . Venues of the Olympic Games.Chronology and heroes of the Summer Olympic Games

Coubertin olympic game ritual summer

The city where the next Olympic Games will be held is determined at a special session of the IOC 7 years before the date of the relevant Games. The city is selected from several candidate cities that have submitted official applications for this. The determination takes place through a direct secret vote by the IOC members, except for representatives of the candidate countries and the IOC President. As a rule, at the time of the final vote, no more than five cities remain on the list of candidates, the list of which is determined by a ranked vote of IOC members held a year earlier. The winner must receive more than half the votes. If it is not possible to identify a winner in the first round, the second and subsequent rounds are held. Moreover, after each round, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated from the race. Then IOC members from this country will already take part in the next rounds. The right to host the Games is very prestigious and honorable. To do this, each candidate city submits to the IOC members the so-called. “Application book”, which sets out all the details of the Games project in this city, and also prepares a special presentation of their application. Acceptance of applications for hosting the Games begins 10 years before the date of their holding, ends 9 years, the list of finalists is determined 8 years in advance, and finally, the venue is determined 7 years in advance.

The Olympic Games have been held in the United States the greatest number of times - 8 times (4 times in summer and 4 times in winter). In France 5 times (2L/3W), in the UK 3 times (3/0), Germany 3 times (2/1), in Japan, Italy, Canada 3 times (1/2), in Australia the summer games were held twice, Winter Games have been held twice in Austria, Switzerland and Norway. Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, USSR, Mexico, South Korea, Spain and China have hosted the Summer Games once. Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) has hosted the Winter Games once. A total of 21 countries received the right to host the Olympics. At the same time, summer ones were held in 18 countries, winter ones in 11. Among cities, London holds the lead in the number of Olympics - 3 times. The Games were held twice in Los Angeles, Paris, Athens - summer, in St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Lake Placid - winter. In total, 41 cities hosted the Olympics (summer 22, winter 19).

1st Olympiad

Athens (Greece), April 6-15, 1896. 311 athletes from 13 countries took part in the first Olympics (Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden). There were no competitions among women. The first Olympic champion was the American athlete J. Connolly, who won the triple jump competition (13 m 71 cm). The greatest interest was attracted by the marathon running (42 km 195 m, 17 participants from 5 countries), which was won by postal employee Spyridon Louis, who became the national hero of Greece. Among numerous prizes, he received 10 quintals of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 rams, as well as a lifelong right to free services of a tailor and hairdresser. The swimmers' competitions took place in the open sea at a water temperature of 13°C. The hero of the swimming competition was the “Hungarian dolphin” (as journalists called him) Alfred Hajos, who won two gold medals (100 m, 1200 m) in freestyle swimming. All winners were awarded on the last day of the competition. According to ancient tradition, the champion's head was crowned with a laurel wreath, he was given an olive branch cut in the "sacred grove of Olympia", a medal and a diploma. Since the first Olympics, the tradition of raising state flags during the national anthem in honor of the winner has been established.

2nd Olympiad

Paris (France), May 20–October 28, 1900. Over 1,300 athletes from 21 countries participated (including Asia, which was first represented by India). The Olympics were timed to coincide with the World Exhibition, which extended its timing too much. For the first time, women participated (in tennis and golf competitions). The first Olympic champion was the Englishwoman Sheila Cooper, who won the tennis competition. A total of 88 gold medals were awarded, of which 26 went to athletes from France, 20 from the USA and 17 from Great Britain. The heroes of the competition were American athletes: Raymond Yuri, winner of the standing long jump (3 m 21 cm), high jump (1 m 65 cm) and triple jump (10 m 58 cm), nicknamed “rubber man”, and Alvin Krenzlein is the winner of four events, two with Olympic records in the 110m hurdles (15.4 sec) and 200m hurdles (25.4 sec) and two with world records in the 60m run and long jump (7 m 18 cm).

III Olympiad

St. Louis (USA), July 1–November 23, 1904. St. participated. 600 athletes from 12 countries. These games were also timed to coincide with the World Exhibition. Due to the high cost of tickets, only 39 athletes came from Europe (the US team had over 500 participants). The brilliant Cuban fencer Ramon Fonst achieved great success, winning three gold medals in the foil and epee fence competitions. Once again, the American standing jumper R. Jury was beyond competition; like four years ago, he won three gold medals, but only surpassed his Parisian result in the long jump (3 m 48 cm). In total, American athletes won 70 gold (out of 89), 75 silver and 65 bronze medals.

