The beginning of the modern olympics

The modern Olympic Games began in the first week of April 1896 in Athens. Pierre Fredy, Baron de Coubertin of France was responsible for starting them up again. Olympics was restarted to encourage world peace and friendship and to promote healthy sporting competition for the youth of the world. The Olympic games was set up to be a big festival type event and there were many parades and ceremonies honouring the athletes that came from other countries. There were just 245 competitors, and more than 200 were Greek, and only 14 countries were represented during the first games. Pole vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics were all events at the first Olympics.

This is Pierre Freddy's bio

Born in 1863

Died in
September 2, 1937 (aged 74)Geneva, Switzerland

Burial place
Olympia in Greece.

Nationality
French