"Olympic Quiz"
Questions-1:
1. Name the place where the Olympic Games were held in ancient times?
2. What is pankration?
3. In what year and where were the first modern Olympic Games held?
4. Name the colors of the five intertwined rings - the modern symbol of the Olympic movement (top row from left to right, then bottom row).
5. What does the Olympic motto sound like in Russian?
6. Who was the first athlete to have a monument erected during his lifetime?
7. How is the Olympic torch lit in Olympia?
8. Were the Olympic Games held in our country? If yes, where and when?
9. How many total Olympic gold medals did athletes from the USSR, CIS, and Russia win at the Games of the 20th century?
10. What are the names of the Olympic Games champions from Tatarstan?
Answers:
1. Ancient Greece, Olympia, near Mount Kronos.
2. Fight with fist fight.
3. 1896, Athens (Greece).
4. Blue, black, red, yellow, green.
5. Faster! Higher! Stronger! (Sitius! Altius! Fortius!).
6. Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi at the stadium in Helsinki.
7. The torch is brought to an oval mirror that focuses the sun's rays.
8. Moscow, 1980.
9. 605 gold medals.
10. Kurynov Alexander - weightlifting - Rome, 1960; Likhachev Valery - cycling - Munich, 1972; Simashev Fedor - cross-country skiing; Safin Rinat - biathlon - Sapporo, 1972; Kolesnikov Nikolay - weightlifting; Shubina Lyudmila - handball; Knyazeva Olga, Gilyazova Nailya, Nikonova Valentina - fencing - Montreal, 1976; Loginova Lidiya - volleyball; Kuznetsov Vitaly - judo wrestling - Moscow, 1980; Nurutdinova Liliya - athletics - Barcelona, 1992; Danilova Olga - cross-country skiing - Nagano, 1998.
Questions - 2:
1. Who was allowed to participate in the Olympic competitions in Olympia?
2. Name the famous mathematician and philosopher - winner of the ancient Olympic Games.
3. What does the inscription on the 143 kg stone dumbbell found during excavations at Olympia say?
4. Olympic flag. What is he like?
5. In which Games did athletes from Russia take part for the first time?
6. Athletes of the USSR - CIS - Russia won 605 gold medals in the 20th century. What are the names of athletes who have 4 or more victories at the Olympic Games?
7. Where does the Olympic torch relay begin?
8. Where is the IOC headquarters?
9. Sports delegations of which countries traditionally open and close the procession during the Opening Ceremony of the Games?
10. Where will the next Winter and Summer Olympic Games be held?
Answers:
1. Men are Greeks (free).
2. Pythagoras.
3. “Vyvon raised it above his head with one hand.”
4. On a white satin cloth measuring 2m x 3m, there are five multi-colored rings.
5. Games of the IV Olympiad, London, 1908.
6. Latynina Larisa, Chukarin Viktor, Shakhlin Boris, Andrianov Nikolay, Turishcheva Lyudmila - gymnastics; Skoblikova Lidiya, Grishin Evgeniy - speed skating; Egorova Lyubov, Lazutina Larisa, Kulakova Galina, Smetanina Raisa, Zimyatov Nikolay - cross-country skiing; Tikhonov Alexander - biathlon, Popov Alexander - swimming.
7. From the ruins of the temple of the god Zeus in Olympia.
8. Lausanne (Switzerland).
9. The first is the delegation of Greece, the last is the country hosting the Games.
10. Summer Games - 2008 - Beijing (China);
Winter Games - 2006 - Turin (Italy).
Questions-3:
1. Who was not allowed to participate in the Olympic competitions in Olympia?
2. Name the types of pentathlon competitions.
3. When and where was the decision made to revive the Olympic movement?
4. In what years were the Olympic Games not held and why?
5. What does the modern Olympic symbol represent - five intertwined multi-colored rings?
6. In what year and where did USSR athletes begin to compete in the Olympic Games?
7. When was the Olympic flame first lit at the stadium in the capital of the Games?
8. The official language of the IOC is...
9. What sport traditionally ends the Summer Games?
10. What are the names of the Olympic Games participants from Naberezhnye Chelny?
Answers:
1. Women, foreigners, slaves.
2. Running, long jumping, throwing darts and discus, wrestling.
4. In 1916, 1940, 1944 due to the First and Second World Wars.
5. Unity of athletes from five continents, their meeting at the Olympic Games.
6. 1952, Helsinki - Summer Games; 1956, Cortina d'Ampezzo - winter.
7. 1928, Amsterdam.
8. French and English.
9. Equestrian sport.
10. Utrobin Ivan - ski racing, relay race - 3rd place. Innsbruck, 1964. Kashapov Ravil - athletics (l/a), marathon - 10th place. Seoul, 1988.
Nurutdinova Liliya - l/a, 4x400 m relay - 1st place, 800 m run - 2nd place, Barcelona, 1992.
Sultanova Firaya - l/a, 10000 m run, 22nd place, Atlanta, 1996.
Alexey Kazakov - volleyball, 2nd place - Sydney, 2000
Morgunova Lyubov - l/a, marathon, 23rd place - Sydney, 2000
Questions-4:
1. What was the minimum running distance called at Olympia?
2. In Ancient Greece, the most popular competitions were the pentathlon. What was it called?
3. In 490 BC. After the battle, the Greek warrior ran 42 km 195 m from the town of Marathon to Athens to talk about the great victory of the Greeks over the Persian army. Say his last name.
4. Who is the founder of the modern Olympic movement?
5. In what year and where were the first Winter Olympic Games held?
6. Describe the emblem of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Russia.
7. Who brought the first Olympic medal to the USSR national team?
8. Four athletes were able to win 9 gold medals at the Olympic Games. Name them.
9. In what year was the tradition born of carrying the Olympic torch, lit from the sun’s rays on the ruins of the temple of the god Zeus in Olympia to the cup at the stadium in the capital of the Games?
10. Who is the current IOC President?
Answers:
1. One stage.
2. Pentathlon.
3. Filipidis.
4. Pierre de Fredy, Baron de Coubertin.
5. 1924, Chamonix (France).
6. Five Olympic rings and above them an image of a tricolor flame (white, azure, scarlet) - the colors of the State Flag of the Russian Federation.
7. Ponomareva Nina - l/a, discus throwing.
8. Paavo Nurmi (Finland) - l/a, Larisa Latynina (USSR) - gymnastics, Mark Spitz (USA) - swimming, Carl Lewis (USA) - l/a.
