Below is an article on the history of the Olympics and the TeleOlympics.

In 776 B.C. some men went to Olympia to run a 200-meter race. A young man named Coroebus won that race and became the first Olympic champion.

Thousands of years ago, the Greeks had a great civilization. They created beautiful works of art and enjoyed many sports. They considered the body to be as important as the mind.

Zeus was worshipped by the Greeks as the king of all the Greek gods. A shrine to Zeus was built in the Valley of Olympia. Sports were part of the religious ceremonies held there. The first recorded sporting event at Olympia was that race won by Coroebus in 776 B.C.

The Greeks decided to hold the race at Olympia every four years. They became known as the Olympic Games and all wars were stopped in order for the Games to be held. The Ancient Olympics had only one winner for each event. His prize was a crown made of olive branches and leaves.

When the Romans conquered Greece, the Olympic Games fell apart. The religious aspect of the games was forgotten. The Greek Olympic Games ended in A.D. 394. They had been held for nearly twelve hundred years.

A great earthquake shook the Valley of Olympia during the sixth century A.D. and smashed the old buildings. The resulting floods dumped twenty-five feet of sand on the ruins. For the next fourteen hundred years the ruins of the valley were lost. They were uncovered in 1881, which inspired Baron Pierre de Coubertin to start a new series of Olympic Games.

De Coubertin believed that sports were healthy. He hoped that if nations got together for sports, they might be less likely to make war on each other.

The Modern Olympic Games are governed by the International Olympic Committee. The Olympics are held in a different city every four years. The first modern Olympics was held in Athens, Greece in 1896. The most recent summer games were held in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996. In 1998 the Winter Olympic Games were held in Nagano, Japan.

When the Olympics begin, the athletes from Greece always enter the stadium before those from other countries. This reminds people that the Olympics began in Greece. An official of the host country declares the Games "open" and the Olympic flag is raised. The flag consists of five interlocking rings. Each ring is a different color - black, blue, green, red, and yellow. The flag of every nation competing in the games has at least one of these colors. The rings represent the continents of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America.

The Olympic flame is raised next during the Opening Ceremonies. Weeks before the Games, runners take turns carrying a burning torch from Olympia, Greece to the site of the Olympics. If oceans must be crossed, the flame is sent by boat, plane, or laser beam. During the Opening Ceremonies, the last runner brings the torch into the stadium and lights the Olympic flame, which will burn throughout the Games.

Doves are released as the Opening Ceremonies come to a close. These birds have long been a symbol of peace and remind people that the Olympics are held to promote world peace.

Three medals are awarded for each event. The first place medal is made of gold; second place is made of silver; and third place is made of bronze.

As the top three winners of each event receive their medals on the Victory Platform, the flags of their respective countries are raised. A band plays the national anthem of the athlete who receives the gold medal.

The TeleOlympics were first presented by the National Public Telecomputing Network. Since the closing of NPTN in 1996, it has been presented by the Organization For Community Networks. Children around the world run, jump, and throw in their own schoolyards and communities. They send the results to the host computer. To do this, students use a computer, a modem, and telephone lines to transmit their data.

These students also exchange information about their schools and their communities via electronic mail. Just as the Olympics hope to promote world peace, the TeleOlympics hope to foster better communication and exchange of information amoung the children of the world.

webmaster@ofcn.org
Last modified January 12, 2002