Modern youth devote little time to sports, not only at the professional but also at the amateur level. An extensive network of competitions operates to popularize the sport. Today we will look at which country the Olympic competitions originated in, when they were held, and the situation today.

Sports competitions of antiquity

The date of the first Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as the Olympic Games) is unknown, but remains them - Ancient Greece. The heyday of Hellenic statehood led to the formation of a religious and cultural holiday, which for a time united the layers of selfish society.

The worship of beauty was actively cultivated human body, enlightened people sought to achieve perfection of forms. It is not for nothing that most marble statues from the Greek period depict beautiful men and women of that time.

Olympia is considered the first “sports” city of Hellas; here the winners of the championships were revered as full-fledged participants in hostilities. In 776 BC. revived the festival.

The reason for the decline of the Olympic Games is Roman expansion into the Balkans. With the spread of the Christian faith, such holidays began to be considered pagan. In 394, Emperor Theodosius I banned sports competitions.

Attention! Sports competitions provided for several weeks of neutrality - it was forbidden to declare or wage war. Every day was considered sacred, dedicated to the gods. It is not surprising that the Olympic Games originated in Hellas.

Prerequisites for the revival of the Olympic Games

The ideas of world championships never completely died; England held tournaments and sports competitions of a local nature. The history of the 19th century Olympic Games is characterized by the holding of Olympia, the predecessor of modern competitions. The idea belongs to the Greeks: To Sutsos and public figure Zappas. They made the first modern Olympic Games possible.

Archaeologists have discovered clusters of ancient monumental structures of unknown purpose in the country where sports competitions originated. of those years was very interested in Antiquity.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin considered the physical training of soldiers inappropriate. In his opinion, this was the reason for the defeat in last war with the Germans (Franco-Prussian confrontation 1870-1871). He sought to instill in the French a desire for self-development. He believed that young people should “break spears” in sports arenas, and not through military conflicts.

Attention! Excavations on the territory of Greece were carried out by a German expedition, so Coubertin succumbed to revanchist sentiments. His expression “The German people found the remains of Olympia. Why shouldn’t France restore the fragments of its former power?”, often serves as fair evidence.

Baron with a big heart

is the founder modern Olympic Games. Let's spend a few words on his biography.

Little Pierre was born on January 1, 1863 in the capital French Empire. The youth passed through the prism of self-education, attended a number of prestigious colleges in England and America, and considered sport an integral part of the development of a person as an individual. He played rugby and was a referee in the first final of the French championship.

The history of the famous competitions was of interest to the society of that time, so Coubertin decided to hold competitions on a global scale. November 1892 was remembered for his presentation at the Sorbonne University. It was dedicated to the revival of the Olympic movement. Russian General Butovsky was imbued with Pierre's ideas, as he held the same views.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appointed de Coubertin as Secretary General, and subsequently president of the organization. Work went hand in hand with imminent marriage. In 1895, Marie Rotan became a baroness. The marriage brought two children: the first-born Jacques and daughter Renee suffered from illnesses nervous system. The Coubertin family was interrupted after the death of Marie at the age of 101. She lived with the knowledge that her husband had revived the Olympic Games and occupied a prominent position.

With the beginning, Pierre went to the front, leaving social activities. Both of his nephews died on the way to victory.

While serving as head of the IOC, Coubertin often faced criticism. The public was outraged by the “wrong” interpretation of the first Olympic Games and excessive professionalism. Many claimed that he abused his power in dealing with various issues.

Great public figure died September 2, 1937 year in Geneva (Switzerland). His heart became part of a monument near the ruins of Greek Olympia.

Important! The Pierre de Coubertin Medal has been awarded by the IOC since the death of the honorary president. Deserving athletes are recognized with this award for their generosity and adherence to the spirit of Fair Play.

Revival of the Olympic Games

The French baron revived the Olympic Games, but the bureaucratic machine delayed the championship. Two years later, the French Congress made a historic decision: the first Olympic Games of our time will take place on Greek soil. Among the reasons for this decision are:

• the desire to “outdo the nose” of a German neighbor;
• make a good impression on civilized countries;
• championship in an undeveloped area;
• the growing influence of France as a cultural and sports center of the Old World.

