One Year Countdown until the London Olympics

This Wednesday marked one year until the start of the London Olympic Games on July 27, 2012. The events will take place in thirty-two venues from July 27 to August 12, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9.

The Olympics have come a long way since their origins in ancient Greece. Though the Games were discontinued in 393 A.D., the idea was revived during the nineteenth century, and the first modern Olympic Games were held 1896 in Athens, Greece. Back then, things were very different; women were not allowed to compete, and the first-place finishers won silver medals, not gold. Only 241 athletes from fourteen countries participated, though at the time this group of countries was the largest number ever assembled for a sporting event. Now in the present day, the London Games of next summer will include 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries competing in twenty-six sports.

Further Reading: The Olympics For Beginners