The Beginning of Sports

People have always enjoyed competing each other. In prehistoric times, a hunter who could run fast and throw a stone or spear accurately was a valued member of the tribe. The ancient Greeks included athletics is many of their religious festivals.

In 776 BC,they held a festival of sports to honour Zeus,the greatest of all Greek gods.Athletes from all over the country gathered in the stadium in the valley of Olympia to test their speed,strength and skill in the first Olympic games.

These games were held every four years, and for a long time only males were allowed to watch and take part in the races.

The games continued for several centuries after the Romans conquered Greece, until the roman emperor ended them in AD 394.Almost 1500 years later,the ruins of Olympic stadium were discovered by archaeologists.

Frenchman Baron Pierre dc Coubertin suggested holding a modern,international Olympic games.The first games of the new era of the Olympics were held in Athens is 1896.