10. Jacques Rogge (Belgium).
Questions-5:
1. What was, according to legend, the distance for running - 1 stage?
2. Who are the Helladonics?
3. How long did an athlete have to prepare to be allowed to participate in the Olympia Games?
4. What is the name of the basic law of the modern Olympic movement?
5. Name the first Olympic champion of the modern Games and the sport in which he won.
6. Name the mascot of the Games of the XXI Olympiad, Moscow, 1980.
7. Name the first Olympic champion from Russia and the sport in which he won.
8. For high sporting achievements glorifying our Motherland, several athletes were awarded the title Hero of Russia. Name them.
9. Opening ceremony of the Games. In what order do the sports delegations of the participating countries enter the Olympic Stadium (except for the first and last)?
10. Who has won the most gold medals in a single game? When? Where? How many?
Answers:
1. 600 feet of Hercules /192m 27cm/.
2. Judges and administrators of the Games.
3. 10 months at home + 1 month in Olympia.
4. Olympic Charter.
5. James Connolly (USA) - triple jump.
6. Misha the bear.
7. Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin, figure skating, London, 1908.
8. Egorova Lyubov, Lazutina Larisa - cross-country skiing; Karelin Alexander - Greco-Roman (classical) wrestling.
9. According to the alphabet of the country where the capital of the Games is located.
10. Swimmer Mark Spitz /USA/, 1972, Munich, seven medals.
Note:
The information contained in this manual is sufficient to create several more options for questions.
The proposed quiz with specific questions allows not only to determine whether the student knows something
or not, but it also makes it possible to assess the completeness of this knowledge, as well as the students’ ability to correctly formulate an answer.
Olympic Games(Olympiads) are the largest modern international complex sports competitions, held every four years. The Summer Olympic Games have been held since 1896 (only during the world wars were these competitions not held). The Winter Olympic Games, established in 1924, were originally held in the same year as the Summer Olympics. But in 1994, it was decided to shift the timing of the Winter Olympic Games by two years relative to the timing of the Summer Olympics.
According to Greek myths, the Olympics were founded by Hercules after the successful completion of one of his glorious feats: cleaning the Augean stables. According to another version, these competitions marked the successful return of the Argonauts, who, at the insistence of Hercules, swore eternal friendship to each other. In order to adequately celebrate this event, a place was chosen above the Alpheus River, where a temple to the god Zeus was later erected. There are also legends that say that Olympia was founded by an oracle named Yam or by the mythical hero Pelops (son of Tantalus and ancestor of Hercules, king of Elis), who won the chariot race of Oenomaus, king of the city of Pisa.
Modern archaeological scientists believe that competitions similar to the Olympic ones were held in Olympia (western Peloponnese) around the 9th - 10th centuries. BC. And the most ancient document, which describes the Olympic Games dedicated to the god Zeus, dates back to 776 BC. According to historians, the reason for such a high popularity of sports competitions in Ancient Greece is extremely simple - the country in those days was divided into small city-states that were constantly at war with each other. In such conditions, in order to defend their independence and win the battle, both soldiers and free citizens were forced to devote a lot of time to training, the purpose of which was to develop strength, agility, endurance, etc.
The list of Olympic sports initially consisted of only one discipline - short-distance running - 1 stage (190 meters). The runners lined up at the starting line at full height, stretching their right hand forward, and waited for the signal from the judge (ellanodika). If one of the athletes was ahead of the starting signal (i.e. there was a false start), he was punished - the judge beat the offending athlete with a heavy stick reserved for this purpose. Somewhat later, competitions appeared in long-distance running - in stages 7 and 24, as well as running in full combat weapons and running behind a horse.
In 708 BC. Javelin throwing (the length of the wooden spear was equal to the height of the athlete) and wrestling appeared in the program of the Olympic Games. This sport had rather cruel rules (for example, tripping, grabbing an opponent by the nose, lip or ear, etc. were allowed) and was extremely popular. The winner was declared the wrestler who managed to knock his opponent to the ground three times.
In 688 BC. Fist fighting was included in the list of Olympic sports, and in 676 BC. they added a competition in chariots drawn by four or a pair of horses (or mules). At first, the owner of the team was obliged to drive the animals himself; later, for this purpose, it was allowed to hire an experienced driver (regardless of this, the owner of the chariot received the winner’s wreath).
Somewhat later, long jump competitions began to be held at the Olympics, and the athlete, after a short run-up, had to push off with both feet and sharply throw his arms forward (in each hand the jumper held a weight, which was supposed to carry him along with him). Also included in the list of Olympic competitions were competitions for musicians (harpists, heralds and trumpeters), poets, speakers, actors and playwrights. At first the festival lasted one day, later - 5 days. However, there were times when the celebrations dragged on for a whole month.
To ensure the safety of the participants in the Olympics, three kings: Cleosthenes (from Pisa), Iphitus (from Elis) and Lycurgus (from Sparta) entered into an agreement according to which any hostilities ceased during the games - messengers were sent from the city of Elis announcing a truce ( The IOC tried to revive this tradition in our days, in 1992, by calling on all nations of the world to renounce hostilities during the Olympics. In 1993, it was proclaimed that the truce should be observed “from the seventh day before the official opening of the Games to the seventh day after. official closure of the Games." The corresponding resolution was approved in 2003 by the UN General Assembly, and in 2005 the above-mentioned call was included in the Millennium Declaration, signed by the leaders of many countries around the world).
Even when Greece, having lost its independence, became part of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games continued to exist until 394 AD, when Emperor Theodosius I banned this type of competition, because he believed that the festival dedicated to the pagan god Zeus could not be held in an empire whose official religion is Christianity.
The revival of the Olympics began about a hundred years ago, when in 1894 in Paris, on the initiative of the French educator and public figure Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the International Sports Congress approved the foundations of the Olympic Charter. It is this charter that is the main constitutional instrument that formulates the fundamental rules and main values of Olympism. The organizers of the first revived Olympics, who wanted to give the competition the “spirit of antiquity,” experienced many difficulties in choosing sports that could be considered Olympic. For example, after long and heated debate, football was excluded from the list of competitions at the First Olympics (1896, Athens), since IOC members argued that this team game was sharply different from ancient competitions - after all, in ancient times, athletes competed exclusively in individual competitions.
Sometimes quite exotic types of competitions were considered Olympic. For example, at the II Olympics (1900, Paris), competitions were held in underwater swimming and swimming with obstacles (athletes covered a distance of 200 meters, diving under anchored boats and going around submerged logs). At the VII Olympics (1920, Antwerp) they competed in javelin throwing with both hands, as well as in club throwing. And at the V Olympics (1912, Stockholm), athletes competed in the long jump, high jump and standing triple jump. Also, competitions in tug-of-war and cobblestone pushing (which was only replaced in 1920 by the shot, which is still used today) were considered an Olympic sport for a long time.
