Gymnastics is one of the most popular and oldest sports in the world, and has existed for about 2000 years. The origin of the sport can be traced back to Greece, where athletes received physical training in a special field. In 1800, the Greek city of Athens hosted gymnastic tournaments, which included tumbling, rope climbing, and other interesting activities. Their love for gymnastics made them sponsor the ancient Olympic games. When the Roman's conquered Greece, they discovered that gymnastics was very valuable in their military training. However, soon after the fall of the Roman Empire, gymnastics vanished from the sport scene.
In the 1880s, gymnastic competitions started gaining importance and flourished in schools, athletic clubs and ethnic organizations across Europe. In 1896, the Olympic movement was revived at the first Olympics Games in Athens that led to establishing gymnastics as a regular event of the Olympics. Germany won most of the medals, with men from five countries competing in the horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings and vault.
In 1881, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was formed. This organization established gymnastic as an international competition. In 1883, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was formed in United States. In 1903, first international gymnastic event, after the 1896 Olympics was held in Antwerp, Belgium. The gymnasts hailed from Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. This event is now considered as the first World Championship. The first men's team competition was added and held in 1904 Olympics at St. Louis.
In 1924, the Olympics held in France began the form of modern gymnastics. In each gymnastic event, men started to compete for individual Olympic titles. During the 1928 Olympics, the first women's gymnastic team was introduced. The first women's event during 1928 Olympics was the team-combined exercise, where it was dominated by Netherlands. The first U.S. women's gymnastic team competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
In 1962, rhythmic gymnastics got recognition as a sport by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). In 1973, the United States became a part of rhythmic gymnastics in the Rhythmic World Championships. In 1970, the United States Gymnastics Federation, which is now formally called USA Gymnastics, was prepared to become the governing body of gymnastics. Olympic gymnastic is highly enjoyed by both performers and viewers and it has evolved as a colorful and most popular sport.
Monday 28 July 2008
Interesting Facts About Olympic Nations - France
Did you know?
France is the birthplace of Pierre de Coubertin, who is the father of the Olympic Movement. This Frenchman was born on January 1, 1863 in Paris. Pierre once said, "The Olympic Movement gives the world an ideal which reckons with the reality of life, and includes a possibility to guide this reality toward the great Olympic idea".
The Summer Olympic Games were held in Paris in 1900. For the first time, sportswomen were allowed to compete in the Olympics ( six tennis players ). France won first place in the Games with 26 gold, 41 silver and 34 bronze medals.
Marie-José Pérec was one of France's greatest sportswomen. She was born in Guadeloupe ( Caribbean island ) and moved to France with her mother when she was sixteen. Marie-Jose became the second female athlete in the history of the Olympic Games to sweep the 200m and 400m ( Atlanta'96 ).
Like Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Reunion, New Caledonia -French territory in Oceania- is not member of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ). Why? France does not allow its territories to compete in the Olympics. For this reason, New Caledonia's athletes can not compete in the Olympic Games. Unlike Guam ( American territory ), Aruba ( Dutch territory ) and Bermuda ( British territory ), it did not compete in the 2004 Olympics. Ironically, New Caledonia has several famous sportspeople in the South Pacific. Aquatics: Olivier Saminadin, Thomas Dahlia, Thomas Chacun, Reine-Victora Weber, Lara Grangeon, Diana Bui-Duyet, Adeline Williams and Gilles Durnesnil. Archery: Laurent Clerte, Emmanuel Guilhard, Henry Shiu, Isabelle Soeno and Sylvena Plazenet. Athletics: Vaikula Elise Takosi, Candice Soulisse, Erwin Casser, Bertrand Vili, Eric Frederic, Bina Ramesh, Eric Revillard, Phoebe Wejieme and Daniel Kilamo. Badminton: Nicolas Martoredjo, Florent Mathey, Marc-Antonie Desaynoz, Johanna Kou and Cecile Sarengat. Boxing: Christophe Lestage, Ataale Gyan and Hannequin Benoit. Judo: Sandrine Perel, Kyo Lussaud, Melissa Kaddour, Stephane Courtine, Jonathan Berger, Cyril Chevalier, Paul Dulac, Abedis Trindade de Abreu, Vaea Chadfeau and Diane Hillaireau. Sailing: Chrisptophe Renaud, Alban Rossollin, Feri Malhieu, Michael Borde, Cawle Dabin and Paiscillia Poaniewa. Shooting: Theodore Tein Weiawe, Fabrice Azarro and Phillipe Sinoni. Table tennis: Frederic Quach, Laurent Sens, Maxime Bataihard, Ornella Bouteille and Alexandra Heraclide. Taekwondo: Annie Odino, Kevin Belhameche, John Trouilet and Arnord Sariman. Tennis: Julien Couly, Elodie Rogge and Nickolas Ngodrela. Triathlon: Oliver Bargibant, Stephane Lacroix and Benedicte Meunier. At the last South Pacific Games held in Apia ( Samoa / formerly Western Samoa ) in November 2007, it finished 1st among 22 countries and territories. Certainly, New Caledonia has won more international gold medals per capita than any other country of the South Pacific.
