Mystery and Excellence of the Human Body

Notes

List of Olympics in modern times

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Olympic Events in each discipline (Summer Games)

Track and Field Men 100 Meters, 200 Meters, 400 Meters, 800 Meters, 1500 Meters, 5000 Meters, 10,000 Meters, Marathon, 110-Meter Hurdles, 400-Meter Hurdles, 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 4 x 100-Meter, Relay, 4 x 400 Meter Relay, 20,000-Meter Walk,

50,000-Meter Walk, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, Decathlon.

Women

100 Meters, 200 Meters, 400 Meters, 800 Meters, 1500 Meters, 3000 Meters, 10,000 Meters, Marathon, 100-Meter Hurdles, 400-Meter Hurdles, 4 x 100 Meter Relay, 4 x 400-Meter Relay, High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw,

Heptathlon/Pentathlon.

Boxing

Light Flyweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight, Light Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Super Heavyweight.

Canoeing

Men

Kayak Singles 500 Meters, Kayak Singles 100 Meters, Kayak Pairs 500 Meters, Kayak Pairs 1000 Meters, Kayak Fours 1000 Meters, Canadian Singles 500 Meters, Canadian Singles 1000 Meters, Canadian pairs 500 Meters, Canadian Pairs 1000 Meters.

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Women

Kayak Singles 500 Meters, Kayak Pairs 500 Meters, Kayak Fours 500 Meters.

Cycling

Men

1000-Meter Sprint (Scratch), 1000-Meter Time Trail, 4000-Meter Individual Pursuit, 4000-Meter Team Pursuit, Points Race, Road Race, Team Time Trail.

Women

1000-Meter Sprint (Scratch)

Road Race

Equestrian

Three-Day Event, Individual, Three-Day Event Team, Jumping (Individual) (Prix des Nations), Jumping (Team) (Prix des Nations), Dressage, Individual, Dressage, Team

Fencing

Men

Foil-Individual, Foil-Team, Epee-Team, Sabre-Individual, Sabre-Team

Women

Foil-Individual, Foil-Team

Women

All-Around, Side Horse Vault, Asymmetrical (Uneven) Bars, Balance Beam, Floor Exercise, Team Combined Exercises, Rhythmic Ail-Around.

Team Handball

Men — Women

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Judo

Extra-Lightweight, Half-Lightweight, Lightweight, Half-Middleweight, Middleweight, Half-Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Open.

Modem Pentathlon

Individual — Team

Rowing

Men

Single Sculls, Double Sculls, Quadruple Sculls, Pair-Oared Shell without Coxswain, Pair-Oared Shell with Coxswain, Four-Oared Shell without Coxswain, Four-Oared Shell with Coxswain, Eight-Oared Shell with Coxswain.

Women

Single Sculls, Double Sculls, Quadruple Sculls with Coxswain, Pair-Oared Shell without Coxswain, Four-Oared Shell with Coxswain, Eight-Oared Shell with Coxswain.

Shooting

Men

Rapid-fire Pistol, Free Pistol, Small-Bore Rifle (Prone), Small-Bore Rifle (Three Positions), Moving Target, Air Rifle.

Women

Sport Pistol, Air Pistol, Small-Bore Rifle, Three Positions, Air Rifle.

Mixed

Trap Shooting, Skeet Shooting

Swimming

Men

50-m Freestyle, 100-m Freestyle, 200-m Freestyle, 400-m Freestyle, 1500-m Freestyle, 100-m Backstroke, 200-m Backstroke, 100-m Breaststroke, 200-m Breaststroke, 100-m Butterfly, 200-m Butterfly, 200-m Individual Medley, 400-m Individual Medley, 4 x 100-m medley relay, Synchronized swimming: solo, Synchronized swimming: duet, Springboard diving, Platform diving.

Women

50-m Freestyle, 100-m Freestyle, 200-m Freestyle, 400-m Freestyle, 1500-m Freestyle, 100-m Backstroke, 200-m Backstroke, 100-m Breaststroke, 200-m Breaststroke, 100-m Butterfly, 200-m Butterfly, 200-m Individual Medley, 400-m Individual Medley, 4 x 100-m medley relay. Synchronized swimming: solo. Synchronized swimming: duet. Springboard diving. Platform diving.

