The Olympics originated in ancient Greece as religious festivals, paused for over 1,500 years, and then revived in the late 19th century to promote global peace through sports, here are some of the things to know.
1
The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece, held every four years in Olympia in honour of the Greek god Zeus, first recorded games were in 776 BC.
2
The ancient Olympic Games were abolished by Roman emperor Theodosius I in 393 AD, marking a 1500-year hiatus.
3
Evangelos Zappas funded an early revival attempt in 1859, but it wasn't until a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin that the modern Games.
4
Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
5
Early modern Olympic Games were smaller affairs compared to today's extravaganzas, from fewer countries and a smaller number of sports.
6
The Olympic Games were first held in 1924 in Chamonix, France, these Games featured winter sports like skiing, skating, and bobsledding.
7
The Games have grown to include summer and winter editions, with a wide variety of sports contested.