The judges also had a lot of problems - after all, each country at that time had different competition regulations. Since it was impossible to create uniform requirements for all participants in a short period of time, the athletes were allowed to perform in accordance with the rules to which they were accustomed. For example, runners at the start could stand in any way they wanted (taking a high start position, with their right arm extended forward, etc.). The “low start” position, generally accepted these days, was adopted by only one athlete at the first Olympics - American Thomas Bark.
The modern Olympic movement has a motto - "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ("Faster, Higher, Stronger") and its own emblem - five intersecting rings (this sign was found by Coubertin on one of the Delphic altars). The Olympic rings are a symbol of the unification of the five continents (blue symbolizes Europe, black - Africa, red - America, yellow - Asia, green - Australia). The Olympic Games also have their own flag - a white cloth with the Olympic rings. Moreover, the colors of the rings and the flag are chosen so that at least one of them is found on the national flag of any country in the world. Both the emblem and the flag were adopted and approved by the IOC at the initiative of Baron Coubertin in 1913.
Baron Pierre Coubertin was the first to propose reviving the Olympic Games. Indeed, thanks to the efforts of this man, the Olympics became one of the largest sporting competitions in the world. However, the idea of reviving this type of competition and bringing it to the world stage was expressed a little earlier by two more people. The Greek Evangelis Zapas organized the Olympics in Athens with his own money back in 1859, and the Englishman William Penny Brooks in 1881 proposed to the Greek government to hold competitions simultaneously in Greece and England. He also became the organizer of games called "Olympic Memory" in the town of Much Wenlock, and in 1887 - the initiator of the nationwide British Olympic Games. In 1890, Coubertin attended the games in Much Wenlock and praised the Englishman's idea. Coubertin understood that by reviving the Olympics it was possible, firstly, to raise the prestige of the capital of France (it was in Paris, according to Coubertin, that the first Olympics should have taken place, and only persistent protests from representatives of other countries led to the fact that primacy was given to the birthplace of the Olympic Games - Greece), secondly, to improve the health of the nation and create a powerful army.
The motto of the Olympics was invented by Coubertin. No, the Olympic motto, consisting of three Latin words - "Citius, Altius, Fortius!" was first pronounced by the French priest Henri Didon at the opening ceremony of sports competitions in one of the colleges. Coubertin, who was present at the ceremony, liked the words - in his opinion, this particular phrase expresses the goal of athletes around the world. Later, at the initiative of Coubertin, this statement became the motto of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic flame marked the beginning of all Olympics. Indeed, in ancient Greece, competitors lit fires on the altars of Olympia to honor the gods. The honor of personally lighting a fire on the altar to the god Zeus was given to the winner of running competitions - the most ancient and revered sports discipline. In addition, in many cities of Hellas there were competitions of runners with lit torches - Prometheus, dedicated to the mythical hero, god-fighter and protector of people Prometheus, who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to people.
At the revived Olympic Games, the flame was first lit at the IX Olympiad (1928, Amsterdam), and, according to researchers, it was not delivered, according to tradition, by a relay from Olympia. In fact, this tradition was revived only in 1936 at the XI Olympiad (Berlin). Since then, the running of torchbearers delivering the fire lit by the sun in Olympia to the site of the Olympics has been a solemn prologue to the games. The Olympic flame travels thousands of kilometers to the competition site, and in 1948 it was even transported across the sea to give rise to the XIV Olympic Games held in London.
The Olympics have never caused conflict. Unfortunately, they did. The fact is that the sanctuary of Zeus, where the games were usually held, was under the control of the city-state of Ellis. According to historians, at least twice (in 668 and 264 BC) the neighboring city of Pisa, using military force, attempted to capture the sanctuary, thus hoping to gain control over the Olympics. After some time, a panel of judges was formed from the most respected citizens of the above-mentioned cities, which assessed the performance of the athletes and decided which of them would receive the winner's laurel wreath.
In ancient times, only Greeks participated in the Olympics. Indeed, in ancient Greece, only Greek athletes had the right to participate in competitions - barbarians were prohibited from entering the stadium. However, this rule was abolished when Greece, which had lost its independence, became part of the Roman Empire - representatives of different nationalities began to be allowed to participate in competitions. Even emperors condescended to participate in the Olympics. For example, Tiberius was a champion in chariot racing, and Nero won a musician's competition.
Women did not participate in the ancient Olympics. Indeed, in Ancient Greece, women were not only prohibited from participating in the Olympic Games - beautiful ladies were not even allowed into the stands (an exception was made only for the priestesses of the fertility goddess Demeter). Therefore, sometimes especially passionate fans resorted to tricks. For example, the mother of one of the athletes, Kalipateria, dressed up as a man to watch her son’s performance and perfectly played the role of a coach. According to another version, she took part in a running competition. Calipateria was identified and sentenced to death - the brave athlete was to be thrown from the Typhian cliff. But, given that her husband was an Olympian (that is, an Olympic winner), and her sons were winners of youth competitions, the judges pardoned Kalipateria. But the panel of judges (Hellanodics) obliged the athletes to continue to compete naked in competitions in order to avoid a repetition of the above-described incident. It should be noted that girls in Ancient Greece were by no means averse to sports, and they loved to compete. Therefore, games dedicated to Hera (the wife of Zeus) were held at Olympia. In these competitions (which, by the way, men were not allowed), exclusively girls participated, competing in wrestling, running and chariot racing, which took place in the same stadium a month before or a month after the competition of male athletes. Women athletes also took part in the Isthmian, Nemean and Pythian Games.
It is interesting that in the Olympic Games, revived in the 19th century, at first only male athletes competed. It was not until 1900 that women took part in competitions in sailing, equestrian sports, tennis, golf and croquet. And representatives of the fair sex joined the IOC only in 1981.
The Olympics are just an opportunity to demonstrate strength and prowess, or a veiled way of selecting and training trained fighters. Initially, the Olympic Games were one of the ways to honor the god Zeus, part of a grandiose cult festival, during which sacrifices were made to the Thunderer - of the five days of the Olympics, two (the first and the last) were dedicated exclusively to solemn processions and sacrifices. However, over time, the religious aspect faded into the background, and the political and commercial components of the competition became more and more apparent.