Paris hosted the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in 1986. Final standings: 1.United States, 2.USSR ( currently Russia ), 3.Bulgaria, 4.Brazil, 5.Cuba, 6.France, 7.Argentina, 8.Czechoslovakia (currently Czech Republic/Slovak Republic), 9.Poland, 10.Japan, 11.China, 12.Italy, 13.Greece, 14.Venezuela, 15.Egypt, 16.Taiwan.
Jean Schopter became the first Frenchman to win the Roland Garros in 1892.
France send 243 athletes to the 1984 Los Angeles Games. It participated in 19 sports: archery ( 2 ), athletics (45), basketball ( 12 ), boxing ( 4 ), kayak ( 14 ), cycling ( 16 ), equestrian ( 11), fencing ( 20 ), football ( 17 ), gymnastics ( 9 ), wrestling ( 16 ), modern pentathlon ( 3 ), rowing ( 22 ), shooting ( 15 ), swimming ( 19 ), tennis ( 4 ), weightlifting ( 2 ), wrestling ( 8 ), sailing ( 12 ).
This European country won the gold medal in soccer at the 1984 Olympic Games in the United States.
France is the birthplace of fencing. Fencing was made part of the official program for the Olympics at the 1896 Athens Games.
Paris has hosted the Summer Olympics in 1924. There were 3,092 athletes from 44 countries who competed in 19 sports: athletics, aquatics, boxing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, modern pentathlon, polo, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, soccer, tennis, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling. France came third with 13 golds, 15 silvers and 10 bronzes.
Eunice Barber is one of the most famous athletes in France. She was born on November 17, 1974 in Freetown, Sierra Leone ( Western Africa ), the world's poorest country. Eunice says, "I was fortunate to grow up in Sierra Leone, an English-speaking African country where sport is very present". For political and economic reasons, she moved to France when she was 18 years old. In the 1990s, Sierra Leone had one of Africa's bloodiest civil wars. More than 70,000 Africans had been killed and 150,000 had left the country. Under the banner of Sierra Leone, Eunice finished fifth in the heptathlon competition at the 1996 Olympic Games in the United States. For many sportswriters and experts, her Olympic performance was amazing. Three years later, she become a French citizen.
Top performances:
1999: European Cup-1st heptathlon
1999: World Cup-1st heptathlon
2003: IAAF World Championships- 1st long jump, 2nd heptathlon
2003: European Cup-1st long jump
2003: IAAF World Athletics Final-1st long jump
2005: IAAF World Championships-2nd heptathlon, 3rd long jump
2005: IAAF World Athletics Final-4th long jump
2006: European Cup-2nd long jump
Eunice's favourites:
Movie stars: Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore
Music: From French to pop music
Hobbies: Theater, cinematography, music, reading
Fashion designers: Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gautier
Music artists: Celine Dion, Withney Houston, Wyclef Jean.
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "
France is the birthplace of Pierre de Coubertin, who is the father of the Olympic Movement. This Frenchman was born on January 1, 1863 in Paris. Pierre once said, "The Olympic Movement gives the world an ideal which reckons with the reality of life, and includes a possibility to guide this reality toward the great Olympic idea".
The Summer Olympic Games were held in Paris in 1900. For the first time, sportswomen were allowed to compete in the Olympics ( six tennis players ). France won first place in the Games with 26 gold, 41 silver and 34 bronze medals.
Marie-José Pérec was one of France's greatest sportswomen. She was born in Guadeloupe ( Caribbean island ) and moved to France with her mother when she was sixteen. Marie-Jose became the second female athlete in the history of the Olympic Games to sweep the 200m and 400m ( Atlanta'96 ).
