The Olympic Games

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” -  Olympic Creed, Pierre de Coubertin

As most people are probably aware, the Winter Olympics are currently being held in Sochi, Russia. I love the Olympics…I’m not exactly sure why, I never follow sports at any other time. I think it may be my patriotism, and the sense of national community one feels while cheering on their home country. So you can imagine my excitement when I got to stand in front of my house to watch the Olympic Torch Relay go by for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, or when I was in London shortly before the Summer Olympics were held there in 2012 (I have numerous photos of the countdown clock in Trafalgar Square, and the Olympic rings hanging on Tower Bridge!).

In honour of the Olympics we’ve decided to make this week’s blog all about the Olympics…not really what has been happening in Sochi 2014, but rather some interesting facts and trivia about the Olympics past, present and future!

Enjoy!

- Nicole

The First Modern Olympics

The first modern Olympics, otherwise known as the ‘Games of the I Olympiad’, were held in April of 1896 in Athens, Greece. There were 43 events in 9 different sports: Athletics, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling. There were 14 different countries represented, and only men were allowed to compete.

The Summer Olympics

The second Olympic Games were held in 1900 in Paris, France and were integrated with the Paris World’s Fair and lasted more than 5 months. These games allowed women to compete in the sports of croquet, golf, sailing and tennis. The Summer Olympics generally consist of more events and have more countries participating than the Winter Olympics. The 1964 Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, were the first games to be broadcast worldwide on television. The 1980 Games in Moscow were boycotted by 66 nations (including Canada & the USA) following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. In 2008 several new events were added including Men’s and Women’s BMX. The 2012 Games in London saw the removal of baseball and softball, and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro will see golf reinstated, and rugby sevens added.

The Winter Olympics

The first winter Olympics were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. These first winter games had 16 events in 6 different sports: Bobsleigh, Curling, Ice Hockey, Military Patrol, Skating and Nordic Skiing.

Six countries have earned medals at every Winter Olympic Games: Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the USA; however, the USA is the only country to have earned a gold medal at each one.

This year, for the XXII Winter Games, a number of new events were added, including both ski and snowboard slopestyle, team figure skating, and ski half pipe. Another event that was added was women’s ski jumping, an event that has existed for men since the very first Winter Olympics.

Did You Know…

- Polo, Motor Boating and Tug of War all used to be Olympic Sports.

-Walt Disney was head of the Opening Ceremonies’ organizing committee for the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California.

- There were no Olympic Games in 1916 because of WWI and in 1940 & 1944 because of WWII.

- The only person to win a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics is American Eddie Eagan (1920 – light-heavyweight boxing and 1932 – four-man bobsled)

- The last year that the gold medals were made entirely out of gold was 1912.

- At every games since curling made its return in 1998 (not played since 1924) both the Canadian Men’s and Canadian Women’s curling teams have had a podium finish.

- The five Olympic rings are said to represent the 5 major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania…and the national flag of every country contains at least one of the colours of the 5 rings (blue, yellow, black, green, red)

- The oldest women to ever compete in the games was Hilda Lorna Johnstone of Great Britain. She competed at the 1972 games in Equestrian at the age of 70.

- 2 events exist that only women can compete in: Rhythmic Gymnastics & Synchronized Swimming

- Michael Phelps (USA, Swimming) currently holds the record for most medals of all time with 22, 18 of them gold.

- The most decorated Olympian who has competed in both the Summer and Winter Games is Canadian Clara Hughes who has 6 medals, 2 bronze in Cycling from the 1996 Summer Games and  4 Speed Skating Medals, 1 bronze in the 2002, 1 gold & 1 silver in the 2006, and 1 bronze in the 2010 winter Games.