In ancient times, the Olympic Games contributed to the peaceful coexistence of peoples - after all, during the Olympic truce, wars stopped. Indeed, the city-states participating in the games stopped hostilities for a period of five days (that’s how long the Olympics lasted) to allow athletes to freely get to the venue of the competition - Elis. According to the rules, competition participants and fans had no right to engage in combat with each other, even if their states were at war with each other. However, this does not mean a complete cessation of hostility - after the end of the Olympic Games, hostilities resumed. And the disciplines themselves chosen for the competition were more reminiscent of the training of a good fighter: javelin throwing, running in armor and, of course, the extremely popular pankration - a street fight, limited only by the prohibition of biting and gouging out the eyes of an opponent.
The saying “The main thing is not victory, but participation” was coined by the ancient Greeks. No, the author of the saying “The most important thing in life is not victory, but participation. The essence is in an interesting fight” was Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who in the 19th century revived the tradition of the Olympic Games. And in Ancient Greece, victory was the main goal of competitors. In those days, prizes were not even awarded for second and third places, and the losers, as written sources testify, were very hurt by their defeat and tried to hide as quickly as possible.
In ancient times, competitions were conducted fairly, only nowadays athletes use doping, etc., to achieve better results. Unfortunately, it is not. At all times, athletes, striving for victory, used not entirely honest methods. For example, wrestlers rubbed oil on their bodies to make it easier to free themselves from an opponent’s grip. Distance runners cut corners or trip up an opponent. There were also attempts to bribe judges. The athlete convicted of fraud had to fork out money - bronze statues of Zeus were made with this money, which were installed along the road leading to the stadium. For example, in the 2nd century BC, during one of the Olympics, 16 statues were erected, which indicates that even in ancient times not all athletes played fair.
In Ancient Greece, people competed only to receive a laurel wreath and unfading glory. Of course, praise is a pleasant thing, and the hometown greeted the winner with joy - the Olympian, dressed in purple and crowned with a laurel wreath, entered not through the gate, but through a specially prepared gap in the city wall, which was immediately sealed, “so that the Olympic glory would not left the city." However, not only the laurel wreath and praise were the goal of the competitors. The word “athlete” itself, translated from ancient Greek, means “competing for prizes.” And the rewards that the winner received in those days were considerable. In addition to the sculpture installed in honor of the winner either in Olympia at the sanctuary of Zeus, or in the athlete’s homeland, or even deification, the athlete was entitled to a considerable sum for those times - 500 drachmas. In addition, he received a number of political and economic privileges (for example, exemption from all types of duties) and until the end of his days he had the right to dine for free every day in the city government.
The decision to end the wrestling match was made by the judges. This is wrong. Both in wrestling and in fist fights, the fighter himself, who decided to surrender, raised his right hand with his thumb extended upward - this gesture served as a signal for the end of the fight.
Athletes who won competitions were crowned with laurel wreaths. This is true - it was the laurel wreath that was a symbol of victory in Ancient Greece. And they crowned not only athletes, but also horses that ensured their owner victory in a chariot race.
The inhabitants of Elis were the best athletes in Greece. Unfortunately, it is not. Despite the fact that in the center of Elis there was a Pan-Hellenic shrine - the Temple of Zeus, where the Olympics were regularly held, the inhabitants of this area enjoyed a bad reputation, because they were prone to drunkenness, lies, pederasty and laziness, little corresponding to the ideal of a population strong in spirit and body. However, one cannot deny their belligerence and foresight - having managed to prove to their neighbors that Elis was a neutral country against which war could not be waged, the Eleans, nevertheless, continued attacks on nearby regions with the aim of capturing them.
Olympia was located near the sacred Mount Olympus. Wrong opinion. Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, on the top of which, according to legend, the gods lived, located in the north of the country. And the city of Olympia was located in the south - in Elis, on the island of Peloponnese.
In addition to ordinary citizens, the most famous athletes of Greece lived in Olympia. Only priests lived permanently in Olympia, and athletes and fans, who flocked to the city in huge numbers every four years (the stadium was designed for the presence of 50,000 spectators!), were forced to huddle in self-made tents, huts, or even just in the open air . A leonidayion (hotel) was built only for honored guests.
To measure the time it took athletes to cover a distance, in Ancient Greece they used a clepsydra, and the length of jumps was measured in steps. Wrong opinion. Instruments for measuring time (sun or hourglass, clepsydra) were inaccurate, and distances were most often measured “by eye” (for example, a stage is 600 feet or the distance that a person can walk at a calm pace during full sunrise, i.e. i.e. in about 2 minutes). Therefore, neither the time it took to complete the distance nor the length of the jumps mattered - the winner was the one who reached the finish line first or jumped the furthest.
Even today, visual observation has been used for a long time to evaluate the achievements of athletes - until 1932, when at the X Olympics in Los Angeles a stopwatch and a photo finish were first used, which greatly facilitated the work of judges.
The length of the marathon distance has been constant since ancient times. This is wrong. Nowadays, a marathon (one of the disciplines of athletics) is a race over a distance of 42 km 195 m. The idea of organizing the race was proposed by the French philologist Michel Breal. Since both Coubertin and the Greek organizers liked this proposal, the marathon was one of the first to be included in the list of Olympic sports. There are road marathons, cross-country running and half marathons (21 km 98 m). The road marathon has been included in the Olympic Games program since 1896 for men and since 1984 for women.
However, the length of the marathon distance has changed several times. Legend has it that in 490 BC. The Greek warrior Pheidippides (Philippides) ran non-stop from Marathon to Athens (approximately 34.5 km) to please his fellow citizens with the news of victory. According to another version, set forth by Herodotus, Pheidippides was a messenger sent for reinforcements from Athens to Sparta and covered a distance of 230 km in two days.
At the first modern Olympics, marathon running competitions took place along a 40 km route laid between Marathon and Athens, but subsequently the length of the distance varied within quite a wide range. For example, at the IV Olympics (1908, London), the length of the route laid from Windsor Castle (royal residence) to the stadium was 42 km 195 m. At the V Olympics (1912, Stockholm), the length of the marathon distance was changed and was 40 km 200 m, and at the VII Olympics (1920, Antwerp) runners had to cover a distance of 42 km 750 m. The length of the distance changed 6 times, and only in 1921 the final length of the marathon race was established - 42 km 195 m.
Olympic awards are awarded to athletes who show the best results in competitions, after a long struggle with worthy opponents. This is true, but there are exceptions to this rule. For example, gymnast Elena Mukhina, who injured a cervical vertebra during one of her training sessions a few days before the Olympics, was awarded the Olympic Order for courage. Moreover, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch personally presented her with the award. And at the III Olympics (1904, St. Louis, Missouri), American athletes became the undisputed winners due to the almost complete lack of competition - many foreign athletes who did not have enough money were simply unable to take part in the competition, giving the palm to the hosts of the Olympics .
