The Games did a lot to form the Hellenic way of life. Pindar, the Poet, in his Olympic Hymn:-

"If of prizes in the Games thou art fair
O my Soul to tell, then as for no
Bright Star more quickening than
The Sun must then search in the
Void firmament by day, so neither
Shall we find any Games greater
Than the Olympic whereof to utter our voice."

- explained the philosophy which lay behind them, a philosophy which taught life is made up of ordeals to be faced and conquered and that long training, self - discipline and self - sacrifice are needed for success.

The Greeks were soon moulded into the most highly civilised race - Spartans, noted for their courage and bravery even today. Soon these Spartans led by a great king, viz., Alexander of Macedon, conquered lands far and wide, and achieved such feats that few have equalled.

At these Games, not only bodily strength and skill were admired. Whenever the Greeks gathered, honour was paid to the gods also and to the arts: architecture and sculpture, music, poetry and oratory.

But the wise thought that too much attention was being paid to games and physical culture. Few listened to the occasional criticisms. A victory at Olympia went on being sought after. The Games continued to be celebrated, though with ever declining brilliance, after the down fall of the city - states in the 4th century BC, and even after Greece had become merely a province of the Roman Empire in the second century BC

In the first and second centuries of the Christian era, the two Roman kings Nero and Hadrian took interest in the Games. After them it fell into decay, though the Games were still celebrated until they were finally abolished by the Christian Emperor Theodosius I in 393 AD as a pagan festival. Centuries later Olympia was pillaged and destroyed by other invaders and the forces of nature.

The ancient Olympic Games had a history, of over eleven centuries. Few human institutions can boast of a comparable longevity.

We can now gaze with awe on the scattered remains, where once were celebrated the virtues of courage, physical skill and beauty of form, in a setting of surpassing splendour, where for a time, all too brief, there reigned among the quarrelsome city-states that concord which, if they had been able to preserve it, might have saved their incomparable civilisation.

It was not until the nineteenth century that French and German archaeologists unearthed some of the ancient Olympic treasures. Their finds and the precepts of the great Dr. Thomas Arnold of Rugby (1795- 1842) emphasizing the value of sport for educational purposes' inspired a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, to attempt a renaissance of the classic Olympic Games. He campaigned for years to prove to the world that the Olympics, if revived, would benefit mankind. After all, had not Greek civilisation reached its peak after the Olympics were introduced.

With great skill and tenacity the Frenchman piloted his project to realisation. The first of the modern series of Games was held in 1896 at Athens. Only thirteen nations took part, though few of them sent representative teams. For instance, ten Americans paid their own way there, the general feeling in America at that time being that the Olympics were strictly an European affair. They wound up by placing a man in ten of the twelve events and winning nine of them.

The host's hour of triumph came on the final day. As the Marathon is dedicated to an incident in the history of ancient Greece it was fitting to see a Greek shepherd, Spiridion Loues, win the first Marathon race in Sport's history. That race, more than anything else, " made " the modern Games. It received great publicity. In Athens, Greeks took the first three places, but never since has a Greek been so highly placed in an Olympic Marathon.

Athens was a great triumph and people wanted Greece to become the permanent home of the Games. But de Coubertin intent on popularising the idea of international sport, insisted on keeping the Games " on the move," to be held in a different city every four years-the interval of the ancient Olympic Games.

So in accordance with Coubertin's will they went to Paris in 1900, St. Louis in 1904, London in 1908, Stockholm in 1912- every consecutive Games showing the progress of man since they were revived. Many new events appeared on the programmes and performances kept improving.

By introducing the Olympic motto:-

" The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part. The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."

-Baron Coubertin expressed the true spirit of the occasion.

Not a single competitor will enter the Olympic contests without being, determined to do his or her utmost to win. But it must be remembered that Coubertin was not under-rating victory. The truth of his words becomes obvious when it is realised that only a few of the great company of national champions could win.

If winning was the sole reason for competing, the number of competitors would be small. Most nations will leave the Olympic arena without having gained a single medal, but their participation is of the highest importance nevertheless.

It was in Stockholm that three personalities-whose names will be long remembered in Olympic history-dominated the 1912 Olympic: Hannes Kolehmainen (Finland), Duke Kahanamoku (Hawaii) and a North American Indian, Jim Thorpe, whose tragedy has been made the subject of a film.

The 1916 Games, scheduled for Berlin, were postponed due to World War I.

They were held at Antwerp in 1920 as a token of honour to the Belgians. The Belgians did their best, but they had little time to prepare. The war was still close in people's memories. Neither Germany nor Austrla were allowed to take part in these Games. The public showed very little interest in the athletic events, although some excellent performances were put up. Hannes Kolehmainen followed up his Stockholm triumphs with a victory in the Marathon. These Games also saw the advent- of the " Flying Finn," Paavo Nurmi, who achieved his first Olympic victories over the 10,000 m. and the cross-country race.

