Olympic Facts

1. The first opening ceremonies were held during the 1908 Olympic Games in London.

2. The First Marathon happened in 490 BCE, Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, ran from Marathon to Athens (about 25 miles) to inform the Athenians the outcome of the battle with invading Persians. The distance was filled with hills and other obstacles; thus Pheidippides arrived in Athens exhausted and with bleeding feet. After telling the townspeople of the Greeks' success in the battle, Pheidippides fell to the ground dead. At the first modern games in 1896, a race of approximately the same length was held in commemoration of Pheidippides.

3. The first US Olympic Champion was James B. Connolly, winner of the hop, step, and jump at the first modern Olympic Games.

 4. Eric Liddell, the amazing *Chinese born athlete, won a gold and a bronze medal in the 1924 Olympics.  His stunning victory inspired the movie, Chariots of Fire. He later returned to China to serve as a missionary along with his wife and children.  Eric Liddell – a man who was pure gold through and through.  To watch his win go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwyltmUR3MU

* His parents were missionaries in China where he was born.

5.  When choosing locations for the Olympic Games, the IOC specifically gives the honor of holding the Games to a city rather than a country.