The Summer Olympic Games is an event the world celebrates. It is also known as the Games of the Olympiad, but many know it as the Summer Olympics.
The Olympics in general is a major international multi-sport event. This very important celebration and grouping of events is normally held once every four years for the world.
All in all, the Olympics are a thing of beauty, pomp, celebration, and of course competition for the world’s best athletes. Finally, it would be the Greeks who pioneered the games to give athleticism and competition to the world.
The history of the Olympics is fascinating. For example, some very early Olympians competed nude. This is something that even some athletes as young as just 12 years old are doing … The Olympics has quite a fascinating and sometimes surprising and even controversial history.
The Summer Olympics are starting soon and everyone is excited. Let’s learn more about Summer Olympic Facts below!
1. The first ever Olympic Games happened in 776 BC
The first ever Olympics took place a very long time ago. This is something many fail to realize when it comes to the history of these celebrated games. The Olympics may be part of our consciousness but they are a long held tradition.
Historically, the original Olympics had started as part of an Ancient Greek festival. This festival celebrated the figure of Zeus and as well the Greek God of sky and weather. Moreover, originally the whole competition and olympics had lasted for up to six months in total.
Originally, the games had celebrated everything from wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, chariot racing, and many more games. This Olympic event is an ancient tradition that is now considered almost sacred for people in Europe, the USA, Canada and many parts of the world.
2. Incredibly, a gymnast with a wooden leg won gold medals in the Olympics
The Olympic winner with a wooden leg was George Louis Eyser. He was a German-American gymnast who had participated and competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics. Amazingly, Eyser competed and won six medals in one day with a wooden leg!
This amazing Olympian had competed in the vault, an event which at the time featured a jump over a long horse without the use of a springboard. This speaks to how talented and stunning this achievement was by Eyser to accomplish his wins despite the wooden leg.
Eyser was in the Olympics competing with a wooden prosthesis leg. Incredibly, he would win three gold and two silver medals. This is an incredible feat because it was not until 2008 when another Olympian had competed with an artificial leg. Until recently it was less common, but by 2012 you saw winners competing with two artificial legs like Oscar Pistorius.
3. Greece is the most important place for Olympic history
There is no part of the world with more history and links to the Olympics than Greece. Why? Because the Olympic torch is a reminder of the Games’ Greek origins. The history is there for a reason with Greece. Furthermore, the ancient Olympic Games were a big grouping of athletic competitions that were among people representing certain city-states. As well, the Olympics were originally one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece.
For centuries, Greece has had a long presence and relationship at the Olympic Games. Why? Because Greece has competed at every Summer Olympic Games. This is the major reason why they are crucial to the Olympics. Also, Greece is one of only five countries to have hosted.
Moreover, one very important element is that Greece as a name comes from Mount Olympus.
Greece is home of the Greek gods and a special element to remember as to why Greece is integral to the Olympics.
4. Solid Gold was used for Olympic Medals at one point but no longer anymore …
Solid gold was at one time given to winners in the Olympics but this is no longer the case. Until 1912, first-place Olympic medals were made of solid gold! Gold today is a high premium resource and high value luxury.
As incredible as it is to get gold, the Olympics no longer give gold to Olympic winners. Another interesting random fact about the Olympics is how it is developed that winners would get only partial gold, silver or bronze medals. Gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympic Games began to be awarded as a tradition that started at the Olympic Games of 1904.
Unfortunately, through the years, it has changed to reflect a market place with less gold resources. Over the years, the Olympic committee has given out around 5,000 bronze, silver, and gold medals in total. In the end, instead of medals being made of complete solid gold, the prized first-place medals are now constructed in 6 grams of gold.
5. Some of the Olympics had athletes in the nude
Participating nude is something that has a lot more truth than many realize. For example, a runner from the past, Orsippus, had decided to compete nude. Moreover, the Olympic athlete had competed in the city of Megara in Greece. Historically, the word “gymnasium” originates from the Greek root “gymnos,” which means naked or nude.