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Table tennis Men Singles, Doubles Women Singles, Doubles
	Tennis Men Singles, Doubles Women Singles, Doubles Volleyball Men — Women
	Weightlifting Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Middle Heavyweight, 100 Kg, Heavyweight, Super Heavyweight Unlimited Weight. Freestyle wrestling Light Flyweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight,

Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Super Heavyweight.

Greco-Roman wrestling

Light Flyweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Super Heavyweight.

Yachting

Mixed, Windglider, Finn, Star, Flying Dutchman, Tornado, Soling.

Men: 470

Women: 470

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Discontinued sports events

Cricket, Croquet, Golf, Jeu de Paume, Lacrosse, Motor Boating, Polo, Rackets, Roque, Rugby, Tug of War.

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Olympic Winter Games

Since 1924, there are also "Winter Games," which are held the same year, generally preceding the main summer game. The main disciplines are Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Bobsled, Cross Country Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, Nordic Combined, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding and Speed Skating.

*

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Asian Games

India is the founder of Asian Games. The first Asian Games were held at the National Stadium in New Delhi from March 4 to 11, 1951. The subsequent Asian Games were held at Manila in 1954, Tokyo in 1958, Jakarta in 1962, Bangkok in 1966 and 1970, Teheran in 1974 and Bangkok in 1978. After nearly 32 years, Asian Games were held in India again in 1982 (ninth Asian games). Then Seoul in 1986, Beijing in 1990, Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok 1998 and Busan 2002..

Origin of Asian Games

The idea of holding a sports meet on the Olympic pattern for the Asian countries was mooted in 1934 by the late Maharaja Yadavendra Singh of Patiala and Professor G.D. Sondhi. The first West Asiatic Games were held in New Delhi in February 1934 in which four countries — India, Afghanistan, Ceylon and Palestine — participated. These games were to -be held every four years but the next Games scheduled to be held in Tel Aviv in 1938 could not take place. The concept of Western Asiatic Games was then extended to the whole of Asia. This idea of Professor G.D. Sondhi received a further impetus during the Asian Relations Conference in 1947. However, the idea of India hosting a comprehensive meet was rejected by the Indian Olympic Association Council

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meeting held at Lucknow in July 1947.

The Asian Games Federation (AGF) was the result of the determined dream of its founder, the late Mr. G.S. Sondhi of India, to promote development of an Asian identity, in fact an Asian Unity through sports. Despite initial setbacks it was formed on February 13, 1949 in New Delhi, where the delegates drafted a constitution. They decided to hold the Asian Games every four years, midway between the Olympic Games, and also agreed on the simple motto which was designed and proposed by Mr. Sondhi "Ever Onward" on top of an Orange Sun that represents the ever glimmering and warm spirit of the Asian people.

It is no doubt thanks to the continued efforts of Professor Sondhi and the untiring endeavours of Maharaja Yadavendra Singh, with the blessings of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, that the Asian Games Federation was finally formed and India, being the founder member of this body, was given the honour of organizing the first Asian Games. The Indian Olympic Association then revised its earlier decision and itself offered to hold the first Asian Games in Feb. 1950 which too could not take place as per schedule. The Maharaja of Patiala was elected the first President of the Asian Games Federation and Professor Sondhi was made the Secretary-cum-Treasurer. The first Asian Games were actually held in New Delhi from March 4 to 11, 1951, at the Irwin Amphitheatre (National Stadium).

First Asian Games.

March 4, 1951, is considered to be a red letter day in the sports history of India. The first Indian President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, inaugurated the first Asian Games on this day. As Dr. Prasad declared the Games open at 4.15 p.m., the 40,000 joyous spectators present at the National Stadium burst into applause and guns were fired from the Purana Quila. The flags of the eleven participating countries flew majestically around the stadium. Pt. Nehru gave a short crisp message on this occasion: "Play the game in the spirit of the game." A large number of balloons and pigeons were released in the stadium. After the inauguration, the Asian Games Federation flag — a blazing sun and eleven interlinked blue rings against a white background — was unfurled. The 600 competitors from the eleven contesting countries, namely, Afghanistan, Burma, Ceylon, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaya, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and host India, dressed in their national sports dress, then marched round the stadium and saluted the President as they passed the saluting base.

