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Season 2024 – Talk 10 – The Olympics – Champions, Curiosities and Controversies
In ‘The Olympics – Champions, Curiosities and Controversies’ Jo Watson takes us through a humorous history of the summer games.
Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.
Jo’s background:
Her career was with BBC Sport as a producer and an editor. She’s worked on seven summer Olympics and has written a book about the history of the games. It is really more about the people and the events rather than statistics.
Ancient times:
The obvious starting point is Olympia around 180 miles from Athens.
The first recorded games are in 776 BC as part of a festival dedicated to Zeus. The inaugural champion is a local cook who wins the only event, a sprint of around 200 yards. Gradually the games expand and other cities take part.
The first champions receive an olive or a laurel crown, and perhaps an amphora of high quality olive oil.
Victorian re-birth:
The idea of reviving the Olympic Games has its origins in Much Wenlock. William Penny Brooks, a local doctor and social activist, and his Olympian society organise a number of events in 1850.
He then organises the more orthodox National Olympian games at Crystal Palace. W G Grace takes time off from a cricket match to compete and win the hurdles.
Next steps:
Onto the scene comes Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French aristocrat, who takes the games forward.
In 1894 he brings together representatives to form the International Olympic Committee. Two years later, the first modern games are held in Athens. Sadly, Brooks has died, so doesn’t see his dream come to fruition.
Listen to Jo tell us the story of some of the stars, gamesmanship and unbelievable events from the games.
About this podcast:
This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others.
AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk.
© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 – 2025