In 1924 Paris again, and the Americans swept the board winning 45 gold, 27 silver and 27 bronze medals.

Harold Abrahams of Britain outran four Americans in the final of the 100 m. But Nurmi's triple success in the 1,500 m., 5,000 m. and the cross-country overshadowed all performances.

Johnny Weissmuller (U. S. A.)-later " Tarzan " of the screen, " Boy " Charlton (Australia) and Arne Borge (Sweden) were the stars in the water.

Anders Kreigsman, by re-building the deplorable running track in a matter of eight days, made it possible for the 1928 Olympics to be held at Amsterdam. Lowe (Britain) won both the sprints-100 m. and 200 m. Lord Burghley, also of Britain, gave his country her first victory in the 400 m. hurdles.

Amsterdam also saw India make her debut in the Field Hockey competition. The spectators marvelled at their brilliant stick-work and mastery to win the Olympic title for the first time a title India has successfully defended ever since.

Los Angeles (U. S. A.) staged the 1932 Games magnificently. The entire organisation besides the warm hospitality, surpassed even Stockholm. For the first time electric time-keeping and photo-finish were used.

Apart from the 10,000 m. walk, every Olympic record was broken. Japan's swimmers dazzled the swimming world by winning every event in the men's swimming contests with the exception of the 400 m.

To Berlin in 1936 ... As far as facilities and management were concerned, the Berlin Games were the grandest and most spectacular. But nothing could have been further from Coubertin's ideals than to bring in power politics on such a great occasion.

In the Berlin stadium, an architectural masterpiece, an American Negro Jesse Owens-"'Track Immortal "-thrilled the spectators, and indeed the world, with his spectacular performances in setting up three new Olympic records.

War again intervened and it was not until 1948 that the XIVth Olympiad- actually the XIth-was held in a war battered London.

The London Games was a terrific success. Records were broken by the dozen. It will be remembered for the amazing feats of Mrs. Fanny Blankers Koen, " The Flying Dutch Woman," who swept the women's track and field events, winning four gold medals. A seventeen-year-old American " Bob " Mathias, " Californian Iron Man," set up a new Olympic record total of 7,444 in winning the gruelling Decathlon. A hurdler (Harrison Dillard) won the 100 m.

There emerged from the darkness a young Czech army officer, Emil Zatopek, who won the 10,000 m. and turned in a most thrilling finish ever seen in the 5,000 m.

The 1952 Helsinki Games if not more, were just as exciting. Lindy Remigino (U. S. A) won the 100 m. sprint in a photo-finish, in which the six finalists passed the finish in one bunch only a few inches separating them!

Herb McKenley's breath-taking sprint of 45.1 sec. for the 4 x 100 m. relay was indeed remarkable-a performance which contributed to the Jamaican team's victory over the U. S. by half a stride.

Zatopek, " The Human Locomotive," was crowned the world's greatest long-distance runner ever. He won the 5,000 m., 10,000 m. and the Marathon-a triple success which no runner ever before has achieved in one Olympiad. By repeating his London triumph in the Decathlon, Bob Mathias became the first athlete to win the championship twice.

The Russians won 21 gold medals-a singularly outstanding performance for a first appearance. The performances of Russian women field athletes were particularly outstanding. They took the first three places in the Discus Throw-Nina Romaschkova winning the event with a throw of 168 ft. 8.46 in. a new Olympic and World record. Galina Zybina's 50 ft. 2.58 in. also created a new Olympic and World record in the Women's Shot Put.

When Baron de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games he had three things in view. Firstly, he wanted to raise the standard of physique. to encourage the playing of Games in all Darts of the world and to promote good sportsmanship. Hence to make them stronger, healthier and happier than they were before.

Before the revival of the modern Games sports were hardly known beyond the English speaking world. Indeed only thirteen nations took Dart in the first Olympics staged at Athens. Very few of them sent representative teams-thus showing that then sport was not properly organised in most of the countries.

To-day we have teams competing from every continent. Every successive Games shows an increase in the number of entries.

In the Helsinki Games the cream of seventy-one nations met together in friendly rivalry vying with one another to achieve world supremacy in sport-a fact which in itself indicates how widespread is interest in sport becoming all over the world.

In the last half a century the standards of skill and endurance have risen far beyond all computation and are still rising in every sport. This progress is manifested in every consecutive Games when records of the past, which were then thought wonderful feats, have been broken again and again. At Helsinki, Olympic records were broken on no fewer than 173 occasions in the space of eight days; that is the incredible story to 70 down in history of the track and field events of the 1952 Olympics. Eleven of the new champions shattered or equalled world records in winning their gold medals. Even the wildest dream of athletic achievements could never have envisaged such an enormous rise in world standards of athletics.

Faster and faster, better and better become the world's men and women athletes. What is the use of glorifying the great ones of the past when a succeeding generation-strong, lusty and ambitious- continues to better records. The most impressive records of the past are merely a spur to still finer efforts.

