The History Of The Olympic Games
                     THE HISTORY OF THE 
OLYMPIC GAMES 
Introduction
• Olympic Games are considered as the biggest 
sporting event in the world. All the players who 
participate in these games come after beating many 
competitors. The hosting of Olympic Games is itself 
a biggest achievement for the host nation. 
Source: www.jagranjosh.com
First Olympic Games
• When & Where organized: At Athens (Greece) (6 April to 15 April 1896)
• Official opening of the Games by: The King George I
• How many countries participated: 14
• How many events held: 43
• How many players participated: 241
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History
• Olympic Games, athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and was revived in the late 
19th century. Before the 1970s the Games were officially limited to competitors with amateur 
status, but in the 1980s many events were opened to professional athletes. 
Source: www.britannica.com
Women and the Olympic 
Games
• Although there were no women’s events in the ancient Olympics, several women appear in the 
official lists of Olympic victors as the owners of the stables of some victorious chariot entries. 
Source: www.britannica.com
UNKNOWN FACTS 
ABOUT OLYMPIC 
GAMES
Gold medals are mostly made of silver
• Despite the popular belief that the Gold Medal is composed of pure gold, this hasn’t been the case 
since the 1912 Olympics. 
• Today’s Olympic Gold Medal is an imposter, made almost entirely from silver with approximately 6 
grams of gold to meet the standard laid out in the Olympic Charter.
Source: athlonsports.com
The Olympic Torch Relay is not an 
ancient tradition
• The Torch Relay has its roots in the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics. Carl Diem, Chief 
Organizer of the Olympic Games, conceived of the relay as a propaganda tool for the Nazi Party 
to showcase the supposed superiority of the Aryan race. 
Source: athlonsports.com
Only one person has ever won gold medals 
during the Summer and Winter Olympics
• American Eddie Eagan has this distinction. In 1920, Eagan took home gold in boxing. He later 
earned a gold medal at the 1932 Lake Placid Games in the team bobsled event. 
Source: athlonsports.com
Two athletes have won gold medals 
competing for two different nations.
• Daniel Carrol first won gold in Rugby representing Australia in 1908 
and then again in 1920 for the United States.  
• Kakhi Kakhiashvili won his first gold medal in Men’s Weightlifting 
competing as part of the Unified Team in the 1992 Barcelona Games, 
and later as a Greek citizen in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. 
Source: athlonsports.com
THE TRADITION OF BITING OLYMPIC 
MEDALS
• It harks back to ages past, where merchants would check a coin was indeed the precious metal 
they required and not a lead forgery. A lead coin would leave teeth marks, while a gold coin 
would not.
Source: champions-speakers.co.uk
A MARATHON WITHOUT SHOES
• From one-man showing immense mental resilience, determination and drive, to another. Abebe Bikila won the 
Olympic marathon at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960. Amazingly he did it without the benefit of footwear. 
• Running barefoot for the painstaking 26-mile run, Bikila became the first African in history to win a gold medal.
Source: champions-speakers.co.uk