The first Olympic Games of modern times took place in the Greek polis of Antiquity - Athens (1896). The sports competition was a success; 241 athletes expressed a desire to participate. The Greek side was so pleased with the attention from world states that they proposed to “forever” hold the competition in their historical homeland. The IOC decided on rotation between countries in order to change the host country every 4 years.

The first achievements gave way to a crisis. The stream of spectators quickly dried up, as the competitions were held for several months. The first Olympics in 1906 (Athens) saved the disastrous situation.

Attention! The national team came to the capital of France for the first time Russian Empire, women were allowed to participate in competitions.

Irish Olympian

James ConnollyJames Connolly – first Olympic champion peace. Working hard from an early age, he became interested in contact sports.

Studied at Harvard University, went to work without asking cargo ship to the shores of Greece. Subsequently he was expelled, but the first Olympiad succumbed to him.

With a result of 13 m and 71 cm, the Irishman was the strongest in the athletics triple jump. A day later, he won bronze in the long jump and silver in the high jump.

At home, he was awaited by the restored title of student, popularity and universal recognition as the first modern champion of famous competitions.

He was awarded the title of Doctor of Science in Literature (1949). He died at the age of 88 (January 20, 1957).

Important! The Olympic Games are held under the supervision of a unique symbol - five interconnected rings. They symbolize the unity of all in the movement of sports improvement. At the top are blue, black and red, at the bottom are yellow and green.

Situation today

Modern competitions are the founder of the culture of health and sports. Their popularity and demand is beyond doubt, and the number of participants and spectators of the competition is growing every year.

The IOC is trying to keep up with the times and has established many traditions that have taken root over time. Sports competitions are now full of atmosphere"ancient" traditions:

1. Grand performances at the opening and closing ceremonies. Everyone tries to carry them out in a big way, some of them overdo it.
2. Ceremonial passage of athletes from each participating country. The Greek team always goes first, the rest are in alphabetical order.
3. The outstanding athlete of the receiving party must take an oath of fair fight for everyone.
4. Lighting of a symbolic torch in the Temple of Apollo (Greece). It travels across participating countries. Each athlete must complete his part of the relay.
5. The presentation of medals is filled with centuries-old traditions, the winner rises to the podium, above which the national flag rises, and the national anthem is played.
6. A prerequisite is the “first Olympics” symbolism. The receiving party designs a stylized symbol sports festival, which would reflect the national color.

Attention! The release of souvenirs can cover the costs of the event. Many European countries They will share their experience on how to gain without losing anything.

Many people are interested in when the Olympic Games will take place, we hasten to satisfy the interest of readers.

Symbolic torch lighting ceremony in the temple

What year is the new championship?

First Olympics 2018 will take place on the territory South Korea. Climatic features and rapid development made it an ideal candidate for hosting the Winter Games.

Summer is hosted by Japan. Country high technology will ensure safety and comfortable conditions athletes from all over the world.

The football confrontation will take place on the fields Russian Federation. Now most of the sports facilities have been completed, construction work is underway hotel complexes. Improving infrastructure is a priority for the Russian government.

2018 Olympics in South Korea

Prospects

Modern ways of developing these competitions suggest:

1. Increasing the number of sports disciplines.
2. Promoting a healthy lifestyle, social and charitable events.
3. Introduction of advanced technologies for the convenience of celebrations, increased security, and comfort of participating athletes.
4. Maximum distance from foreign policy intrigues.

First Olympic Games

1896 Olympics

Conclusion

Pierre de Coubertin is the founder of the modern Olympic Games. His obsession has helped save millions of lives as countries compete openly in the sporting arena. Preserving peace was a priority at the end of the 19th century, and remains so today.

The Olympic Games, Olympic Games are the largest international complex sports competitions of our time, which are held every four years. A tradition that existed in ancient Greece, in late XIX century was revived by a French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four 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.

Ancient Olympic Games

Olympic Games Ancient Greece were a religious and sports festival held in Olympia. Information about the origin of the games has been lost, but several legends describing this event have survived. The first documented celebration dates back to 776 BC. e., although it is known that games were held earlier. During the games, a sacred truce was declared; during this time it was forbidden to wage war, although this was repeatedly violated.