Athletes' equipment can influence the results of competitions. This is true. For comparison: at the first modern Olympics, the athletes’ uniforms were made of wool (an accessible and inexpensive material), and shoes, the soles of which were equipped with special spikes, were made of leather. It is clear that this form caused a lot of inconvenience to the competitors. The swimmers suffered the most - after all, their suits were made of cotton fabric, and, being heavy from the water, slowed down the speed of the athletes. It should also be mentioned that, for example, there were no mats for pole vaulters - the competitors were forced to think not only about how to clear the bar, but also about the correct landing.
Nowadays, thanks to the development of science and the emergence of new synthetic materials, athletes experience much less discomfort. For example, suits for track and field athletes are designed to minimize the risk of muscle strain and reduce the force of wind resistance, and the silk- and lycra-based materials used to make sportswear are low hygroscopic and ensure rapid evaporation of moisture. Special tight-fitting suits with vertical stripes are also created for swimmers, allowing them to overcome water resistance as efficiently as possible and develop the highest speed.
Sports shoes specially designed taking into account the expected loads also contribute a lot to achieving high results. It was thanks to a new shoe model equipped with internal chambers filled with carbon dioxide that American decathlete Dave Johnson demonstrated the best result in the 4x400 m relay in 1992.
Only young, full of energy athletes participate in the Olympic Games. Not necessary. The oldest participant in the Olympic Games is Oscar Swabn, a resident of Switzerland, who took second place in the shooting competition at the VII Olympics (1920, Antwerp) at the age of 72 years. Moreover, it was he who was selected to participate in the 1924 competition, but was forced to refuse due to health reasons.
The most medals at the Olympics were won by athletes from the USSR (later from Russia). No, in the overall standings (according to data on all Olympic Games, up to and including 2002), the USA is superior - 2072 medals, of which 837 are gold, 655 silver and 580 bronze. The USSR is in second place - 999 medals, of which 388 are gold, 317 silver and 249 bronze.
Questions for the quizFrom the history of the Games of Ancient Greece
1.Name the place where the Olympic Games were held in ancient times? Ancient Greece, Olympia, near Mount Kronos.
2.What events did the ancient Olympians compete in? ( Pentathlon: running, long jump, javelin and discus throwing, wrestling; fist fight; as well as chariot races, a marathon race in full combat weapons, competitions of poets and musicians.)
4. At what time of year and with what frequency were the Games held? ( Every four years, between the harvest and the grape harvest.)
5.Who was allowed to participate in the Olympic Games? (The men are Greek.)
6.When did the first Olympic Games take place? (In 776 BC)
7.In whose honor were the Games held? (In honor of Zeus.)
8.What were the winners of the Games awarded in Ancient Greece? (Wreath of laurel leaves.)
9.What were the names of the winners of the Games in Ancient Greece? (Olympic.)
10. What were the names of the judges and administrators of the Games in Ancient Greece? (Elladonica.)
11.Name the famous mathematician and philosopher - winner of the ancient Olympic Games? Pythagoras.
12. Where does the Olympic torch relay begin? From the ruins of the temple of the god Zeus at Olympia.
From the history of the modern Olympic Games:
1.Who came up with the proposal to revive the Olympic Games? (French public figure Baron Pierre de Coubertin.)
2.When and where were the first modern Olympic Games held? (In 1896 in Athens.)
3.Which Games did not take place due to world wars? (Sixth (1916), twelfth (1940), thirteenth (1944).)
4. In what year did Soviet athletes first take part in the Olympic Games? (In 1952, Helsinki, Finland, XV Olympic Games.)
5.When did women begin to take part in the Olympic Games? (1900, II Olympic Games.)
6.When was the tricolor banner raised for the first time at the Olympic Games in honor of the victories of the Russians? (1992, Barcelona, Spain.)
7.Name the continent where the Olympic Games were held in 2000. (Australia.)
8.When and where were the last Olympic Games? (In Turin, Italy in 2006)
9.In what year were the first Winter Olympic Games held? (In 1924, Chamonix, France.)
On November 10, the Winter Olympic Games were held in Asia for the first time. When and where? (1972, Sapporo, Japan.)
11.What winter sports do you know? (Skating, skiing, sledding, bobsleigh, freestyle, figure skating, etc.)
Winter sports information:
Most sports came to us from England. But there are also exceptions. Sleds, for example, have been known to us since ancient times. They are mentioned in written sources of the twelfth century. And the word itself is of Russian origin. Moreover, quite unexpected. The word "san" in the Old Church Slavonic language meant... "snake". If you think about it, however, it’s not surprising - the trail of the sleigh runners really resembles the trail of a slithering snake. By the way, the word runners is similar to the name of a snake - “snake”. Both words probably come from the verb "to crawl." A related sport to sleds is bobsleigh. Skiing has also been known in Rus' since ancient times. And the word is also Russian. Derived from the verb “to run away” - to lick. It is still preserved in our language today. Has anyone ever sneaked out of class? The first type of skiing was cross-country skiing.
Another type is biathlon - a system of competitions on skis with rifle shooting at a target. The Nordic combination is a ski race with ski jumping. There are also independent ski jumps. Alpine skiers compete in downhill racing with gates and slalom - a descent where the athlete must show skill in maneuvering (and giant slalom - a longer course). Freestyle - "free style", figure skating on alpine skiing.
The British Museum in London houses an interesting archaeological find that is several thousand years old: a bone plate with several holes drilled into it. It is believed that these are the most ancient skates.
Speed skating, figure skating, ice dancing, single skating, pair skating competitions are types of skating competitions.
It is believed that the word "hockey" is of French origin and originates from a shepherd's crook with a curved handle. It was called "hoke". Modern ice hockey is, one might say, a “casual” game. That is, it was started by chance. One day, soldiers of the Canadian military garrison, while walking, saw an empty tin can on the ice of Lake Ontario. The day was frosty, and the guys decided to warm up. They grabbed sticks and started pushing the can around, trying to get it away from each other. 130 years have passed. The can has long been replaced by a cast rubber washer. Ice hockey appeared in Russia only in 1946.
Olympic kaleidoscope
1. The motto of the Olympic Games? (Faster, higher, stronger)
2. What does the Olympic flag represent? ( A white cloth with five intertwined rings of blue, black, red, green and yellow. The five rings symbolize the five continents.)
3. Over which city was the Olympic flag first raised? (Antwerp, Belgium.)
4. Quote the main words of the famous “Ode to Sport” by Pierre de Coubertin. ("Oh sport, you are the world!")
5. What is the name of the organization that leads the Olympic movement in the world? (International Olympic Committee.)
6. In what city is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee located? (Lausanne, Switzerland.)
7. During the opening of the Olympic Games, one of the outstanding athletes of the host country makes a speech on behalf of all participants in the Games. What kind of speech is this? (Olympic Oath.)
