The Olympic Games
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Origin:
Believed to have started in 776 BC
Place of Origin:
Olympia, Greece
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Beginnings
Olympia had been a cult site for the worship of Zeus. However, with the rise of city-states within Greece, each wanted a means of asserting its dominance. Thus, representatives would be sent to Olympia to vie for supremacy in physical competitions, as a honour to Zeus and as a way of building internal relations.
Events
The ancient games were one-day spectacles. These had only one event, a sprint race from one end of the stadium to the other. Overtime, other events such as long-distance races, boxing, wrestling and the Pentathlon were added. Games now lasted for more days, first to three, then later to five.
Award Ceremonies
The ancient games were one-day spectacles. These had only one event, a sprint race from one end of the stadium to the other. Overtime, other events such as long-distance races, boxing, wrestling and the Pentathlon were added. Games now lasted for more days, first to three, then later to five.
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Jamaica’s Olympic History
SUMMER OLYMPICS
In 1936, the National Olympic Committee for Jamaica, known as the Jamaica Olympic Association, was formed. A little over a decade later in 1948, Jamaica entered its first Olympic Games. Arthur Wint and Herbert McKenley were two of the members of Jamaica’s first Olympic team. Jamaica has sent athletes to all summer Olympic Games held since then. That takes Jamaica’s participation in these Games to a total of 17 between 1948 and 2008. In 1960, Jamaican athletes competed as part of the West Indies Federation team.
Jamaica has medalled in all but two games (1956 and 1954). This brings the total number of medals won to 54. This fleet includes 1 bronze in cycling and 13 gold, 24 silver and 16 bronze, all in track and field.
The National Olympic Committee is the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), and was founded in 1936.
WINTER OLYMPICS
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Jamaica first participated in the Winter Olympic Games of1988 where the National Bobsleigh Team made their debut in Calgary, Canada. Jamaica entered the two man category (with Dudley Stokes and Michael White) and the four man category (with Dudley Stokes, Devon Harris, Chris Stokes and Michael White).
The team returned to the Winter Olympics again in 1992, 1994, and subsequent competitions. The team failed to qualify for the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.
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Rep Jamaica Tees