Like Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Reunion, New Caledonia -French territory in Oceania- is not member of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ). Why? France does not allow its territories to compete in the Olympics. For this reason, New Caledonia's athletes can not compete in the Olympic Games. Unlike Guam ( American territory ), Aruba ( Dutch territory ) and Bermuda ( British territory ), it did not compete in the 2004 Olympics. Ironically, New Caledonia has several famous sportspeople in the South Pacific. Aquatics: Olivier Saminadin, Thomas Dahlia, Thomas Chacun, Reine-Victora Weber, Lara Grangeon, Diana Bui-Duyet, Adeline Williams and Gilles Durnesnil. Archery: Laurent Clerte, Emmanuel Guilhard, Henry Shiu, Isabelle Soeno and Sylvena Plazenet. Athletics: Vaikula Elise Takosi, Candice Soulisse, Erwin Casser, Bertrand Vili, Eric Frederic, Bina Ramesh, Eric Revillard, Phoebe Wejieme and Daniel Kilamo. Badminton: Nicolas Martoredjo, Florent Mathey, Marc-Antonie Desaynoz, Johanna Kou and Cecile Sarengat. Boxing: Christophe Lestage, Ataale Gyan and Hannequin Benoit. Judo: Sandrine Perel, Kyo Lussaud, Melissa Kaddour, Stephane Courtine, Jonathan Berger, Cyril Chevalier, Paul Dulac, Abedis Trindade de Abreu, Vaea Chadfeau and Diane Hillaireau. Sailing: Chrisptophe Renaud, Alban Rossollin, Feri Malhieu, Michael Borde, Cawle Dabin and Paiscillia Poaniewa. Shooting: Theodore Tein Weiawe, Fabrice Azarro and Phillipe Sinoni. Table tennis: Frederic Quach, Laurent Sens, Maxime Bataihard, Ornella Bouteille and Alexandra Heraclide. Taekwondo: Annie Odino, Kevin Belhameche, John Trouilet and Arnord Sariman. Tennis: Julien Couly, Elodie Rogge and Nickolas Ngodrela. Triathlon: Oliver Bargibant, Stephane Lacroix and Benedicte Meunier. At the last South Pacific Games held in Apia ( Samoa / formerly Western Samoa ) in November 2007, it finished 1st among 22 countries and territories. Certainly, New Caledonia has won more international gold medals per capita than any other country of the South Pacific.
Paris hosted the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in 1986. Final standings: 1.United States, 2.USSR ( currently Russia ), 3.Bulgaria, 4.Brazil, 5.Cuba, 6.France, 7.Argentina, 8.Czechoslovakia (currently Czech Republic/Slovak Republic), 9.Poland, 10.Japan, 11.China, 12.Italy, 13.Greece, 14.Venezuela, 15.Egypt, 16.Taiwan.
Jean Schopter became the first Frenchman to win the Roland Garros in 1892.
France send 243 athletes to the 1984 Los Angeles Games. It participated in 19 sports: archery ( 2 ), athletics (45), basketball ( 12 ), boxing ( 4 ), kayak ( 14 ), cycling ( 16 ), equestrian ( 11), fencing ( 20 ), football ( 17 ), gymnastics ( 9 ), wrestling ( 16 ), modern pentathlon ( 3 ), rowing ( 22 ), shooting ( 15 ), swimming ( 19 ), tennis ( 4 ), weightlifting ( 2 ), wrestling ( 8 ), sailing ( 12 ).
This European country won the gold medal in soccer at the 1984 Olympic Games in the United States.
France is the birthplace of fencing. Fencing was made part of the official program for the Olympics at the 1896 Athens Games.
Paris has hosted the Summer Olympics in 1924. There were 3,092 athletes from 44 countries who competed in 19 sports: athletics, aquatics, boxing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, modern pentathlon, polo, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, soccer, tennis, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling. France came third with 13 golds, 15 silvers and 10 bronzes.
Eunice Barber is one of the most famous athletes in France. She was born on November 17, 1974 in Freetown, Sierra Leone ( Western Africa ), the world's poorest country. Eunice says, "I was fortunate to grow up in Sierra Leone, an English-speaking African country where sport is very present". For political and economic reasons, she moved to France when she was 18 years old. In the 1990s, Sierra Leone had one of Africa's bloodiest civil wars. More than 70,000 Africans had been killed and 150,000 had left the country. Under the banner of Sierra Leone, Eunice finished fifth in the heptathlon competition at the 1996 Olympic Games in the United States. For many sportswriters and experts, her Olympic performance was amazing. Three years later, she become a French citizen.
Top performances:
1999: European Cup-1st heptathlon
1999: World Cup-1st heptathlon
2003: IAAF World Championships- 1st long jump, 2nd heptathlon
2003: European Cup-1st long jump
2003: IAAF World Athletics Final-1st long jump
2005: IAAF World Championships-2nd heptathlon, 3rd long jump
2005: IAAF World Athletics Final-4th long jump
2006: European Cup-2nd long jump
Eunice's favourites:
Movie stars: Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore
Music: From French to pop music
Hobbies: Theater, cinematography, music, reading
Fashion designers: Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gautier
Music artists: Celine Dion, Withney Houston, Wyclef Jean.