The Olympic Games significantly lost their importance with the arrival of the Romans. After Christianity became the official religion, games began to be seen as a manifestation of paganism and in 394 AD. e. they were banned by the emperor Theodosius I.

Revival of the Olympic Idea

Even after the ban on ancient competitions, the Olympic idea did not disappear forever. For example, in England during the 17th century, “Olympic” competitions and competitions were repeatedly held. Later, similar competitions were organized in France and Greece. However, these were small events that were, at best, regional in nature. The first true predecessors to the modern Olympic Games are the Olympias, which were held regularly between 1859 and 1888. The idea of ​​reviving the Olympic Games in Greece belonged to the poet Panagiotis Soutsos, brought it to life by a public figure Evangelis Zappas.

In 1766, as a result of archaeological excavations in Olympia, sports and temple buildings were discovered. In 1875, archaeological research and excavations continued under German leadership. At that time, romantic-idealistic ideas about antiquity were in vogue in Europe. The desire to revive Olympic thinking and culture spread quite quickly throughout Europe. French Baron Pierre de Coubertin (French: Pierre de Coubertin) said then: “Germany has excavated what remains of ancient Olympia. Why can't France restore its old greatness?

Baron Pierre de Coubertin

According to Coubertin, it is the weak physical condition French soldiers became one of the reasons for the defeat of the French in Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871. He strives to change the situation through improvement physical culture French. At the same time, he wanted to overcome national egoism and contribute to the struggle for peace and international understanding. The “youth of the world” were supposed to measure their strength in sports competitions, and not on the battlefields. The revival of the Olympic Games seemed in his eyes the best solution to achieve both goals.

At a congress held June 16-23, 1894 at the Sorbonne (University of Paris), he presented his thoughts and ideas to an international audience. On the last day of the congress (June 23), it was decided that the first Olympic Games of our time should be held in 1896 in Athens, in the country that founded the Games - Greece. To organize the Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded. The first president of the Committee was a Greek Demetrius Vikelas, who was president until the end of the First Olympic Games in 1896. Baron became General Secretary Pierre de Coubertin.

The first Games of our time were truly a great success. Despite the fact that only 241 athletes (14 countries) took part in the Games, the Games became the largest sporting event ever held since Ancient Greece. Greek officials were so pleased that they put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games “forever” in their homeland, Greece. But the IOC introduced rotation between different states so that every 4 years the Games change their location.

After the first success, the Olympic movement experienced the first crisis in its history. The 1900 Games in Paris (France) and the 1904 Games 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.

At the 1906 Olympic Games in Athens (Greece), sports competitions and results again came first. Although the IOC initially recognized and supported the holding of these "interim Games" (just two years after the previous ones), these Games are now not recognized as Olympic Games. Some sports historians consider the 1906 Games to be the salvation of the Olympic idea, as they prevented the games from becoming “meaningless and unnecessary.”

Modern Olympic Games

The principles, rules and regulations of the Olympic Games are determined by the Olympic Charter, the foundations of which were approved by the International Sports Congress in Paris in 1894, which, at the proposal of the French educator and public figure Pierre de Coubertin, decided to organize the Games on the model of the ancient ones and to create the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

According to the charter of the Games, the Olympics “... unite amateur athletes from all countries in fair and equal competitions. In relation to countries and individuals No discrimination on racial, religious or political grounds is permitted...” The games are held in the first year of the Olympiad (4-year period between games). The Olympiads have been counted since 1896, when the first Olympic Games took place (I Olympiad - 1896-99). The Olympiad also receives its number in cases where the games are not held (for example, VI - in 1916-19, XII - 1940-43, XIII - 1944-47). 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 - 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. Duration no more than 15 days (winter games - no more than 10).

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 (faster, higher, stronger). The flag is a white cloth with the Olympic rings, and has been flown at all Games since 1920.

Among the traditional rituals of the Games:

* lighting of the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony (the flame is lit from the sun's rays in Olympia and delivered by a torch relay of athletes to the host city of the Games);
* pronouncement of the Olympic oath by one of the outstanding athletes of the country in which the Olympics are taking place on behalf of all participants in the games;
* taking an oath of impartial judging on behalf of the judges;
* presentation of medals to winners and prize-winners of competitions;
* raising the national flag and singing the national anthem in honor of the winners.

