• There are 204 countries in the olympics.

Interesting facts

• Did you know that in beijing 500 primary schools are featuring an art contest to spread olympic culture around the world to young children!
• The olympic rings represent the 5 parts of the world. It is a true international emblem.
• Did you know that Australia has around the same amount of medals as china even though we are a smaller country!
• Did you knop that Usain Bolt has broken the 100 and the 200 metre sprints in Athletics. He is the fastest man on earth.
• Michael Phelps is the only person in olympic history to have won 8 gold medals in one olympics. That is amazing!

Questions???

Whats the colours of our Australian Flag ?


How Many Stars are there on the Australian Flag?

The Change over the years!

The past years of the olympics has changed enormasly.
The sports have changed and location that its held at it just keeps getting better.
Along time ago, It was just men who competed but over the past 100 years that has changed, and women are given a fare chance against the men and this year (2008) we have proven that women are better.
the types of games that were played back then were for example: Running, High Jump, Swimming, ect.
But today we have : Swimming, Running, High Jump, Ping Pong, Hockey, Soccer, Basketball, Volley Ball, Gymnastics ect. Over the last 100 years it has changed and we have grown as a olympic side and sports wise.

When ancient olympics started, it's athletes & games

Ancient Olympic Games

Boxing: Ancient boxing had fewer policies than the modern sport. Boxers fought lacking rounds until one man was knocked out, or admitted he had been beaten. Contrasting the modern activity, there was no rule next to hitting an opponent when he was losing.
There were no mass course within the men’s and boy's divisions; opponents for a game were selected by chance.
As a substitute of gloves, ancient boxers wrapped leather thongs (himantes) around their hands and wrists which left their fingers open.

Discus: The ancient Greeks well thought-out the rhythm and accuracy of an athlete throwing the discus as vital as his power.
The discus was made of stone, iron, bronze, or lead, and was bent like a soaring saucer. Sizes mixed, while the boys' division was not normal to throw the same load as the men’s'.

Jump: Athletes used lead or stone jump weights (halteres) twisted like telephone receivers to boost the duration of their jump. The halteres were held ahead of the athlete during his rise, and powerfully forced behind his back and dropped throughout his plunge to help propel his body further.

Athletes

Milo of Kroton: wrestler
Theagenes of Thasos: Boxer, Pankratiast & Runner
Diagoras of Rhodes: Boxer
Polydamas of Skotoussa: Pankratiast

Melankomas of Caria: Boxer

When Ancient Olympics Started

The closest date of when the Ancient Olmpics started was 776 B.C.

Flags,symbols and oaths

Did you know that each of the five Olympic rings is a different colour. Together, they represent the five inhabited continents, although no particular ring is meant to represent any specific continent. The Olympic flag places the Olympic rings on a white background. As every national flag in the world contains at least one of the flag's six colors (black, blue, green, red, yellow, white), this further symbolizes the universality of the Olympics. The Olympic rings were created in 1912 and were first ever used in 1916, but due to world war one the games were cancelled and they were used in 1920 in Belgium.

Did you know that Ancient Greeks believed that fire was given to mankind by Promethus and that fire is a sacred qualities. They would have many torches lit outside temples etc. although this was not apart of the Olympic games, but the Olympic flame was lit in front of the ruins of temple of Hera in Olympia. This was used to emphasize the connection between the ancient Olympics and the modern Olympics. The first Olympic torch relay began in the 1936 in the Berlin games. The flame went through Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. From then on the lighting of the torch has become more advanced and the torch relay has been held before the games ever since.
Did you know China (Beijing) was holding the biggest Olympic torch relay ever taking it all throught china but having to change the route due to protesting in Tibet over human rights issues. The torch relay was going to make an attempt up Mount Everest.

Did you know that oaths have been made in the Olympics since 776BC when the Olympics first began. Although now we don't have to stand in front of the statue in Olympia.

Did you know that all the 2008 mascots, when you put there name together they add up to be "welcome to Beijing".

The countries Involved

The following 204 countries will be participating in the 2008 Olympic Games:
Afghanistan
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Angola
Algeria
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Burundi
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bahrain
Botswana
Belarus
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Cambodia
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central Africa
Chad
Chile
China Republic
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Comoros
Cape Verde
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote-d´lvoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Arab Rep. of Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
The Gambia
Germany
Ghana
Great Britain
Guinea-Bissau
Georgia
Greece
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Italy
Israel
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Japan
Jordon
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kenya
Korea people Republic
Korea Democratic People Republic
Kuwait
Laos
Latvia
Saint Lucia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Libya
Lichtenstein
Luxembourg
Rep. of Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Rep. of Moldova
Marshall Islands
Maldives
Malta
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Monaco
Montenegro
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Niger
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Palestine
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Rhodesia
Romania
Rwanda
Saint Lucia
St. Vincent & Gr.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
American Samoa
Western Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Senegal
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Slovakia
Swaziland
Serbia
Singapore
Spain
Sudan
Surinam
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Tonga
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad & Tobago
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Turkmenistan
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
Unified Team
United Arab Emirates
U.S.S.R.
U.S.A.
US Virgin Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe

olympics 2008 in Beijing

this year the Olympics was held in Beijing. the opening ceremony began on the 8. 8.08 at 8:08p.m.. the Opening Ceremony was held the national stadium. There was a big crowd with supporters from every where. There was 205 different countries with a number of competitors. The opening ceremony included fireworks, an amazing lighting of the torch and spectacular dances, songs and performances. The Opening ceremony was a outstanding, incredible night filled with amazement and joy and pride.

Ancient Olympics

The Ancient Olympics first began on 776BC. In the Ancient Olympics, women could not participate and men played the games in the nude. here is a list of most of the sports played:

Boxing
Equestrian events
Chariot racing
Riding
Pankration
Pentathlon
Discus
Javelin
Jump
Running
Wrestling
Running
Wrestling

Many people loved the Olympics so many travelled from far to see the games. They would stay outside the games in tents or on the floor, here they slept at night. Only free-Greek men were allowed to participate in the games. The games were held in Olympia every 4 years. All competitors had to prove that they had been training for ten months, they then have to make an oath in front of a statue.
Winning Olympians put their town on the map.

Alison, Lysandra, Kristina and Aimee