8. At the opening of the Olympic Games, the teams are in alphabetical order of the organizing country. But the team of the same country always marches ahead. Which? (Greece.)
9. A body created to determine athletes or teams worthy of an award. (Jury.)
10. Each National Olympic Committee has an emblem. What does the emblem of the Russian National Olympic Committee look like? (Five Olympic rings and an image of a tricolor flame.)
11. For special services to the Olympic movement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awards a sports figure or athlete with the highest sign of Olympic honor. What is the name of this sign? (Olympic Order.)
12.How is the Olympic torch lit? (A beam of solar rays, collected using a system of lenses and reflectors, is directed onto the torch.)
13.Were the Olympic Games held in our country? If yes, where and when? Moscow, 1980.
14. In what years were the Olympic Games not held and why? In 1916, 1940, 1944 due to the First and Second World Wars.
15. Four athletes were able to win 9 gold medals at the Olympic Games (name them) Paavo Nurmi (Finland) - l/a, Larisa Latynina (USSR) - gymnastics, Mark Spitz (USA) - swimming, Carl Lewis (USA) - l/a.
16.Who is the current IOC President? Jacques Rogge (Belgium).
17. Name the mascot of the Games of the XXI Olympiad, Moscow, 1980? Little bear Misha.
18.Which game uses a stick and puck? Hockey
19.Which sport is the most numerous? volleyball.
20.Question No. 5. how many players are in a football team? 11
21. How is pioneer ball different from volleyball? The ball can be picked up
22.Which sports include Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Speleology, BASE Jumping and Rope Jumping? Extreme.
23.How many Olympic Games did Kuban athletes participate in? During the period from 1952 to 2006, 38 Kuban athletes became champions and medalists of 11 Olympic Games (1956, 1960, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2006).
24. How many Olympic medals have Kuban athletes won? 47 medals were won: - 18 gold; - 8 silver; - 21 bronze.
Sports mosaic:
1. The beginning of the path to the finish. (Start)
2. What is not necessary if you have strength? (Uma)
3. Sports referee's tool. (Whistle)
4. Boxing court. (Boxing ring)
5. Three-minute boxing match. (Round)
6. Sports equipment for tugging. (Rope)
7. "Bearded" sports equipment. (Goat)
8. The ball is out of play. (Out)
9. Passing the ball in the game. (Pass)
10. Game with a melon ball (Rugby)
11. Russian folk baseball. (Lapta)
12. Baseball hitter. (Bat)
13. Ice dancer. (Figure skater)
14. An athlete who walks while sitting. (Chess player)
15. This name united both the famous chess player and the young magician. (Harry)
16. Young athlete. (Junior)
17. Skiers ask for it. (Ski track)
18. Ancestors of sneakers. (Sneakers)
19. Flying badminton player. (Volanchik)
20. What was used to cover the gladiatorial arena in Ancient Rome? (Sand)
21. Which Russian game is 36 cells short of the international version?
22. The jumper must take it. (Height)
23.Why is athletics called the queen of sports? It is called so because it is the oldest sport known to us. At the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, athletes competed mainly
specifically in athletics areas. It is believed that athletics
born around 776 BC, when the Greeks competed in running (at that time one stage - 192 m, hence the word - stadium) Later, other types of long and short distance running, and race walking appeared. Then various types of throwing (discus, hammer, javelin) and shot put were included in track and field sports. And, she is also called the queen of sports because athletics includes the largest number of types of combat sports.
24.How many sports are there in the world?
a(3000)
at 6000
25. A pair of horses ran 40 km. How far did each horse run? (40km)
26.How often are the Olympic Games held? (once every four years)
27.What is the length of the marathon distance?
a (42km 195m)
in 47122
28. In which game do they use the lightest ball? (table tennis)
29.Which game uses the largest ball (basketball)
30.Name 5 sports terms starting with the letter “S” (stadium, grid, stopwatch, sports day, sprint)
31.What does the interlacing of multi-colored rings in the Olympic emblem mean?
games? (symbol of friendship of five continents)
32. How long is the running track in a sports stadium? (400m)
33. From what word did the word stadium come from? (From the word “stadya”, a measure of length)
34. Since 1924, one more word or another has been added to the words “Olympic Games”. Which? (Summer or winter).
Sochi Olympic
1.Which attempt of the city of Sochi to become the Olympic capital was crowned with success?
a) First;
b) Second;
c) Third;
d) Fourth.
(The first time the city put forward its candidacy was in 1994, the second time -
in 1998. The third attempt, based on previous experience and the project, was successful
success.)
2.Which Winter Olympic Games will be held in Sochi in 2014?
a) Twenties (XX);
b) Twenty first (XXI);
c) Twenty-second (XXII);
d) Twenty-third (XXIII).
3. In what month of 2014 will the Winter Olympic Games take place in Sochi?
a) December;
b) January;
d) March.
4. The month of the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi.
a) January;
b) February;
d) April.
4. What facility will be built in the Sochi Olympic Park?
a) Hippodrome;
b) Autodrom (To host stages of the Formula 1 championship. The first Russian Grand Prix will be held in the fall of 2014.);
c) Velodrome;
d) Cosmodrome.
Outstanding athletes:
1.The first Russian Olympic champion? figure skater Nikolai Aleksandrovich Panin-Kolomenkin, champion 1908
2.The first Olympic champion of our time? American athlete James Connolly, his result in the triple jump is 13 m 71 cm.
3. Unique gymnast: has 18 Olympic medals, nine of them gold? Larisa Latynina.
4. The star of this athlete shone brighter than others for three years in a row: in 1962, 1963, 1964, was he called the best athlete in the world? Valery Brumel.
5.Won one of the rarest medals for our team? Vladimir Belousov in ski jumping. Our compatriots have never managed to win again in this sport.
6. Did you set an absolute record for the number of gold medals won at the Games in Munich? American swimmer Mark Spitz. He became champion seven times.
7. For the first time in history, an active athlete was awarded the highest award of our country. For outstanding achievements in sports, courage and heroism, was she awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation? This is Lyubov Egorova, skier.
8. Three-time Olympic champion in figure skating? Irina Rodnina.
9. Hockey goalie, three-time Olympic champion, recognized as the best goalkeeper in the world at the age of 22? Vladislav Tretyak.