It has been a story of new feats of endurance and speed. Can men and women still go on producing better records or has the peak in human performance been reached ? Only future Olympics can confirm the answer to this question, but we may be sure that more records will yet be broken in the days to come. There seems to be no limit to what intense competition and national pride can bring out of finely trained athletes. Indeed world athletes have moved with the supersonic times.

To promote good sportsmanship Coubertin pointed out in his Olympic motto that " The important thing is not the triumph, but the struggle" and introduced the Olympic Oath:-

" We swear that we will take part in loyal competition, respecting the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of Sportsmanship for the honour of our country and the glory of sport."

-an oath which is taken by the captains of the teams of the world. The words are wedded to the ideals of the Games and its breach is considered " The supreme sin."

In the earlier Olympics sportsmanship was not always of the highest order and at most Games some incident would receive great publicity. In the 1908 London Games, for instance, the 400 m. final was ordered to be re-run on account of the alleged cutting-in by the U.S. competitors. The Americans refused to line up and Britain's Wyndham Halswelle was awarded a walk-over.

The incident of Jim Thorpe-otherwise Chief Bright Path of the Sac- Fox tribe- the North American Indian who got " scalped," will be long remembered in the annals of Olympic history. In the 1912 Stockholm Games he was saluted by King Gustav of Sweden as the greatest athlete in the world. He was received with an uproarious welcome on the other side of the Atlantic. Yet, within a year, he was dismissed as a " scamp " and stripped of an amazing array of trophies. All because he had forfeited his amateur status by playing professional baseball two years previously. Thorpe in his simple fashion accepted the judgment, but the real disrepute was earned by his accusers.

How different is the sportsmanship prevailing to-day. In the 1932 Olympics at Los Angeles, J. Keller of America was placed third in the final of the 100 m. hurdles. The film taken of the race proved that D. O. Finlay of Britain was actually third. It was gratifying to all that Keller insisted on visiting the British quarters and himself handing over the medal to Finlay. Incidentally this was the only 1932 event in which the film was contrary to the verdict of the judges.

Although the standard of sportsmanship has improved considerably in the last fifty years, there are still a few who have taken the liberty to besmirch " the true spirit of Sportsmanship."

Ever since the first modern Games were held at Athens in 1896 many competitors have been successful in various spheres of life. The ex- Minister for Fuel and Power (Britain)-Philip Noel Baker-was one of these. Lord Burghley, winner of the 400 m. hurdles in the 1928 Olympics, was Governor of Bermuda. He is now Chairman of the British Olympic Association and a director of many public companies. " The Flying Finn," Paavo Nurmi, is now the owner of a most successful " Men's Shop " at Helsinki. Miss Sonja Henie of Norway, who won the Ladies' Figure Skating in 1928, 1932 and 1936, is a most successful business woman. These are but a few of the innumerable Olympic athletes who have become " happier than they were before."

Above all else the founder wanted to bring the cream of every continent to form, by these friendly contests, lasting links between them and so make less likely the hateful conflicts of war-from time immemorial the destructor of human civilisation. Coubertin wanted just one happy, united family-politics was to play no part in his Olympics.

But even members of the International Olympic Committee are aware that it does riot work out quite like that to-day. The fact that Russia and her satellites preferred to be in a separate camp to that of the Western nations at Helsinki is just a small case in point.

Sport is mixed up with politics in the Soviet paradise. In every big event the leader is glorified. The newspaper " Soviet Sport" openly declares that communist sportsmen shouId be trained " in devotion and Iove for the great leader and teacher Comrade Stalin." The Russian athletes sent to Helsinki were accompanied by " plain clothes " men, who shadowed their every move and word. In spite of such precautions thousands of Soviet and satellite sportsmen have escaped to the West.

Nevertheless, evidence of the athletes' desire to form friendships is known by all those who have been to the Games. For instance in the 1952 Games, many leading members of the American team at Helsinki went a long way to meet the Russian athletes at their Camp.

But, to the founder, his third purpose was far more important than the rest. He hoped to touch the hearts and stir the imagination of young men and women who some day would be leaders in their country's national affairs. That was why he found his inspiration and took his ritual and his symbolism from the ancient Greeks.

No one who has been to the Games can ever doubt that they do touch their hearts and stir their imagination, and how strong and lasting are the friendships made.

The Games cannot enforce the peace to which all humanity aspires, but they give the opportunity to the Youth of the world to find out that all men on earth are brothers.

Sir Henry Newbolt, in the following words:-

"To set the Cause above renown,
To love the Game beyond the prize,
To honour, while you strike him down,
The foe that comes with fearless eyes,
To count the life of battle good
And dear the land that gave you birth;
And dearer yet the Brotherhood,
That binds the brave of all the Earth."

-summed up the Olympic ideal of chivalry and comradeship. May the Olympic Games prosper throughout the world, safe in the keeping of all those who have felt its noble impulse in this great festival of Sport.

-Master Syed Ali Ahmad. Std. IX.