All About The Olympic Games History

A significant connection between sports and culture, the Olympic Games have more than 2,000 years of history. The story of the Olympic Games might seem scattered at times, but they have made a strong comeback. Even the early events organised by the Ancient Greeks showed the principles that remain at the heart of the Olympic Spirit today. Additionally, rival states would pause their conflicts during ancient times during the games. This practice still exists today, with the United Nations General Assembly endorsing the Olympic Truce before every Olympic event. The history of the Games is incredibly detailed and covers thousands of years. The earliest records of the official Games come from 776 BC when the Greeks started counting time in Olympiads, or the period between each Olympic Games. In this blog, we take a look at the Olympic Games history.

Everything you need to know about the Olympic Games history

1. The revival of the Olympic Games at the inaugural Olympic Congress in Paris

Several efforts were made in the late 1800s to revive a global sporting event, but these attempts were unsuccessful due to a lack of cooperation among the international sports community until a single individual took the initiative to unite the key players in Paris. This led to the revival of the Olympic Games at the inaugural Olympic Congress, led by Baron Pierre de Coubertin and held at the Grand Amphitheatre at the Sorbonne University from June 16 to June 23, 1894. The event attracted 2,000 participants, including 58 delegates from France representing 24 sports organisations and clubs, along with 20 representatives from Belgium, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United States, each representing 13 foreign sports associations.

By the conclusion of the congress on June 23, the individual Olympics had been resurrected, and the International Olympic Committee was established. France has played a prominent role in the modern Olympic Games history. At the turn of the 20th century, the Olympics organised its rebirth here, and Paris hosted the Summer Olympic Games at least five times from 1900 to 1992. Talking about the Olympics news, the story that the Games and France are writing together now spans three centuries, from the inaugural Olympic Congress on the revival of the Olympic games that Pierre de Coubertin convened at the Sorbonne in 1894 to the 2024 Paris Olympics 130 years later. This eventful story is sprinkled with momentous developments and firsts shaping Games history.

2. The growth of the Olympic Games over the centuries

In addition to being the first to award gold, silver, and bronze medals, the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Missouri, also featured George Eyser, the first documented disabled athlete to compete in the Olympics. In gymnastics, he took home six medals, three of them gold. The first Olympic Games to feature athletes from all five continents, symbolised by the Olympic rings, were held in Stockholm in 1912. Additionally, it was the year that women competed in swimming for the first time. At Pierre de Coubertin's suggestion, artistic competitions were included in the modern Olympic Games from 1912 to 1948. Artworks relating to sports in five different categories (architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture) were given medals. The Olympic Games were held for the second and third time in France. The Paris Olympic Games of 1924 were the first to build an Olympic Village, which has become customary at every Summer Olympics since. The Olympic flame will follow an unprecedented route from Marseille to Paris and the French overseas territories. The Olympic torch, a symbol of unity and peace, carries the spirit of the Games as it journeys across the country, signifying the beginning of the celebrations. The Olympic Torch Relay for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will continue for three months.

3. Paris Olympics 2024 and the Summer Olympic Games today

The Summer Olympics is defined by its universality, as demonstrated by its continuous development and worldwide presence on every habitable continent. There are 206 NOCs in the IOC compared to the 193 UN member states. This universality gives unparalleled reach to the movement's ongoing efforts to promote people and education. India has a really good chance of winning Olympic medals, especially the Indian athletics team. A mind-boggling total of 10,500 athletes from 206 NOCs and a Refugee Olympic Team will compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. With 66 days left before the start of the Olympic Athletics events, there couldn't be a better day to look at the Indian contingent. Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra will be one of the Olympic torch bearers of the Paris Olympics 2024. Indian Javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra will be defending his title at the Paris Olympics and will be entering the global competition as one of the greatest Olympic gold medalist in India, which is a huge stature at this moment.