The first Olympic games

The first Olympic games were held in 776BC. After that, it held every 4 years until 339BC. The first Olympic race was won by Corubus, a chef. For many years the Olympics consisted of only one race, a sprint of 192 meters (210 yards) called the “stadion.” A second race of 400 meters was added 50 years later. The pentathlon, boxing, wrestling, single-horse and four-horse chariot races were included later still. There also was a special event in which runners competed in hoplite armor, shield, helmet, and graves that weighed 20-25 kg (50-60 lbs). There were no team events, relay races or the long distance race of Marathon. These events were introduced in the modern Olympics. No medals were awarded in the ancient Olympics. A winner received an olive wreath to wear on his head. Second and third placings received nothing. When the Olympics were revived in 1896 in Athens, Greece, winners received silver medals instead of gold medals. Eight years later, at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, gold replaced silver for first place.