10. Are Kuban athletes multiple champions and medalists of the Olympic Games? There are seven of them:
- Andrey Lavrov- participant of 5 Olympics, three-time Olympic champion 1988, 1992, 2000, bronze medalist of the 2004 Olympics;
- Dmitry Fillipov- participant of 3 Olympics, two-time Olympic champion 1992, 2000;
- Alexander Moskalenko
- Eduard Koksharov- Olympic champion 2000, bronze medalist of the 2004 Olympics;
- Lyubov Rusanova- silver and bronze medalist of the 1976 Olympic Games;
- Natalia Anisimova(Guskova) - two-time bronze medalist of the Olympic Games 1988, 1992;
- Tatiana Dzhanzhgava(Shalimova) - two-time bronze medalist of the Olympic Games 1988, 1992.
11. Which of the Kuban athletes won the first Olympic medal for Kuban in winter sports? At the 2006 Turin Games, Sochi resident Alexey Voevoda was part of the Russian bobsleigh four.
for primary school level
Which state is the birthplace of the Olympic Games? Choose the correct answer.
What is the motto of the Olympic Games? ( "Faster, higher, stronger")
The symbol of the Olympic Games is the rings. Name their colors. (Blue, black, red, yellow, green)
Name the values of the Olympic movement. (Friendship. Excellence. Respect.)
How many years later are the Winter Olympics held? (4 years)
Which Winter Olympic Games will be held in Sochi? ( XXII or 22)
What are the dates for the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi?
What are the dates for the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi?
Name the mascots of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. (Bunny, White Bear, Leopard)
Name the mascots of the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi. (Ray and Snowflake)
What blanket is the 2014 Olympics pattern similar to? (Patchwork)
From the listed sports, highlight those that are winter: biathlon, skeleton, freestyle, bobsleigh, handball, football (biathlon, skeleton, freestyle, bobsled.)
How many players can be on the hockey rink at the same time? Choose the correct answer.
What are the starting and ending points of the distance called? (Start, finish)
Name the birthplace of hockey. Choose the correct answer.
A) Russia B) Canada B) England
What is a foul? (Fine)
How many minutes does a hockey period last? ( 20 minutes)
What kind of “shoes” do athletes wear at the Shaiba Stadium? (Skates)
Name the champions of the Winter Olympics in figure skating. Choose the correct answer.
B) T. Navka, E. Kostomarov, E. Plushenko
B) O. Zaitseva, E. Plushenko, E. Ustyugov
20) Guess a riddle.
Two new two-meter maple soles:
I put two feet on them
And run through the big snow. (Skis)
Questions for the quiz “Olympic polymath”
for middle and high school levels
When did the first Olympic Games of Ancient Greece take place?
B) 776 BC
B) 880 BC
Who initiated the organization of the modern Olympic Games?
B) Georg Averoft
B) Pierre de Coubertin
What do the colors of the five rings on the Olympic symbol represent?
When was the tradition of reciting the solemn Olympian oath at the opening of the games born?
B) in 1920
The set of rules and laws of Olympism is the Olympic Charter, and the highest governing body? (International Olympic Committee - IOC)
When and where was the first Olympics held in Russia?
B) Moscow 1980
B) Nizhny Novgorod 1980
In which Winter Olympic Games did Russian athletes take part for the first time?
B) IX Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck (Austria) in 1964.
IN) VIII Winter Olympic Games. in Cortino d, Ampezzo (Italy) in 1956
How many times did the USSR hockey team become the champion of the Olympic Games? (4 times)
At which Winter Olympic Games did Russia compete as a separate country - the Russian Federation?
B) 1992 Albertville (France)
IN) 1994 Lillehammer (Norway)
At the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid (USA) 1980, a USSR athlete won a gold medal in luge for the only time. Name this champion.
At the XXI Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver (Canada) in 2010, the Russian team became the champion in which sports? (Ski racing and biathlon)
Which Sochi 2014 Olympic items were used by the legendary hockey players of the USSR national team and CSK Alexander Ragulin, Anatoly Firsov and Vsevolod Bobrov? (On Olympic stamps)
How many Paralympic winter sports are there? List it.
Name the values of the Paralympic movement. ( Courage, determination, equality and inspiration)
In which Winter Paralympic Games did Russia take first place in the team event?
B) 2010 Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver (Canada)
B) 1988 Winter Paralympic Games in Innsbruck (Austria)
Tatiana and Nikolai, champions of the Winter Paralympic Games, are members of the same family. Say their last name.
How were the mascots of the Sochi Olympics chosen? (The mascots of the 2014 Olympic Games were chosen by general voting for the first time in the history of the Olympic movement. More than 1 million people took part in the voting)
Explain the origin of the word "stadium" (From the Greek measure of length "stadia" (600 steps (foot to foot) or 150-190 meters).
If yes, you might be very interested to know impressive details of the origins of the Olympic races. The history of the Olympic Games is fascinating and full of surprises. So, let's dive into the uncharted waters of the world Olympiads?
How it all began
The famous Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus originated in Ancient Greece and were held from 776 BC. e. every 4 years in the city of Olympia. Sports competitions were such a great success and of great importance for society that for a while OlimpiyskOuchthe races stopped the wars and ekehiriya - a sacred truce - was established.
People flocked to Olympia from everywhere to watch the competition: some traveled on foot, some on horseback, and some even sailed by ship to distant lands just to get a glimpse of the majestic Greek athletes. Entire tent settlements grew up around the city. To watch the athletes, spectators completely filled the hillsides around the Alpheus River valley.
After the solemn victory and the award ceremony (presentation of a wreath of sacred olives and a palm branch), the Olympian lived happily ever after. Holidays were held in his honor, hymns were sung, statues were made, and in Athens the winner was exempted from taxes and burdensome public duties. And the winner was always given the best seat in the theater. In some places, even the children of an Olympian enjoyed special privileges.
Interesting, that women were not allowed to participate in Olympic competitions under penalty of death.
Brave Hellenes competed in running, fist fighting (which Pythagoras once won), jumping, javelin throwing, and so on. However, the most dangerous were the chariot races. You won’t believe it, but the winner of equestrian competitions was considered the owner of the horses, and not the poor cab driver who risked his life to win.
There are many legends associated with the Olympic Games. One of them says that the first competitions were allegedly organized by Zeus himself in honor of the victory over his father. Whether this is true or not, it was Homer who first mentioned the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece in literature in the poem “The Iliad.”
Archaeological excavations indicate that in Olympia, 5 rectangular or horseshoe-shaped stadiums with stands for fans were built specifically for the competition.
Unfortunately, nothing is currently known about the time of the champions. It was enough to be the first to reach the finish line to gain the right to light the sacred fire. But legends tell us about Olympians who ran faster than hares, and just look at the talent of the Spartan Ladas, who left no traces on the sand while running.
