When London first hosted the Olympics back in 1908, tug of war was an official sport, the budget was just 80,custom bobblehead,000 pounds,., and African and Asian nations weren t even invited. As London prepares to welcome the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,custom bobbleheads, we discover what s changed over 104 years.
Organisation
1908: The 1908 Olympics were originally awarded to Rome but the Italians pulled out, citing the cost of reconstruction following an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. London stepped in as host city and,personalized bobble heads, despite the rushed preparations, pulled together one of the best organised of the first Games.
2012: London beat favourites Paris to host the 2012 Games by 54 votes to 50. The result was received in London with huge cheers by flag waving supporters who had gathered in Trafalgar Square to hear the news.
The Olympic Stadium
1908: For the first time,,, a dedicated Olympic Stadium was built. Known as White City,custom bobbleheads, the new arena had space for 68,personalized bobblehead,000 spectators and took just 10 months to build at a cost of 60,custom bobblehead,000 pounds.
2012: The 2012 stadium is currently being built on an island in the Olympic Park, Stratford. Construction on the 80,000 capacity stadium began in 2008 and is expected to be completed next year.
Diversity at the Games
1908: There was little diversity to be found at the 1908 Olympics. The first Paralympic Games wasn t held until 1960 so there were no disabled athletes, and out of the 2,Using Asianbookie Resources When Betting On Soccer,008 competing athletes, just 37 were women.
2012: There are now 205 National Olympic Committees, each representing a different country from Uzbekistan to Uganda. 10,500 athletes are expected to take part in the 2012 Olympic Games, and 4,customize bobblehead,200 in the Paralympics.
Opening ceremony
1908: For the first time, the competitors paraded behind their countries flags. However the flags of Sweden and the United States were not displayed in the main stadium, provoking furious protests. The Swedes boycotted the ceremony,personalized bobbleheads, while Team American refused to dip their flag to the Royal Box.
2012: Opening ceremonies have become a huge part of the Olympics, watched by one in three people around the world. Something that didn t exist in 1908 but is a key element of the festivities today is the Olympic Flame,customize bobblehead, which was first lit at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
Duration of the Games
1908: The 4th Olympic games began on 27 April 1908 and ended on 21 October 1908 an incredible stretch of nearly 6 months!
2012: The 2012 Olympics is due to kick off on 27 July and will end on 12 August. The Paralympic Games will follow, taking place from 29 August to 9 September.
Strange sports
1908: Bicycle polo, tug of war and motor boating were some of the more unusual (and since dropped) Olympic sports in 1908.
2012: The 26 sports that make up the Olympics today include beach volleyball, basketball and taekwondo. Who knows what the 1908 athletes would have made of them!
Courage under fire
1908: Dorando Pietri won the marathon to huge roars from the stadium audience. In the scorching July heat, he collapsed 5 times en route and even ran the wrong way in the final stages. The Italian athlete was later stripped of his gold medal for having been helped over the finishing line by officials but his near death experience made him a worldwide hero.
2012: Oscar Pistorius was banned from competing as an able bodied athlete in the Beijing Olympics after the IAAF decided his artificial running legs gave him an unfair advantage,customized bobbleheads. The determined South African sprinter fought and overturned the ruling and has now set his sights on the 2012 Games.
Gold medals
1908: Great Britain topped the Olympic table with an incredible 56 gold medals, more than double the second ranked United States team who won 23 gold.
2012: How many medals will Team GB win this year? Place your bets now!
No comments:
Post a Comment