THE OLYMPIC GAMES

THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Although we do not know the exact origins of the earliest
Olympic games, we know that the ancient Greek had a festival in which athletes competed in sport. This celebration was held regularly every four years and was open to all men and boy who spoke Greek as their native language These ancient games were simpler than our modern ones. For the festival, the attended a formal course of exercise at the gymnasium in the city of Olympic Then the competition itself consisted of a single footrace. Later festivals included such sports as jumping wrestling discus throwing, and horse racing.
These early Olympic games were most popular around fifth century B.C. At the time winning at a sport the highest possible honor to the individual competitor, his family, and his city. The winner of a games received neither gold nor silver but a simple crown of olive leaves Later, however, when the Greeks began paying athletes, there were problems with professionalism In addition, instead of participating in all sports, the competitors began to specialize; that is, they concentrated on only one Olympic event. Because of this interest in money and the increasing specialization of athletes. The ancient games lost their original purpose; they ended in A.D. 393
The first to the modern Olympic took place in the same country as the original festivals Two hundred eighty-five from thirteen countries competed in Athens in 1896. Today, thousands of athletes of athletes from over one hundred countries compete each time in a different city of the world. The games are Popular and spectacular events. There have been hundreds of exciting, special Olympic moments that people all over the world have shared by reading newspaper stories, watching films, or seeing the actual events on TV or in person.
In 1904, for example, the Cuban runner Felix Carvajal lost his money in New Orleans could to take the train to St.Louis,Missouri, where the games were taking place.
Nevertheless, he participated in the twenty-six-mile Olympic marathon. To do this, he had to run the seven hundred miles to SL Louis. He arrived just in time for the beginning of the marathon. Moreover, after already running seven hundred miles, he succeeded the marathon in fourth place. Another runner, runner, black American Jesse Owens, won four gold medals and the hearts of the world in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. As he received his medals, the ruler of Germany, Adolf Hitler, stared
coldly from his seat.
War between Greek cities stopped the ancient games only twice in one thousand years. Politics rarely entered in the Olympic games. In modern times, however such has not been the case. Political conflicts have influenced the games more often than just during the rule of Hitler. Word War I stopped the celebration of the Olympics in 1916, and the same thing happened in 1940 and 1944, because of South African apartheid from that in 1940 and 1944, because of South African apartheid athletes form that country were barred for many year; and at the 1972 games in 40 Munich, political from the Middle East killed seventeen people. Since then may countries have avoided the games for political reasons.
In addition to politics, there have been problems with the athletes who compete in the games. Some have used illegal drugs and chemicals. Furthermore, as in the ancient Greek festivals, there have been increasing problems with professionalism of 45 modern athletes. In general, only amateurs are supposed to compete in the Olympics, but the exact time between amateur and professional has become a very one. For these reasons, participants and spectators worry about the future of the Olympic games.

ที่มา : หนังสือติวเตอร์กุ้ง
(The Best Center)