The Olympic Games Summer Olympics and KCAA Junior Olympics

Once every four years, athletes from the nations of the world come together to compete in a series of athletic events called the Olympic Games. The purpose of the international athletic competition is to bring athletes together to compete and strive for excellence. The Olympic symbol’s five rings stand for Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and America.

The Olympic Games began in Olympia, Greece more than 3,000 years ago in 776 B.C. These games consisted of just a single sprint race (190 m). Soon, other contests were added to the games such as chariot races, boxing, and wrestling. The prize for winning was a crown of olive leaves.

Every four years, a truce was called and all wars stopped for one month. Each Greek city-state sent its best athletes to compete. But then, a Roman emperor banned the games in 394 A.D. For 1,500 years, there were no Olympic Games! In 1829, a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin had a dream to bring the Olympics back. His dream was to bring the people of the world together through athletics. His dream came true and the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece in 1896.

There have been changes since the days of the ancient Olympics. There are now more events, more countries participating, and more athletes competing. Over 10, 500 athletes competed in 2008! The Olympics are no longer held in Greece as they were in the past. Each year a different city is the host for the Olympic Games. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games were held in Beijing, China.

Now, the winner (first place) receives a gold medal. The runner- up (second place) receives a silver medal, and the second runner- up receives a bronze medal. This is their reward for the skill, discipline, courage, and the many years of hard work it took them to achieve athletic excellence.

The Olympic motto is “Swifter, higher, stronger.” The torch flame symbolizes this motto.

Summer Sports AquaticsAquatics ArcheryArchery AthleticsAthletics BadmintonBadminton BaseballBaseball BasketballBasketball BoxingBoxing Canoe/KayakCanoe/Kayak CyclingCycling EquestrianEquestrian FencingFencing FootballFootball GymnasticsGymnastics HandballHandball HockeyHockey JudoJudo Modern PentathlonModern Pentathlon RowingRowing SailingSailing ShootingShooting SoftballSoftball Table TennisTable Tennis TriathlonTriathlon VolleyballVolleyball WeightliftingWeightlifting WrestlingWrestling

Aquatics Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Water polo

Athletics Track and field events Track Events Sprints (100m, 200m, 400m) HurdlesMileMarathonWalk Race Walk Relay Field Events High Jump Triple Jump Long Jump Shot put throw Javelin throw Discus throw Hammer throw Pole Vault

Track events involve running events of different lengths. Many of the events are held on a oval track. One lap around the track is 400 m, therefore 2 laps around the track is ? m, and a mile is ? laps and ? m. The mile is 4 laps around, but in fact, it is 1,500 meters. It is called the metric mile. The shortest race is a sprint 100m long. The runners line up at the starting line with their feet braced on starting blocks. Each runner is assigned a path called a lane. The longer distance races, require stamina, rather than speed, such as the marathon.

Track Events There are also hurdle events, relay events, and walking events.

Field events consist of throwing and jumping events as well as a combination of several events together. The throwing events involve objects of different shape and size so the methods of throwing them are all different. The shot put is a heavy metal ball. It is held above the shoulders and is pushed away from the body. The athlete stands inside a ring and must not step out of the ring as he or she heaves the shot. The hammer is a heavy ball and has a four-foot wire and handle attached to it. The thrower whirls around two times then releases the hammer. The throwing events involve:

Field Events The javelin looks like a spear. It is a long wooden stick with a sharp metal point. For the throw to qualify, the javelin must stick into the ground. The discus is a flat circular disk, shaped like a plate. The thrower stands in a circle and makes one and a half turns before releasing the discus. Like the shot putter, the thrower is disqualified if he/she steps out of the circle.

Some track and field events consist of more than one contest, such as the triathlon and pentathlon. How many events does the triathlon consist of? The triathlon consists of THREE events! Swimming, biking, and running! Do you know anyone who has ever competed in a triathlon?

The most demanding track and field event in the Olympic Games is the decathlon for men and the heptathlon for women. How many events does the decathlon consist of? The decathlon requires the athlete to compete in TEN different events held over a two day period of time!  100m  400m  High jump  Long jump  Shot put throw  Discus throw  Javelin throw  110 m hurdles  Pole vault  1500m metric mile How many events does the heptathlon consist of ? The heptathlon requires the athlete to compete in SEVEN different events held over a two day period of time!  100m hurdles  200m  Shot put throw  High jump  Long jump  Javelin throw  800m

Other events in the Summer Olympic Games: Fencing Canoe/Kayak

Gymnastics Football

Table Tennis Equestrian Judo Archery

Badminton Cycling, Mountain bike Boxing Volleyball

King Chavez Arts and Athletics 3 st Annual Junior Olympics Olympic Events Hula Hoop Frisbee Throw Basketball Shoot Out 50 yd. sprint Soccer Shoot Out Classroom Relay Clothes Relay 50 yd. hurdles

The students can compete in a hula hoop competition. Can you hula hoop for a long time? To represent the Olympic discus throw, students can compete in a Frisbee throw. The men’s Olympic discus weighs 4lbs 7oz. T The women’s discus weighs 2lbs 3 oz. That’s very heavy!

Mia Hamm of the USA battling with Hedge Riise of Norway during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Norway went on to win the gold metal. To represent the Olympic football event, students can compete in a soccer shoot out.

To represent the Olympic sprint events, students can compete in a 50 yard sprint. To represent the Olympic basketball event, students can compete in a basketball shoot off.

All students will compete in a classroom relay race. The relay is a team event in which each participant completes part of the total event. Each runner carries a baton and passes it to the next runner. A good exchange of the baton is as important as speed, and many relays have been lost because of poor exchange.

Hurdles are short barriers that runners must jump over as they run along their lanes. There are two distances in Olympics for hurdles: 110 m for women and 400 m for both men and women. That’s a full lap of hurdles! The Classroom Relay will include hurdle jumping and hula hoop stepping on alternating legs of the relay race.

Good Luck Athletes! “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering, but fighting well.” Baron de Boubertin in The Olympic Creed “I’m here to win, and I want my friends to win, whether they are Americans, Russians, anything.” Ira Davis, American Track and Field Athlete