Brigadier Dalip Singh (57), who had represented India in the Olympics in 1924 and 1928, had the privilege of becoming the first Asian Games torch-bearer. The torch was lit by the sun's rays with the help of a lens at the historic Red Fort and was carried to the National Stadium by relay of 50 athletes. Brigadier Dalip

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Singh was greeted with thunderous applause as he entered the arena with the torch and lighted the sacred flame which was kept burning all through the games.

During the eight days of the games, 600 competitors from 11 countries participated for 55 events in 6 sports, viz., athletics, basketball, cycling, foot ball, swimming, and weightlifting. Japan emerged the top sporting nation with 24 gold medals, followed by India who won 16 golds.

The closing ceremony was as grand as the opening one, and was on the Olympic pattern. Prime Minister Nehru took the salute. The participating nations marched past, but not in alphabetical order, thus indicating the friend ship developed among the competitors. After a brief closing speech by the Maharaja of Patiala, the flag and the torch were handed over to the Chief Commissioner of Delhi for safe keeping till the Games were held again four years later in Manila (Philippines) in 1954. Eleven guns were fired from the Purana Quila and with the National Anthem, the first Asian Games came to an end.

Other Asian games

2nd Asian Games: 1954 Manila (Philippines)

1021 participants from 18 countries

Milkha Singh, winner of the 200 and 400 m in the Tokyo Asian Games, 1958

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3rd Asian Games: 1958 Tokyo (Japan)

1400 participants from 20 countries

4th Asian Games: 1962 Jakarta (Indonesia)

1500 participants from 20 countries

5th Asian Games: 1966 Bangkok (Thailand)

1945 participants from 18 countries

6th Asian Games: 1970 Bangkok (Thailand)

2000 participants from 18 countries

(Burma, Kampuchea, Ceylon, Honking, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Vietnam and Thailand)

7th Asian Games: 1974 Teheran (Iran)

3000 participants from 25 countries

8th Asian Games: 1978 Bangkok (Thailand)

3000 from 21 countries

9th Asian Games: 1982 Delhi (India)

(25 countries) 16 days from 19-11 to 4-12-1982 184 events in 22 Disciplines

(Archery, (6 events), Athletics (40 events) Badminton (7 events), Basketball (2 events) Boxing (12 weight categories), Cycling (7 events), Equestrian (3 events), Football, Golf (6 event), Gymnastics (9 events). Handball (1 event) Hockey, (men) Hockey (women), Rowing (4 events), Shooting (11 events). Swimming (34 events), Table Tennis (7 events) Tennis (7 events) Volley ball (2 events) Weightlifting (10 categories), Wrestling (10 categories), Yachting (4 events in the Arabian Sea and Bombay)

10th Asian Games: 1986 Seoul (South Korea)

1st Asian Winter Games: 1986 Sapporo (Japan)

As the Asiad gained recognition as the Olympic of Asia, the desire to develop a winter version of the Asian Games had begun to materialize. With the promotion of winter sports in Asia and the improvement of competitive skills as primary objectives, the inauguration of Winter Asian Games was approved during the OCA General Assembly held in Seoul, Korea in September 1984. Japan was given the privilege of hosting the 1st Winter Asian Games in Sapporo, for it had both the expertise and infrastructures gained through the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympic games. 7 countries including India and Mongolia participated.

11th Asian Games: 1990 Beijing (China)

(25 Countries participated: Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei,

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Honking, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand.)

2nd Asian Winter Games: 1990 Sapporo (Japan)

Due to various difficulties, India had to renounce the privilege of hosting the 2nd Winter Asian Games. The inaugural host city, Sapporo, the winter sports capital of Asia, was then selected again. In addition to the last Winter Games, Taiwan, Philippines and Iran made their entry to bring the total number of participating countries to 10. In medal tally, the order was Japan, China and South Korea.

