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The Olympic Games first took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
The Olympics took place to bring athletes together from all over
the world in an effort to promote world peace. Today the
Olympics still hold those standards. The goal is to educate
youth through sports and teach friendship and sportsmanship. The
Olympic Games include a variety of individual and team sports.
In 1920 the Olympic flag was presented. The flag contains five
interconnected rings with a white background. The rings
symbolize the five significant continents and are symbolize the
friendship to be gained from these international competitions.
The rings are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. These colors
were chosen because at least one of them appears on the flag of
every country in the world.
The Olympic Games are held every four years. The Olympic Games
are held throughout the world. The location of the games changes
each time. Two locations are chosen each time. One to host the
Winter Olympics and one to host the Summer Olympics. The next
Olympics will take place 2008. Beijing will be the host.
Participating in the Olympic Games is a very special honor. The
participants spend hours each day training and preparing for the
games. They often have to move far from home to be close to
Olympic training facilities. Qualifying for a spot on the
Olympic team varies for each sport. However dedication, skill,
motivation, hard work, and a desire to win are a part of the
right formula for anyone dreaming of participating in the
Olympic Games.
The best team or individual in each event is awarded a goal
medal. The second best is awarded a silver medal, and third
place earns a bronze medal. In 1896 first place received silver
medals because gold was considered beneath silver. At the
Olympic Games in 1904 held in St. Louis gold replaced silver as
the first place medal. The gold medals presented today are
actually made from sterling silver. They are then covered with a
thin coat of pure gold.
Regardless of the medals earned, the Olympic Games give athletes
the opportunity to present their knowledge and skills. The
Olympics are very popular because of the competition and because
they bring people from all countries together for a short time
to not only compete with each other, but to remind us of the
quest for peace among all nations.
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Copyright Matthew Wagner / Jayde Online, Inc. 2007.
This article is courtesy of GoArticles.com.