Modern Olympic Games
Modern international sports competitions, known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896. The initiator was the French baron Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that it was insufficient physical training that prevented French soldiers from winning the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Young people should measure their strength on sports grounds, not on battlefields, the activist argued.
The first Olympic Games were held in Athens. To organize the competition we created International Olympic Committee, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas from Greece.
Since then, the holding of the World Olympiad has become a good tradition. With the backdrop of impressive excavations and archaeological finds, the idea of Olympism spread throughout Europe. Increasingly, European states organized their own sports competitions, which were watched by the whole world.
What about winter sports?
To fill the gap in winter sports competitions, which were technically impossible to hold in the summer, The Winter Olympic Games have been held since January 25, 1924. The first were organized in a French city Chamonix. In addition to figure skating and hockey, athletes competed in speed skating, ski jumping, etc.
293 athletes, including 13 women, from 16 countries of the world expressed a desire to compete for championship in the competition. The first Olympic champion of the Winter Games was C. Jutrow from the USA (speed skating), but in the end the leaders of the competition were the teams of Finland and Norway. The race lasted 11 days and ended on February 4.
Attributes of the Olympic Games
Now the symbol and emblem The Olympic Games have five intertwined rings that symbolize the unification of the five continents.
Olympic motto, proposed by the Catholic monk Henri Dido: “Faster, higher, stronger.”
At the opening ceremony of each Olympics they raise flag- white cloth with the emblem (Olympic rings). Lights up throughout the Olympics Olympic fire, which is brought to the venue each time from Olympia.
Since 1968, each Olympiad has its own.
The 2016 Olympic Games are planned to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ukrainian team will present their champions to the world. By the way, the first Olympic champion of independent Ukraine was a figure skater Oksana Baiul.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are always a vibrant spectacle, which once again emphasizes the prestige and planetary importance of these global competitions.
Dec 11, 2014 by vaulter
The Olympic Games in Ancient Greece were a sacred holiday. During their conduct, the Greeks declared ekehiria - a truce. Throughout Greece, military actions were prohibited, and all the strongest Hellenes came to Olympia to participate in competitions. In the twentieth century, the Olympic Games did not have such power and influence on states as they did in ancient times. Therefore, during World Wars I and II, the Olympic Games were not held. However, despite the fact that the competitions were not held, they were counted.
In this article we will talk about what the organizers of the 1916, 1940 and 1944 Games and the IOC managed to do in preparation for the competitions.
Olympic Games 1916
In 1916, the next Olympic Games were to be held in Berlin. The German government allocated 300 thousand marks for them. In 1913, the Germans completed the construction of the Olympic Stadium (Deutsches Stadion). The organizers prepared sketches of medals intended to award the winners and prize-winners of the Games.
The Olympic committees of many countries, including Russia, actively prepared their athletes to participate in competitions. Everything changed in 1914.
On June 28, 1914, in the city of Sarajevo, the Serbian terrorist G. Princip killed the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and this marked the beginning of a process that led to the collapse of not only the Berlin Olympics, but also four empires. During 1914 and 1915, 33 countries of the world were drawn into World War I.
The IOC finds itself in an incredibly difficult situation. Most IOC members at that time were citizens of countries at war. Germany, despite everything, continued preparations for the Olympic Games and clearly did not intend to give anyone the right to host them. Moreover, the Germans demanded that the IOC headquarters be in Berlin during the Olympics. Of course, the IOC did not take such a step. Some IOC members proposed moving the Olympic Games to another city. New York was considered one of the candidates. But, in the end, it was decided: the Olympic Games should not be held during the war. Nevertheless, in order to emphasize the significance of the Olympic Games, their enormous role in promoting the ideals of peace and fair competition, the IOC decided to immortalize the Berlin Olympics in history.
“Even if the Games did not take place, their number is still preserved”,- this is what Pierre de Coubertin said. And since then, in any reference book, any article, book dedicated to Olympic history, they write: “The Games of the VIth Olympiad did not take place in Berlin.”
Olympic Games 1940
The XII Summer Olympic Games were to be held from September 21 to October 6, 1940 in the capital of Japan, Tokyo. However, due to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the IOC moved the Games to Helsinki, where they were scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 4, 1940. But, unfortunately, on September 1, 1939, World War II began. After this, the IOC finally decided to abandon the Olympic Games. However, the Organizing Committee of the Games in Helsinki managed to prepare medals and badges. A commemorative medal was also prepared in honor of the Games, which could not be held. It was made in three versions - gold, silver, bronze. The front side depicted the Helsinki Olympic Stadium and the tower. To the left of the tower was the inscription “XII OLYMPIA HELSINKI 1940”. On the front side of the medal the name of the capital of Finland was in Finnish, on the back - in Swedish.
The reverse side of the medal depicted a naked figure of a runner with a torch in his left hand against the background of the contours of the globe. The territory of Finland is highlighted on the map with relief. At the top, in a semicircle, was the inscription “XII OLYMPIA 1940 HELSINGFORS.” At the bottom in the circle is an ornament of leaves.
The total circulation of medals was 3,650 pieces, of which 2,312 were made in 1940, and the rest were released in 1947.
Sports officials in Finland in the late 1940s. Sometimes medals from the failed 1940 Games were presented as souvenirs to the leaders of sports delegations at major international competitions held in Finland. They were equipped with special certificates that told the history of the creation of the medals and indicated the circulation.
72 Finnish artists took part in the competition for the best poster about the Games. The first prize was awarded to Ilmari Susimetse. The poster depicted the famous Finnish track and field athlete Paavo Nurmi against the backdrop of the globe, with Finland and the capital of the Games, Helsinki, highlighted. This poster became the official poster for the Games of the XV Olympiad in 1952. Despite the cancellation of the Games, they, like the VI Olympic Games that did not take place in 1916, were assigned their own serial number.
Olympic Games 1944
In June 1939, at the IOC Session, it was decided that the Games of the XIII Olympiad would be held in London. In addition to the capital of Great Britain, Rome, Detroit, Lausanne, Athens, Budapest, Helsinki and Montreal competed for the right to host the competition.
But the British could not even get enough of the fact that they would hold the Olympic Games, since a few months later World War II began. Despite the war, celebrations were held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 17 to 19 June 1944 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee. At the end of the war, the British still got the opportunity to host the Olympic Games and brilliantly organized the 1948 Games.
As a result of two world wars, the world did not see the Olympic Games of 1916, 1940, 1944. Of course, while guns are blaring and people are dying, it is not the time to hold a sports festival. I really want countries in our time to stop resolving political and economic issues by military means, and to “sort out” relations in sports arenas.
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