IV Olympiad

London (Great Britain), April 27–October 31, 1908. St. participated. 2 thousand athletes from 22 countries. Among the debutants are teams from Russia, Turkey, and Australasia (a joint team of New Zealand and Australia). For the first time, the program included the winter sport of figure skating, in which the representative of Russia N. Panin-Kolomenkin successfully performed, winning the first gold medal in the Olympic history of his country. It was during the London Olympics that the Pennsylvania bishop, during a sermon in St. Paul's Cathedral on July 19, 1908, uttered the famous words: “At the Olympics, the main thing is not victory, but participation.”

V Olympiad

Stockholm (Sweden), May 5–July 22, 1912. Approx. participated. 3 thousand athletes from 28 countries. Among the debuting countries are Japan, Egypt, and Portugal. An American track and field athlete of Indian origin, Jim Thorpe, achieved outstanding success when he won the pentathlon and decathlon competitions. His results in the decathlon turned out to be one of the most durable in Olympic history, and even 44 years later at the 1956 Olympics he could have entered the top eight with them. Shortly after the Olympics, the US NOC accused Thorpe of violating his status as an amateur athlete because he had earned money playing baseball in his youth. As a result, the talented athlete was disqualified. In Stockholm, on the initiative of Coubertin, the first Art Competition was held in the sections of architecture, painting, literature, music and sculpture. His goal was to restore the connections between art and sports that were characteristic of the ancient Olympic Games. In the “literature” section, first place was awarded to the famous “Ode to Sports” (the author of which was Coubertin, who spoke under the double pseudonyms of J. Horod and M. Eschbach). Art competitions were held in 1912-48.

VI Olympiad

Berlin (Germany), 1916. Did not take place due to the First World War.

VII Olympiad

Antwerp (Belgium), April 20-September 12, 1920. St. participated. 2600 athletes from 29 countries. Among the debuting countries are Argentina, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. By a special decision of the IOC, Germany and its allies in the war were excluded from participating in the games, and Soviet Russia was not invited. For the first time at the games, the Olympic flag was raised, and the participants took the Olympic oath. Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi was recognized as the best athlete, who won three gold medals (8000 m cross-country in the individual and team championships and the 10,000 m run) and one silver medal in the 5000 m run.

VIII Olympiad

Paris (France), May 4–July 27, 1924. Over 3 thousand athletes from 44 countries participated. Among the debuting countries are Mexico, Poland, Romania, Uruguay, and the Philippines. German athletes are again not allowed to compete. Competitions took place in 19 sports. The heroes of the games were the Finnish stayer P. Nurmi (5 gold medals) and the American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller (3 gold medals), the future famous performer of the role of Tarzan. American athletes won 45 of 126 gold medals.

IX Olympiad

Amsterdam (Netherlands), May 17–August 12, 1928. Over 3 thousand athletes from 46 countries participated. For the first time, athletes from Malta, Panama, Rhodesia and, after a 16-year break, Germany participated. For the first time, doves were released as a symbol of peace at the opening ceremony; for the first time, women participated in competitions in gymnastics (team all-around) and athletics, where world records were set in all five types of the program. Nurmi won his last Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 m.

X Olympics

Los Angeles (USA), July 30-August 14, 1932. Over 1,400 athletes from 37 countries participated. The debuting countries are China and Colombia. For the first time, the Olympic Village was built specifically for the participants. It went down in history as the Olympics of records. 41 Olympic and 18 world records were set. The performance of Japanese swimmers, who won five of the six events in the program, was a sensation.

XI Olympiad

Berlin (Germany), August 1-16, 1936. Over 4 thousand athletes from 49 countries participated. Among the debuting countries are Afghanistan, Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, and Peru. The hero of the Games was the black athlete J. Owens, who set four Olympic records in the 100 m, 200 m, 4x100 m relay and was the first in the history of athletics to overcome the 8 m mark in the long jump (8 m 06 cm). In the unofficial team competition, German athletes won for the first time with 33 gold medals, 26 silver, 30 bronze. For the first time, the torch, lit from the rays of the sun in the Greek Olympia, was carried by a relay to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

XII Olympiad

Helsinki (Finland), 1940. Did not take place due to World War II.

XIII Olympiad

London (UK), 1944. Did not take place due to World War II.

XIV Olympiad

London (Great Britain), July 29–August 14, 1948. Over 4 thousand athletes from 59 countries participated. Among the debuting countries are Burma, Venezuela, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Ceylon, South Korea, and Jamaica. Germany and Japan were not allowed to compete. The heroine of the Games was the “flying Dutchwoman” Francine Blankers-Kun, who excelled in all four events of the women’s track and field running program (100 m, 200 m, 80 m hurdles and the 4x100 m relay). 22-year-old Hungarian boxer Laszlo Papp became the middleweight champion; he had no equal in the junior middleweight division at the next two Olympics (1952 and 1956). In the national team competition, athletes from the USA and Sweden were out of competition.

