WHY WE COMPETE
An Ancient Tradition Passed on Thousands of Years Later
Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894. Since then, the competition has captivated audiences with split-second finishes, world records, and captivating storylines.
