It’s time for the Winter Olympics and they will be held in the beautiful Torino, Italy. The Olympics are a spectacular event held every four years, alternating by two years, between the summer and Winter Olympics. The ancient Olympic games were held in Olympia in the western part of the Peloponnese.
This area of ancient Greece served as a center for religious, cultural and governmental meetings. There were elaborate shrines, sporting facilities and enormous temples to Zeus and Hera. The stadium in Olympia could seat up to 40,000 people and there were auxiliary buildings and barracks to house training athletes. The games were closely tied to religious festivals, but were truly secular in that they were designed to encourage good relations between the cities of Greece and promote the physical well being of their young.
The modern day Olympics were founded under a renewed spirit of International cooperation, communication and to embrace the strength of our young. The Olympics show athletes in peak performance competing against their peers from around the world. Tossing out the scandals of years passed including Tonya Harding and more, the Olympics remain a truly awe-inspiring event. These athletes train hard and they perform hard. They are an inspiration to young and old alike and should encourage a better sense of physical fitness.
Some Quick Winter Olympic Facts:
· 2500 Athletes and 2500 officials from 85 National Olympic Committees will be housed in the Olympic Villages.
· Seven Sports will be featured: Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge, Skating and Skiing.
· 650 judges and referees will participate in the Games.
The Winter Olympics will be airing on NBC in the United States and while they will feature the highlights, it’s worth spending some time watching with your children. Talk about the training, the dedication and the commitment to mental and physical excellence that athletes have to have.
Let yourself be inspired by their dedication and while the majority of us may never compete for Olympic Gold, we can all benefit from taking up the Olympic Torch for Excellence.