XV Olympiad

Helsinki (Finland), July 19–August 3, 1952. About 5 thousand athletes from 69 countries participated. For the first time, teams from the USSR (about 300 people), a number of African countries, Israel, Indonesia, and a separate team from Germany participated. The heroes of the games were the Czechoslovakian runner Emil Zatopek, who won the distances of 5000 m and 10000 m and the marathon (all with an Olympic record), and the Soviet gymnast Viktor Chukarin (4 gold and 2 silver awards). Unexpectedly for the sports world, USSR athletes shared the team championship with the US team in the unofficial competition.

XVII Olympiad

Melbourne (Australia), November 22–December 8, 1956. Over 3 thousand athletes from 68 countries participated. Due to the Commonwealth of Australia law requiring a six-month quarantine for imported animals, equestrian competitions were held in Stockholm (June 11-17, 1956). Among the debuting countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Fiji. German athletes competed as part of the United German Team (GDR and West Germany). Soviet track and field athlete Vladimir Kuts won the 5,000 m and 10,000 m distances (with an Olympic record) and was recognized as the best athlete. Soviet athletes won the largest number of gold (37), silver (29) and bronze (32) medals.

XVIII Olympiad

Rome (Italy), August 25–September 11, 1960. Over 5 thousand athletes from 84 countries participated. Among the debuting countries are Morocco, the United Arab Republic (UAR), San Marino, and Tunisia. The Roman Olympics became an Olympics of surprises and records (76 Olympics, including 30 world ones). The best athletes of the games were recognized as Soviet heavyweight Yuri Vlasov, American runner Wilma Rudolph (three gold medals), and Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila. For the first time at the Olympic Games, an athlete died due to doping (Danish cyclist K. E. Jensen). Once again, the USSR team beat the US team in the unofficial team competition.

XVIII Olympiad

Tokyo (Japan), October 10-24, 1964. Over 5 thousand athletes participated. Among the debuting countries are the former colonies of Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Senegal and others, as well as Libya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal. The first Olympic Games in Asia. 35 world records were set. Abebe Bikila became the first athlete in Olympic history to win the marathon twice. Soviet rower Vyacheslav Ivanov won the gold medal at the third Olympics in a row. Valery Popenchenko (2nd middle weight) was recognized as the most technical boxer of the Games. For the first time, television broadcasts were carried out from Olympic arenas to other continents, and over 1 billion people were able to follow the progress of the competition.

XIX Olympiad

Mexico City (Mexico), October 12-27, 1968. Over 5.5 thousand athletes from 112 countries participated. Among the debuting countries are a number of African and Asian states, as well as Paraguay, El Salvador, etc. The number of program issues has increased to 172 (from 163 in 1964). The “jump into the 21st century” was made by American track and field athlete Bob Beamon (8 m 90 cm), and his compatriot Richard Fosbury, winner of the high jump competition, laid the foundation for a new school of jumping. Such outstanding athletes as gymnast Vera Caslavska (Czechoslovakia, 4 gold medals), track and field athlete Viktor Saneev (USSR, world record in triple jump, 17 m 39 cm), swimmer Roland Matthes (GDR, 2) also wrote their names in Olympic history with golden letters. gold medals in 100m and 200m backstroke), etc. The largest number of gold medals were won by US athletes (45).

Program of the ancient Olympics

Gradually, more and more new sports were added to the games program. In 724 BC. Diaul was added to the race of one stage (stadiodrome) - a race over a distance of 384.54 m, in 720 BC. – dolichodrome or 24-stage run. In 708 BC. The program of the Olympic Games included the pentathlon, consisting of running, long jump, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. At the same time, the first wrestling competitions took place. In 688 BC. Fist fighting was included in the program of the Olympics, after two more Olympics - a chariot competition, and in 648 BC. – the most brutal type of competition is pankration, which combines wrestling and fist fighting techniques.

The winners of the Olympic Games were revered as demigods. Throughout their lives, they were given all kinds of honors, and after their death, the Olympian was ranked among the host of “small gods.”

After the adoption of Christianity, the Olympic Games began to be perceived as one of the manifestations of paganism, and in 394 BC. Emperor Theodosius I banned them.

The Olympic movement was revived only at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. And, of course, the first revived Olympic Games took place on Greek soil - in Athens, in 1896.

BAKU, April 6 – Sputnik. One hundred and twenty years ago, the first modern Summer Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece. The 1896 Olympic Games were held from April 6 to 15 in Athens, Greece.

On June 23, 1894, a commission to revive the Olympic Games met in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne in Paris. Baron Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee - the IOC - was formed, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.

