Great Moments That Made the History of the Olympic Games

July 3, 2024

The Beginning

The ancient Olympic Games were born in Greece, in the city of Olympia.

Athletes celebrated the Olympic Games every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD, even putting wars on hold during this time.

In total, there were 292 editions in antiquity.

The Modern Olympic Games

Baron Pierre de Coubertin inaugurated the modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens, over 1500 years after the ancient Games ended.

The first modern edition involved 14 nations and 241 athletes in 43 events.

The Origins of the Marathon

One of the symbols of the modern Olympics is certainly the marathon.

Organizers introduced the marathon in the 1896 Games to honor Pheidippides, who, according to legend, ran from the city of Marathon to Athens to announce the victory over the Persians.

Traditionally, the men’s marathon is the final event of the athletics program.

Women and the Olympic Games

The first female participants appeared at the Paris Games in 1900.

English tennis player Charlotte Cooper became the first female Olympic champion, winning both the singles and mixed doubles events.

The Advent of Technology

The Stockholm Olympics of 1912 were the first to employ advanced technology.

In fact, officials used automatic timing and photo finish to accurately determine the results of speed events.

Canceled Olympic Games

World War I canceled the Olympic Games in 1916, and World War II canceled them in 1940 and 1944.

The Games resumed in 1948 in London, symbolizing hope and reconstruction after the conflict.

Postponed Olympic Games

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The events were held mostly behind closed doors.

For the first time, the Olympic Games were postponed, not canceled, and held in an odd year.

The Introduction of the Olympic Flame

The tradition of the Olympic flame began with the Berlin Games of 1936.

For each edition, the organizing committee creates an original torch, whose flame is usually lit in Olympia.

It is then transported to the host city, where the final cauldron is lit.

The Unification of East and West Germany

One of the most significant historical moments was the participation of a unified team of West and East Germany.

This occurred at the Rome Games in 1960 and the Tokyo Games in 1964, before their definitive separation and subsequent reunification in 1990.

The Paralympic Games

The founder of the Paralympic Games was the German Jewish neurologist Ludwig Guttmann.

He took refuge in the UK to escape Nazi persecution and created a sports competition for veterans with disabilities.

In 1952, he organized the Stoke Mandeville Games, which grew to have over 130 international participants, impressing the public and Olympic movement leaders.

With the support of his colleague Antonio Maglio, Guttmann brought the competition to Italy for the 1960 Rome Olympics.

In 1984, the International Olympic Committee approved its designation as the Paralympic Games.

Boycotted Olympic Games

One of the most controversial episodes in Olympic history was the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games by 65 nations, including the United States, in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Similarly, four years later, the USSR and other Eastern Bloc nations boycotted the Los Angeles Games.

Mexico City 1968

The Mexico City Games of 1968 were the first to be held in Latin America and at high altitude, which significantly influenced athletes’ performances.

Additionally, they were the scene of important political gestures, such as the raised fists of African American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos.

Jesse Owens’ Dominance at Berlin 1936

Jesse Owens shattered all Nazi Germany’s theories of racial superiority by winning four gold medals, breaking five world records, and tying a sixth.

Owens triumphed in the 100 meters, the long jump, the 200 meters, and the 4×100 meter relay.

The Unexpected Hero of Tokyo 1964

Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila won the marathon at the 1960 Rome Games running barefoot.

Four years later, in Tokyo, he successfully defended his title, this time wearing shoes, becoming the first athlete to win two consecutive Olympic marathons.

Kerri Strug’s Medal in Atlanta

American gymnast Kerri Strug became a national hero at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Despite an ankle injury during her first vault attempt, she managed to complete the second vault, securing the gold medal for the U.S. team.

The Courageous Emil Zátopek

Emil Zátopek, known as the Czech locomotive, achieved an extraordinary feat at the 1952 Helsinki Games.

He won the 5000 meters, 10000 meters, and the marathon, which he ran for the first time in his career.

His performances remain among the most impressive in the history of athletics.

Michael Phelps’ Records at the Olympic Games

American swimmer Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic medals won between 2004 and 2016, with 23 golds out of a total of 28.

Additionally, in Beijing in 2008, he achieved the highest number of gold medals won by an athlete in a single edition of the Olympic Games, with eight.

Bob Beamon’s Legendary Jump

Bob Beamon achieved a long jump of 8.90 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, breaking the previous world record by 55 centimeters.

The official tasked with measuring it had to use an emergency tape measure.

The record stood unbroken for nearly 23 years.

Nadia Comăneci’s Moment of Glory

Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci made history in Montreal in 1976 by becoming the first athlete to achieve a perfect score of 10.0 in an Olympic gymnastics competition.

Her perfection revolutionized the world of gymnastics and made her an international icon.

Usain Bolt’s Triumph

Known as Lightning Bolt, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is regarded by Pietro Mennea and Michael Johnson as the greatest of all time.

Between 2008 and 2016, he won 8 golds, dominating the 100 and 200 meters and setting world records, with a charismatic personality that made him one of the most popular athletes ever.

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