Since 1932, the host city has been building an “Olympic village” - a complex of residential premises for the participants of the games. 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 - determining 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, 4 -e - 3, 5th - 2, 6th - 1). The title of Olympic champion is the most honorable and coveted title in the career of an athlete in those sports in which Olympic tournaments are held. The exception is football, since the title of world champion in this sport is much more prestigious.

April 6 was the 114th anniversary of the opening of the first modern Olympic Games. The tradition, which existed in Ancient Greece, was revived thanks to the French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. The games took place for 12 days from April 6 to April 15, 1896 in Athens and became the largest international event...

Opening ceremony of the games in Athens, 1896. Hulton Archive, Getty Images

The Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were a religious and sports festival held in Olympia. The first documented celebration dates back to 776 BC. e., they were established by Hercules, although it is known that the games were held earlier. The Olympic Games significantly lost their importance with the arrival of the Romans. After Christianity became the official religion, games began to be seen as a manifestation of paganism and in 394 AD. e. they were banned by Emperor Theodosius I.

Archaeological excavations at Olympia, which began in 1766, uncovered sports and temple structures. At that time, romantic-idealistic ideas about antiquity were in vogue in Europe. The desire to revive Olympic thinking and culture spread quite quickly throughout Europe. French Baron Pierre de Coubertin said then: “Germany has unearthed what remains of ancient Olympia. Why can't France restore its old greatness?

Baron Pierre de Coubertin

According to Coubertin, it was the weak physical condition of the French soldiers that was one of the reasons for the defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. He sought to change the situation by improving the physical culture of the French. At the same time, he wanted to overcome national egoism and contribute to the struggle for peace and international understanding. The “youth of the world” were supposed to measure their strength in sports competitions, and not on the battlefields. Reviving the Olympic Games seemed in his eyes the best solution to achieve both goals.


Members of the International Olympic Committee. Hulton Archive, Getty Images

At a congress held from June 16-23, 1894 at the Sorbonne University in Paris, he presented his thoughts and ideas to an international audience. On the last day of the congress, it was decided that the first Olympic Games of modern times should take place in 1896. Athens was unanimously chosen as the host city, as Ancient Greece was the birthplace of the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded, with the Greek Demetrius Vikelas as its first president and Baron Pierre de Coubertin as its secretary general.


Olympic medals from 1896. Getty Images

The first Games of our time were a great success. Despite the fact that only 241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games, the Games became the largest sporting event ever held since ancient Greece. Greek officials were so pleased that they put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games “forever” in their homeland, Greece. But the IOC introduced rotation between different states so that every 4 years the Games change their location.


The Olympic Games in Athens were a great success, the stadium was full. London Stereoscopic Company, Getty Images

Initially, Coubertin wanted to make the Olympic Games an amateur competition, in which there was no place for professionals playing sports for money. It was believed that those paid to play sports had an unfair advantage over those who practiced sports as a hobby. Even coaches and those who received cash prizes for participation were not allowed in. In particular, Jim Thorpe was stripped of his medals in 1913 after it was discovered that he was a semi-professional baseball player. After the war, with professionalization European sports the requirement of amateurism in most sports has disappeared.

Olympic Stadium in Athens. FPG, Getty Images


At the start of a cycling competition. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport


French cyclist Leon Flament Paul Masson. Flament won gold in the 100 km race, while Masson won gold medals in the 2 km and 10 km distances. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport


Fencing competition. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport


Athletes training before the marathon. Burton Holmes, Henry Guttmann/Getty Images

Greek athlete Spyridon Spyridon Louis - winner of the first Olympic marathon. Allsport IOC, Allsport


At a tennis competition. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport

American athletes from Princeton University. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport


German gymnast Carl Schumann, who became an Olympic champion. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport


Rivals Carl Schumann and Greek Giorgios Tsitas shake hands. Schumann won the gold and Tsitas the silver medal. IOC, Olympic Museum/Allsport

One type of gymnastics competition is rope. OC, Olympic Museum/Allsport

Disco thrower Robert Garrett, who won Olympic gold. Getty Images

First Games

It is a little secret that the first Olympic Games were held in Greece back in 776 BC. The small village of Olympia was chosen as the location for the competition. At that time, competitions were held in only one discipline, which was running over a distance of 189 meters. Interesting feature, which distinguished the first Olympic Games in Greece, was that only men could take part in them. At the same time, they competed without shoes or any clothing on themselves. Among other things, only one woman, whose name was Demeter, received the right to observe the competition.

