The origin of the Olympic Games is difficult to pinpoint but the “birth” of the games is widely believed to be in the year 776. At that time sport contests or “games” were organised and held in Olympia, the ancient site on Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, every four years and in turn became know as the Olympic Games.
Over time the Olympic Games faded away until 1894 when Barron Pierre de Coubertin, a French educator and historian whose vision and political skill led to the revival of the Olympic Games to once again celebrate the human spirit through sport and physical activity. This vision came to life in 1896 when the first Games of the modern era were held in Athens.
The Olympic games have evolved from a celebration of sport and amateurism to a cultural and financial juggernaut. From naming rights and endorsements, to the construction of athletic complexes, host cities are creating bids costing in the billions. Even through World Wars, boycotts and human tragedy, the 5 Olympic rings have become synonymous with a global celebration of the human spirit.
Fighting is own battle with racial segregation back home in the United states, Jesse Owens, accepted the invitation to represent his country in Nazi ruled Germany during the build up to World War II.
For Adolph Hitler and the Nazis, the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games were expected to be a German showcase and a statement for Aryan supremacy. Most notably, Hitler lambasted America for including black athletes on its Olympic roster. Jesse Owens proved him wrong and sealed his place in Olympic history by becoming the most successful athlete of the 1936 Games. The most notable of his achievements in Berlin was the battle he had with German long jumper Luz Long.
Going against the will of the ruling government, Long who was in first place at the time, showed the true spirit of the Olympic Games by helping Owens with an issue he was having with his long jump approach, in turn helping the American have the jump of the competition and thus taking the gold medal away from the German.
Jesse Owens became the first American to win four track and field gold medals at a single Olympics (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump), a record that stood unbroken for 48 years. This incredible story has just come to life in the recent release of the feature film “Race” (Entertainment One 2015) with Canadian actor Stephan James playing the lead character.
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law introduced by chief Senate sponsor, Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana and passed in the United States that requires gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that receives federal funding.
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
The law applies to educational institutions that receive any federal funds and prohibits discrimination in all educational programs and activities, not just athletics. Athletic programs are considered educational programs and activities. Title IX gives women athletes the right to equal opportunity in sports in educational institutions that receive federal funds, from elementary schools to colleges and universities. While there are few private elementary, middle school or high schools that receive federal funds, almost all colleges and universities, private and public, receive such funding.
Symbolized by the mythical unicorn, to represent the noble and yet for most, unattainable achievement of reaching a BQ (Boston Qualifying) time, the Boston Marathon is often viewed as the “holy grail” of endurance achievements.
The legendary final left turn down Boylston Street approaching the end of the 42.2km race became forever linked to tragedy on April 15, 2013 during the 117th running of the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest annual marathon.
At 2:49pm with on thousands of supporters cheering and more than 5,600 runners still in the race, two pressure-cooker bombs, packed with shrapnel and other materials, exploded within seconds of each other near the finish line along Boylston Street. The blasts instantly turned the sun-filled afternoon into a gruesome scene of destruction and chaos.
Once the dust and panic settled, three spectators died: a 23-year-old woman, a 29-year-old woman and an 8-year-old boy, while more than 260 other people were wounded. In regards to historical significance, it marked the first major terrorist bombing in the United States in just over a decade. Even more so, it was the first time in the modern era that a major sporting event was targeted.