No one is sure when the Olympics first started. But we do know that they had started by the time of Homer, 750bc. In the Ancient Greeks women weren’t aloud to take part in the Olympics. Apparently it was an insult to the gods, as in the Olympics you did the events naked as it is very hot in Greece. They did all events apart from cart racing and horse racing naked. When they did the cart racing and horse racing they wore a tunic to about their knees that only covered their left shoulder. The Olympics are called the Olympics because the place it was held was called Olympia.

This true story recorded by a guest at the Ancient Greek Olympics goes to show how strict it was about keeping the women away from the Olympics. A Story Once when the Olympics were just starting up. They found a women at the Olympics called, Kallipatira. And as she was a women she was an insult to the gods. But luckily as she was the daughter of a famous boxer, they didn’t beat her up. Just in case they got a black eye!

There were three different categories in the Olympic games back then. Boxing, wrestling and running. There were two out door categories chariot racing and horse racing. Horse Racing We still have horse racing today but they are very different. For example, we have saddles, the Ancient Greeks rode bareback and fell of a lot as they didn't have stirrups either. They rode more or less in a straight line on sand-not grass. They weren’t as exciting as today. Chariot Racing We don’t do chariot racing today. But basically there was a one person in a chariot pulled by a horse. They would make the horse gallop really fast to try and win the race.

Boxing You didn't have light weight boxing and heavy weight boxing you just had two men boxing each other. The Greeks didn’t care if it was unfair, it was all about entertainment. Running Basically you had about twelve lanes with one person in each lane and they ran to one end and back. They ran on dust and sand. Wrestling They had a roughly made square covered with lots if fine sand as a sort of shield to prevent less shock. The wrestling then was a lot more simple. And lots more. Winning: The Greeks only got an olive leaf wreath other wise they got nothing. They only did it for the pride they had after wards.

Olympia is were the Olympics were held and also were it got its name. Athens is and was the capital of Greece.

The Greeks stopped the Olympics after Emperor Theodosius banished it in 393 AD. It then started again in 1896 and when you come to think of it as the biggest sporting event, it isn't that long ago. Anyway, the modern Olympics have more countries compete because Greece was such a big empire, it covered most European countries. The modern Olympics are safer and have lots more games. If a Ancient Greek man came in contend it would be alien to him as the ancient and modern Olympics are very different. They then stopped the Olympics again for the war, in 1914 and started them again in 1918 after the war. It went on as normal but then stopped it again for the second world war It went on as normal and still is today.

The 2012 Olympics are going to be held in London. At the end of the 2008 Olympics in China Beijing the had a big double decked bus covered in the Olympics symbol and waved goodbye to it as it was representing the Olympics moving to London. The 2012 Olympics will be the same as the 2008 Olympics apart from people are expecting to see new faces. A lot of people want to see younger people as they would probably want to compete in the following events. People are already training for the 2012 Olympics.

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