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "
FACTS ABOUT OLYMPIC GAMES
DID YOU KNOW THAT… For unknown reasons, El Salvador did not compete at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1988 Olympic Games were boycotted by seven socialist nations, including Cuba, Seychelles, Nicaragua, North Korea, Ethiopia, Albania , and Madagascar. The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The United Kingdom competed at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, USSR (currently Russia,Ukraine,Estonia…)
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee(IOC), Jamaican Olympic Committee is the sole sports organization with exclusive powers to organize delegations from Jamaica at the Pan American Games, the Central and Caribbean Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games…
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Bangladesh competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics for the first time ever.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…For political reasons, Taiwan did not compete at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal Canada.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Since 1984, Taiwan has competed at the Olympic Games under the banner of “Chinese Taipei”.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1980 Summer Olympics were boycotted by 66 nations and territories, including the United States, Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Belize, Bolivia,Canada, Chile, Egypt, El Salvador, West Germany (currently Germany), Haiti, Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Thailand, Uruguay and the People´s Republic of China.The American-led boycott affected competition in most sports: track and field, soccer, archery, field hockey, judo, basketball and volleyball.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1976 Olympic Games were boycotted by 34 Third World countries, including Iraq, Guyana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire.Under the leadership of Julyus Nyerere (former dictator of Tanzania), 34 African countries boycotted the Games to protest New Zealand´s violation of the international sports ban on South Africa. The International Committee Olympic ousted South Africa in 1961 for its apartheid policies.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…London will host the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2005, London defeated Paris to 2012 Games. Tony Blair, who is prime minister of the United Kingdom, said, “It´s more than half a century since Britain last hosted the Games. Olympic historians will know how important the 1908 and 1948 London Games were in ensuring the Olympic Movement was equipped and strengthened to continue its vital role. Staging the Games again in London, the city which most excites young people the world over, can only help to strengthen the bond between the Olympic Movement and the younger generation…”
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The USSR competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul,South Korea.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by 18 nations, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, East Germany (currently Germany), Hungary, Iran, Laos, Lybia, Mongolia, Poland, North Korea, Czechoslovakia (currently Czech Republic), Burkina Faso, South Yemen,Cuba, and Vietnam.
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry.He´ve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso".He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist". Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul).His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1988 Olympic Games were boycotted by seven socialist nations, including Cuba, Seychelles, Nicaragua, North Korea, Ethiopia, Albania , and Madagascar. The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The United Kingdom competed at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, USSR (currently Russia,Ukraine,Estonia…)
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee(IOC), Jamaican Olympic Committee is the sole sports organization with exclusive powers to organize delegations from Jamaica at the Pan American Games, the Central and Caribbean Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games…
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Bangladesh competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics for the first time ever.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…For political reasons, Taiwan did not compete at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal Canada.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…Since 1984, Taiwan has competed at the Olympic Games under the banner of “Chinese Taipei”.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1980 Summer Olympics were boycotted by 66 nations and territories, including the United States, Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Belize, Bolivia,Canada, Chile, Egypt, El Salvador, West Germany (currently Germany), Haiti, Hong Kong, Iran, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Thailand, Uruguay and the People´s Republic of China.The American-led boycott affected competition in most sports: track and field, soccer, archery, field hockey, judo, basketball and volleyball.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1976 Olympic Games were boycotted by 34 Third World countries, including Iraq, Guyana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire.Under the leadership of Julyus Nyerere (former dictator of Tanzania), 34 African countries boycotted the Games to protest New Zealand´s violation of the international sports ban on South Africa. The International Committee Olympic ousted South Africa in 1961 for its apartheid policies.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…London will host the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2005, London defeated Paris to 2012 Games. Tony Blair, who is prime minister of the United Kingdom, said, “It´s more than half a century since Britain last hosted the Games. Olympic historians will know how important the 1908 and 1948 London Games were in ensuring the Olympic Movement was equipped and strengthened to continue its vital role. Staging the Games again in London, the city which most excites young people the world over, can only help to strengthen the bond between the Olympic Movement and the younger generation…”
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The USSR competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul,South Korea.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were boycotted by 18 nations, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, East Germany (currently Germany), Hungary, Iran, Laos, Lybia, Mongolia, Poland, North Korea, Czechoslovakia (currently Czech Republic), Burkina Faso, South Yemen,Cuba, and Vietnam.
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry.He´ve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso".He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist". Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul).His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.
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