Olympiads

Prometheus: Theft Of Fire

The Olympic flame is one of the major symbols of Olympic Games. This symbolism also commemorates the “theft of fire,” which became universal in other world mythologies, by Prometheus from Zeus. Through this act and challenge of Prometheus against the Gods, progress and civilization were made possible and started. As a result of this defiance, Prometheus became famous and champion of mankind. Consequently, the torch—the light to humanity—have become one of the symbols in Olympics. 

In ancient Olympics, the fire was maintained lighted round the clock throughout the celebration. So, in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, the flame torch was instituted as part of the modern Olympic celebration. 

Teofilo Yldefonso: Piddig, Ilocos Norte

Coincidentally, in 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, our very own Teofilo Yldefonso aka “Ilocano Shark” got the first (bronze) medal for the Philippines in 200 meter breaststroke category and thereafter grabbed the same achievement in the same category in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Now, he is considered as the first Filipino to win multiple medals in the Olympiad. 

The modern torch relay from one country to another in the modern Olympics was only introduced by Carl Diem in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and has no historical relation with the ancient Olympic custom. 

Moreover, the motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius,  (faster, higher, stronger) was suggested by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who was the co-founder of the modern Olympic games, upon the creation of the Olympic Committee in 1894. The motto, however, was just introduced in 1924 Paris Olympic Games or four years before the introduction of Olympic flame in the modern day Olympiad.  In the same way, Coubertin also introduced a more casual version of the motto of the Olympiad, ”The most  important thing is not to win but to take part,” which he derived from a Pennsylvania Bishop’s homily in the event of 1908 London Olympic Games.

In addition, the five connecting circles in the Olympic logo, colored blue, yellow, black, green and red which is embedded in white background, symbolizes the major continent in the world: Asia, Africa, Europe, (North and South) America, Australia.

In 1948, the resumption of the quadrennial event after World Ward II happened in London Olympic Games. In this year, the first televised Olympic event show started.

After 64 years, the 30^th Summer Olympics was hosted by London in 2012 and was joined by 205 competing countries around the globe.

Since the games  inception in 1896, the modern Olympics, which happens every four years,  has already conducted 30 Summer Olympic Games in 22 key different cities worldwide and 21 Winter Olympic Games in 18 key different cities in Arctic region as of press time.

The 31^st and 32^nd Summer Olympic Games will be hosted by Brazil in 2016 and by Japan in 2020 in accordance with the International Olympic Committee. 

2016 Brazil Olympics

See Blogger's Related Stories: Japan To Host Olympic Games In 2020
Sources From The Web:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_symbols
                                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te%C3%B3filo_Yldefonso
                                             Sports Illustrated: The Olympics: A History Of The Games