There was a particular athlete that had made the decision to go naked for a race. Instead of running, the athlete decided to run naked. This nude event probably took place around the 15th Olympiad that had taken place in 720 BCE.
When things started to change in the Olympics it showed a change in culture and values. Because for the Olympics, it was nudity in the Olympics that had hinted at civility. The Olympics were about to take a long gap, but before this happened there was pressure from cultures further away from Greece and Europe.
In the end, nudity in the Olympics had hinted at a change in perception of culture and alliance. There was an increase in barbarism and even what some may see as savagery from east of Greece.
6. Artists and even musicians used to be able to compete in the Olympics
Before the Olympics became an exclusive event for athletes it had included more artistic expression. When? This happened with the Olympics from 1912 to 1952, artists such as architects, painters, musicians, sculptors, and writers would compete for medals. Learn more about one of the most interesting Olympics facts for kids!
This is an incredible early part of the Olympics because art competitions formed part of the modern games. The Olympics from the early period of 1912 to 1948 had featured artists. In these years before artists were taken out of the Olympics, the artistic or creative competitions were part of the original idea and goal of the Olympics.
Initially, the Olympics had a founder, Pierre de Frédy, who championed the arts. In these early Olympics, gold medals and more were awarded for works of art that had been inspired by sport and athletic competition. These works of art were then divided into five areas like architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture at one time.
7. The Olympics have an Ancient History that goes back thousands of years
Ancient Olympic Games, quadrennial athletic event that was held in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BCE to about 393 CE. It was part of a religious festival that honored Zeus.
The games have an integral link to ancient Greece. They were held regularly in Greece as what we now would call the Olympics until the late 4th century CE. Also, these Olympics had always continued to attract interest beyond Greece as well.
It was only recently that after ancient origins, the Olympics resumed in the late 19th century. There are inscriptions and literary sources that have listed the names of about eight hundred ancient Olympic champions from as early as 776 B.C. These are truly Ancient games. As well, the Panhellenic games were also taking place at Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia around the ancient Greek world.
8. The modern Olympics have been hosted by over 20 countries.
The Olympics is an honor to host. Many countries around the world try to host and even compete to organize these games every 4 years. There is a vetting committee and selection process that takes places to weed out and decide on the best countries.
Eventually, the Olympic games would be hosed by nations that include the following: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, and even the former Yugoslavia.
These are a very special group of countries that feel pride and vie to host the games every 4 years. Some bigger countries like the USA more than once historically.
9. The Olympics had a 1,500 year gap between Olympic games
There was a very large gap between the Olympic games. The last Olympic games had been in 393 AD before restarting over 1,500 years later in 1896. This gap of time between Olympic games is incredible to think about considering how important the games have become overall.
There was a very long gap because the Olympic Games were canceled. It has been a very long time since anything else happened. The gap itself was over 1,500 years, which is incredible.
At this time, Emperor Theodosius I, who would be a Roman leader had a problem and banned the Olympic games. So, ancient Greece was forced to succumb to the pressure.
The Olympics took a long break since they were banned. Also, for the Greek Olympics there were problems due to the religious element of the celebration.
Moreover, for some this event had considered and regarded the Olympics to be a pagan festival. Therefore, many thought the Olympics had no place in a Christian society or country.
The Olympics resumed in 1896, when backers like Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the Games. The new games were rebranded the ‘modern Olympics.’
10.The country to host the Summer Olympics the most is the United States.
Holding the Olympics is a treat and honor for many countries. There is a long selection process and vetting selection to strategically pick and decide on the best country to host the Summer Olympics. However, the United States has managed to host the Olympics 4 times.
The Summer Games has taken place and been held 4 times in the United States. As of 2024, it has been held in St. Louis in 1904, Los Angeles initially in 1932 and then again in 1984, and then again in Atlanta in 1996.
The record will be held for a very long time by the United States because it will hold the Summer Olympics again. In the future, the city of Los Angeles will again host the Games. Los Angeles will host the Olympics for the third time in 2028.
