The History and Origin of Athletics

Athletics has never been just a game to an Individual or a Country. It was most prestigious among them. At this Era of Sports, Athletics was well developed and achieved things that way beyond our Imagination and history. Intending to look at the History and Origin of Athletics, we should be travelling way back in time and history.

Athletics is the most ancient sport and prehistoric. Globally known and prominent Olympic games were, developed from the ancient track and field events held in ancient Greece. Fascinating fact, Isn’t it? Scrolling down, I am going to share my research on the most ravishing topic “ History and Origin of Athletics “.

Ancient India’s path towards Athletic and sports

As everyone aware of wars between kings for conquering other countries. The rally with thousands and millions of soldiers, with sharp javelins, swords, and Arrows. Every one of them is really well trained and good at using those things.

In this modern era, think of any field athlete you remember. No matter, if he is a star or record holder in the javelin but when it comes to Archery, he might not even win the junior level Archer. The same applies to a record holder archer.

Our athletes take time and training, food, and supplements. But how in the world, that every soldiers and King were masters at both Weapons. Which we call by the names javelin, sword, and arrow. They aim and point, even 100m away target very easily. The Ancient Indians were not just narrowed to one or two talents and weapons.

They learned and attained, a wide level of talent, skill, and weapons. They used to keep themselves fit, and ready at all means, as they can never predict a war.

This might look more irrelevant to the topic, But I explained this, to justify the fact that, most Ancient Indians are athletes, as time passed every talent, and knowledge Buried with them.

Only a few of our Ancestors, who do not want these talents, and knowledge buried with them, took some initiation to spread awareness between the youngsters of their times in the name of Sports, and Athletics.

Now we Might assume, we are the best athlete, but the real, and best athlete are our ancient Ancestors, who took their kit to their death like no other Modern Athlete. They use those in war as if they are born with it and they die with it. This not-just proclaims the History and Origin of Athletics, as well as, the emotion in it.

Origin of the Olympics

Athletics is a group of sport that embodies running, jumping, throwing and walking. Track and fields, road running, cross country running and race walking was the most common types of Athletic competitions. The results and winners are decided by the finishing position and measurements. By looking through the “History and Origin of Athletics”,

The term Athlete, origin form 2 Greek word Athlos, and Athlon which means a contest, and prize which bounded together to make the word. As origin was told, the meaning of an Athlete is “ One who competes for a prize”.

The first sight of organized Greek athletic is told in the “23rd book of Homer’s Iliad”, where Achilles organizes funeral games for his friend, who was killed by Hector during the Trojan War.

Olympic Games, as we perceive it today developed from the ancient track and field events that being held in ancient Greece. Some historians, trace the origin of athletics back to 9th century BC. Some historians proclaim, that Athletic contests in running, jumping, and throwing are among the oldest of all sports and they are prehistoric.

Athletic events were depicted in the Ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara, with illustrations of running at the Heb Sed (aka) “Feast of Tail festival” and high jumping appearing in early of 2250 BC.

Various research on history and origin of Athletics, authenticate the fact, that Asian and Egyptian civilizations encouraged athletics many centuries before the Christian era., It then Evolved, and we encounter its development in day to day life. Now Athletics have become the most truly international of sports, with nearly every country in the world, engaging in some form of competition.

The Ancient Olympic Games

Image by Britannica

In the History and Origin of Athletics,

There was a myth, that the ancient Olympic was first Founded by a Roman Hercules, a son of Zeus (ruler of all the gods on Mount Olympus). But per documental proof, the first Olympic Games were held in ancient Olympia, Greece in the year of 776 BC.

The first Olympic Games hosted only one competition, and that is Stadium Footrace. The winner of that event is Koroibos (Coroebus of Elis), a Greek baker and Athlete from Ellis and he holds the title of “first-ever Olympic winner in history.”

The Competition is a run of 192 meters, in the stadium. The prize of the first Olympic game, that Koroibos received is an olive branch. Athletics, then present at the Panhellenic Games, that were held in Greece. Later, the ideas and main concepts of Athletics spread to Italy, around the year 200 BC. For the next several centuries, Athletics expanded slowly all over the world.

The Middle Age of Athletics

Evolving from BC’s, athletics reached an average growth in the Middle Ages. So far, the information about the History and Origin of Athletics might explain the descendant of athletics, and origin of the Olympics. The new surge of track and field development emerged. The track and field, that we aware of today, was started developing in the 19th century, that’s when the first competitions in track and field took place.

The development of modern Athletics was started in the 19th century. Educational institutions, Sports clubs, and Military organizations organized the track and field competitions. Those Initiations boosted the growth, and Awareness of Athletics.

A well-organized amateur footrace was held in England, during 1825. Later, in 1861, the West London Rowing Club hosted, the first open meet to all amateurs. The Amateur Athletic Club (AAC), was founded in 1861. They organised the first English Championship.

The Amateur Athletic Club (AAC), yielded the governing power to the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) in 1880 and conducted, the First Annual AAA championship.

Even before England, During the year of 1876, the New York Athletic Club, from the United States organized its, first USA Outdoor Track and field Championship. As the Athletics, was developing all over the world, there was a problem that all athletes shared in common.

During a period of time, athletes are not able to receive proper training, money, prize money, and sponsorship deals. Those were ever-growing issues among the athletes, during the middle ages.

Modern Athletics

As we looked through, the History and origin of Athletics, from the origin to the Middle Age, we might have some idea about how much it evolved.

So now jumping to the Modern Athletic Era, a wide range of fascinating development happened through times. Every Athletic in the world, gets hi-tech support, in terms of equipment, and practices. Those elements have been great crises to the athletes during middle-ages, now completely narrowed down to the Athletes advantages. They Earn and win money, gain great training from extraordinary trainers, prizes, and sponsorships.

Now let me pull you back to the topic.

An international governing body, The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) was formed in 1912. Followed by, a lot of Athletic Association formed in addition to existed associations.

The track and field were developed from, mud to Synthetic. Spike shoe was introduced, Trainers had outstanding knowledge, Lot of new foods and supplements were added, even Technology has its part in it. These factors, now accomplish the performance of every athlete in the world.

Almost, Every top-Athletes performance and their achievement broadcast in a minute to the whole world through media. Then, those athletes are brand and motivation to others.

I presume everyone understands a point, that where it started and where we are now at. Alike a track-event, finishing line matter. By the word Finishing line, I mean to convey how advance we are. But we all know it doesn’t end there.

Athletics have a never-ending growth. Started with a single-event and currently trending with events, more than 50. Eventually, Who could predict the future, few more events might get added to it.

My last heading is on Records, achieved by athletes all over the history to the present. I shared some of the athletic world records, along with this Article. Scroll down to it.

World Record Holders

You can always visit the World Athletics website. The “world Athletics” website might help you with every list of records Indoor and Outdoor under both Men and Women Category.

Conclusion

I know this information was just basic, and there is a lot to explore. But, I can assure you I Am learning every day, we all do and my learning never stops, so do you. I try my best to provide the best and fascinating information to my fellow readers. At the end of the day, we all are readers and learners.

You can still find many fascinating facts and informative Article About Athletics, and other Sports on my Web site https://athleticsme.com. My essential motive is to spread knowledge, and awareness about Athletics in the world. Also, don’t miss to follow me on Quora, LinkedIn and Instagram. Always happy to share and answer all your questions.

Also, feel free to write me a mail on harishvijay128@gmail.com. I always learn from mistakes, so please be kind to share your Suggestions and feedback.

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Originally published at https://athleticsme.com on September 23, 2020.