History of the Olympics

The first Olympic Games were a great success, so the tradition of holding them continued for another 1168 years. Already at that time it was decided to hold such competitions every four years. Confirmation of their great authority is the fact that during the competition between states that were at war, a temporary peace treaty was always concluded. Each new Olympics received many changes compared to what the first Olympic Games were. First of all, we are talking about adding disciplines. At first it was running over other distances, and then long jumping, fist running, pentathlon, discus throwing, javelin throwing, dart throwing and many others were added to it. The winners were so highly respected that monuments were even erected to them in Greece. There were also difficulties. The most serious of them was the ban on the Games by Emperor Theodosius the First in 394 AD. The fact is that he considered this kind of competition to be pagan entertainment. And after another 128 years, a very big thing happened in Greece. strong earthquake, because of which about the Games on for a long time forgot.

Renaissance

In the mid-eighteenth century, the first attempts to revive the Olympics began. They began to become a reality about a hundred years later thanks to the French scientist Pierre de Coubertin. With the help of his compatriot, archaeologist Ernst Curtius, he, in fact, wrote new rules for conducting such competitions. The first Olympic Games of modern times began on April 6, 1896 in the Greek capital. Representatives of 13 countries from all over the planet took part in them. Russia, due to financial problems, did not send its athletes. The competitions took place in nine disciplines, including the following: gymnastics, shooting, track and field and weightlifting, wrestling, fencing, tennis, swimming and bicycle racing. Public interest in the Games was colossal, a clear confirmation of which is the presence at them, according to official data, of more than 90 thousand spectators. In 1924, it was decided to divide the Olympics into winter and summer.

Failed competitions

It happened that competitions were not held, despite the fact that they were planned. We are talking about the Berlin Games of 1916, the Helsinki Olympics of 1940, as well as the London competitions of 1944. The reason for this is one and the same - world wars. Now all Russians are looking forward to the first Olympic Games, which will be held on Russian territory. This will happen in Sochi in 2014.

History of the Olympic Games

Once every four years, the Olympic Games are held - this is the name of sports competitions in which the best athletes from different countries peace. Each of them dreams of becoming an Olympic champion and receiving a medal as a reward - gold, silver or bronze. Almost 11 thousand athletes from more than 200 countries came to the 2016 Olympic competitions in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.

Although in these sports games The participants are mainly adults, but some sports, as well as the history of the Olympic Games, can also be very exciting for children. And, probably, both children and adults would be interested to know when the Olympic Games appeared, how they got their name, and also what types of sports exercises were in the very first competitions. In addition, we will find out how the modern Olympic Games are held and what their emblem means - five multi-colored rings.

The birthplace of the Olympic Games is Ancient Greece. The earliest historical records of the ancient Olympic Games were found on Greek marble columns, where the date 776 BC was engraved. However, it is known that sports competitions in Greece took place much earlier than this date. Therefore, the history of the Olympics goes back about 2800 years, which, you see, is quite a long time.

Do you know who, according to history, became one of the first Olympic champions? - it was ordinary cook Koribos from the city of Elis, whose name is still engraved on one of those marble columns.

The history of the Olympic Games goes back to ancient city— Olympia, where the name of this sports festival came from. This settlement is located in a very beautiful place- near Mount Kronos and on the banks of the Alpheus River, and it is here that from ancient times to the present day the ceremony of lighting the torch with the Olympic flame takes place, which is then passed along the relay to the city of the Olympic Games.

You can try to find this place on a world map or in an atlas and at the same time test yourself - can I find Greece first and then Olympia?

How were the Olympic Games held in ancient times?

At first, only local residents, but then everyone liked it so much that people from all over Greece and its subordinate cities began to come here, even from the Black Sea itself. People got there as best they could - some rode a horse, some had a cart, but most people walked to the holiday. The stadiums were always crowded with spectators - everyone really wanted to see sports competitions with their own eyes.