The first modern Olympic Games were originally planned to be held in the same stadium in Olympia that hosted the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece. However, this required too much restoration work, and the first revived Olympic competitions took place in the Greek capital, Athens.

Already on April 6, 1896, at the restored ancient stadium in Athens, the Greek King George declared the first Olympic Games of our time open. The ceremony was attended by 60 thousand spectators.

The date was not chosen by chance - on this day, Easter Monday coincided in three directions of Christianity at once - Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. This first opening ceremony of the Games established two Olympic traditions - the opening of the Games by the head of state where the competition is taking place, and the singing of the Olympic anthem. However, there were no such indispensable attributes of modern Games as a parade of participating countries, the ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame and the recitation of the Olympic oath; they were introduced later. There was no Olympic village; invited athletes provided their own housing.

241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the First Olympiad: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary (at the time of the Games, Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary, but Hungarian athletes competed separately), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy , USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.

Russian athletes were quite actively preparing for the Olympics, but due to lack of funds, the Russian team was not sent to the Games.

As in ancient times, only men took part in the competitions of the first modern Olympics.

The program of the first Games included nine sports - classical wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, athletics, swimming, shooting, tennis, weightlifting and fencing. 43 sets of awards were drawn.

According to ancient tradition, the Games began with athletic competitions. Athletics competitions became the most popular - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - were won by representatives of the United States.

The first Olympic champion was American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 meters 71 centimeters.

Wrestling competitions were held without uniform approved rules for conducting fights, and there were also no weight categories. The style in which the athletes competed was close to today's Greco-Roman, but it was allowed to grab the opponent's legs. Only one set of medals was played among five athletes, and only two of them competed exclusively in wrestling - the rest took part in competitions in other disciplines.

Since there were no artificial swimming pools in Athens, swimming competitions were held in an open bay near the city of Piraeus; the start and finish were marked by ropes attached to the floats. The competition aroused great interest - by the start of the first swim, about 40 thousand spectators had gathered on the shore. About 25 swimmers from six countries took part, most of them naval officers and sailors of the Greek merchant fleet. Medals were awarded in four events, all swims were “freestyle” - you were allowed to swim in any way, changing it along the course. At that time, the most popular swimming methods were breaststroke, overarm (an improved way of swimming on the side) and treadmill style. At the insistence of the organizers of the Games, the applied swimming event was also included in the program - 100 meters in sailor's clothing. Only Greek sailors took part in it.

In cycling, six sets of medals were awarded - five on the track and one on the road. The track races took place at the Neo Faliron velodrome, specially built for the Games.

Eight sets of awards were competed for in the artistic gymnastics competitions. The competition took place outdoors at the Marble Stadium.

Five sets of awards were awarded in shooting - two in rifle shooting and three in pistol shooting.

Tennis competitions took place on the courts of the Athens Tennis Club. Two tournaments were held - singles and doubles. At the 1896 Games there was no requirement that all team members represent the same country, and some pairs were international.

Weightlifting competitions were held without division into weight categories and included two disciplines: squeezing a ball barbell with two hands and lifting a dumbbell with one hand.

Three sets of awards were competed for in fencing. Fencing became the only sport where professionals were allowed: separate competitions were held among “maestros” - fencing teachers (“maestros” were also admitted to the 1900 Games, after which this practice ceased).

The culmination of the Olympic Games was the marathon running. Unlike all subsequent Olympic marathon competitions, the marathon distance at the Games of the First Olympics was 40 kilometers. The classic marathon distance is 42 kilometers 195 meters. The Greek postman Spyridon Louis finished first with a result of 2 hours 58 minutes 50 seconds, who became a national hero after this success. In addition to the Olympic awards, he received a gold cup established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on including marathon running in the program of the Games, a barrel of wine, a voucher for free food for a year, free tailoring of a dress and the use of a hairdresser throughout his life, 10 centners of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 rams.

The winners were awarded on the closing day of the Games - April 15, 1896. Since the Games of the First Olympiad, the tradition of singing the national anthem and raising the national flag in honor of the winner has been established. The winner was crowned with a laurel wreath, given a silver medal, an olive branch cut from the Sacred Grove of Olympia, and a diploma made by a Greek artist. Second place winners received bronze medals. Those who took third place were not taken into account at that time, and only later the International Olympic Committee included them in the medal standings among countries, but not all medalists were determined accurately.

The Greek team won the largest number of medals - 45 (10 gold, 17 silver, 18 bronze). Team USA was second - 20 awards (11+7+2). The third place was taken by the German team - 13.

The decision to hold the First Olympic Games

Opening ceremony of the First Olympic Games

Participants of the First Olympic Games

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