It is also interesting that in those days when the Olympic competitions were going to be held in Ancient Greece, a truce was declared in all cities and all wars stopped for about a month. For ordinary people it was a calm, peaceful time when you could take a break from everyday affairs and have fun.

The athletes trained for 10 months at home, and then another month in Olympia, where experienced coaches helped them prepare as best as possible for the competition. At the beginning of sports games, everyone took an oath, the participants - that they would compete fairly, and the judges - that they would judge fairly. Then the competition itself began, which lasted 5 days. The start of the Olympic Games was announced with a silver trumpet, which was blown several times, inviting everyone to gather in the stadium.

What sports were at the Olympic Games in ancient times?

These were:

• running competitions;
• struggle;
• long jump;
• javelin and discus throwing;
• hand-to-hand combat;
• Chariot racing.

The best athletes were given an award - a laurel wreath or an olive branch, the champions solemnly returned to hometown and until the end of their lives they were considered respected people. Banquets were held in their honor, and sculptors made marble statues for them.

Unfortunately, in 394 AD, the holding of the Olympic Games was banned by the Roman emperor, who really did not like such competitions.

Modern Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games of modern times took place in 1896, in the ancestral country of these games - Greece. You can even calculate how long the break was - from 394 to 1896 (it turns out 1502 years). And now, after so many years in our time, the birth of the Olympic Games became possible thanks to one famous French baron, his name was Pierre de Coubertin.

Pierre de Coubertin- founder of the modern Olympic Games.

This man really wanted to more people engaged in sports and proposed resuming the Olympic Games. Since then, sports games have been held every four years, preserving the traditions of ancient times as much as possible. But now the Olympic Games have begun to be divided into winter and summer, which alternate with each other.

Traditions and symbolism of the Olympic Games

Olympic rings

Probably each of us has seen the emblem of the Olympics - intertwined colored rings. They were chosen for a reason - each of the five rings means one of the continents:

• ring blue- symbol of Europe,
• black - African,
• red - America,
• yellow - Asia,
• The green ring is the symbol of Australia.

And the fact that the rings are intertwined with each other means the unity and friendship of people on all these continents, despite different color skin.

Olympic flag

The official flag of the Olympic Games was a white flag with the Olympic emblem. White is a symbol of peace during Olympic competitions, just as it was in ancient Greek times. At each Olympics, the flag is used at the opening and closing of the sports games, and then handed over to the city where the next Olympics will take place in four years.

Olympic flame

Even in ancient times, the tradition of lighting a fire during the Olympic Games arose, and it has survived to this day. The ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame is very interesting to watch; it is reminiscent of an ancient Greek theatrical performance.

It all starts in Olympia a few months before the start of the competition. For example, the flame for the Brazilian Olympic Games was lit in Greece back in April of this year.

In the Greek Olympia, eleven girls gather, dressed in long white dresses, as they used to be in Ancient Greece, then one of them takes a mirror and, with the help of the sun's rays, lights a specially prepared torch. This is the fire that will burn throughout the entire period of Olympic competition.

After the torch lights up, it is handed over to one of the best athletes, who will then carry it first through the cities of Greece, and then deliver it to the country where the Olympic Games will be held. Then the torch relay passes through the cities of the country and finally arrives at the place where the sports competitions will be held.

A large bowl is installed at the stadium and a fire is lit in it with the torch that arrived from distant Greece. The fire in the bowl will burn until all sports competitions are over, then it will go out, and this symbolizes the end of the Olympic Games.

Opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics

It is always a bright and colorful sight. Each country hosting the Olympic Games tries to surpass the previous one in this component, sparing neither effort nor money on the presentation. For staging they are used latest achievements science and technology, innovative technologies and development. In addition, a large number of people are involved - volunteers. The most are invited famous people countries: artists, composers, athletes, etc.

Awarding the winners and runners-up

When the first Olympic Games took place, the winners received a laurel wreath as a reward. However, modern champions are no longer awarded laurel wreaths, but medals: first place - gold medal, second place - silver, and third - bronze.

It is very interesting to watch the competitions, but it is even more interesting to see how the champions are awarded. The winners stand on a special pedestal with three steps, according to occupied places, they are awarded medals and raised the flags of the countries from which these athletes came.

That’s the whole history of the Olympic Games, for children, I think, the above information will be interesting and useful