12th Asian Games: 1994 Hiroshima (Japan)

(In addition to the countries which participated in 1990, several newly independent Asian republics which were formerly part of the Soviet Union have sent athletes for the first time: Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Also Cambodia was able to send a team for the first time since 1974)

(Disciplines: Archery, Athletics, Badmington, Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Karatedo, Modern Pentathlon (Fencing, Swimming, Shooting, Running, Riding), Rowing, Sepak Takrew, Shooting, Soccer, Softball, Soft Tennis, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Wushu,Yatchting.)

For the first time in the history of the Asian Games, an Asiad was held in non-capital city of the host country. Levelled by an atomic Bomb during World War II, the city of Hiroshima, Japan, hosted the 12th Asian Games, highlighting the themes Peace and Harmony. It also marked the second Asiad to be held in Japan since the 3rd Asian Games in Tokyo, 1958. Cambodia made her come back to the Asian Games after 20 years' absence. 43 countries and regions participated, 5 former Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan, who were recently included as members of OCA, were received with warm welcome. Baseball, Karatedo, Modern Pentathlon and Soft Tennis were added to make 34 disciplines in total.

3rd Asian Winter Games: 1996 Harbin (China)

The Democratic People's Republic Korea (North Korea) was not able to honour its commitment as the host of the 3rd Asian Winter games. Instead, Harbin, a northern city of China, was given an

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opportunity to host the Games. A big leap in number of participating countries/NOCs and regions, 17 in total, along with more than 700 participants provided enough proof that the Winter Asian Games had become an international event of high calibre 10 years after its conception. China, the host country, ranked in most of the medals followed by Kazakhstan.

13th Asian Games: 1998 Bangkok (Thailand)

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, held yet another Asiad for the 4th time. With the eventual hosting of the Olympic Games in sight, Thailand's effort to host the 13th Asiad begun as far back as in 1988, during the Seoul Olympiad. Due to the dwindling Asian economy that resulted in the devastating Asian currency crisis of 1997/98, serious concerns were raised on the feasibility of Thailand for staging the Games. However, galvanized with the know-how of having hosted three successful Asiad and with utter dedication, Bangkok bounced back stronger than ever to stage one of the greatest Asian Games. Also, it was the first Game with comprehensive marketing plan for generating revenues to be shared by member countries for the promotion of sports. With 36 sports and 2 demonstration events, Rugby, Billiards & Snooker and Squash were added to the list. China, South Korea and Japan were the top three contenders for medals. Thailand, Kazakhstan and Taiwan did quite well also.

4th Asian Winter Games: 1999 Kangwon (South Korea)

The Northern province of South Korea, Kangwon, was the stage of the 4th Asian Winter Game. In medal tally, China maintained her supremacy, followed by South Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan.

14th Asian Games: 2002 Busan (South Korea)

September 29 to October 14 2002 (16 days).

Location; The Greater Busan Metropolitan area. (The games utilized stadiums in Changwon, Masan, Yangsan and other cities for some events.)

Number of countries: 43

(37 disciplines: Athletics, Swimming, Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Billiards, Body Building, Bowling, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Rugby, Sepak Takraw, Shooting, Softball, Soft Tennis, Squash, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Wushu, Yachting.)

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5th Asian Winter Games: 2003 Aomori (Japan)

Period: February 1, 2003 to February 8, 2003

Location: Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Sports: 6 sports, 54 events

Skiing: Alpine Skiing, Ski Jumping, Cross-Country Skiing, Freestyle Skiing.

Site: Owani International ski Area, on the slopes of Mt. Ajara, (altitude: 709m).

Skating: Speed Skating, Short Track. Site: Hachinohe City, Misawa City

Figure Skating & Curling Site: Aomori Prefectural Skating Rink

Ice Hockey Site: Hachinohe City

Biathlon Site: Iwaki Town

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)

The formation of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) was approved in New Delhi, India, during the Asian Games Federation (AGF) Council meeting held on November 26, 1981, which was attended by duly accredited representatives of the affiliated Asian National Olympic Committees. One year later it was officially founded on December 5, 1982 in New Delhi during the IX Asian Games which were held there as the last games under the "AGF" umbrella.

The OCA main aim is to help develop the moral and physical qualities of the youth of Asia by fair competition in amateur sports, friendship, international respect and goodwill.

The OCA is the governing body of all sports in Asia, with the mandate to supervise and encourage sport at the highest competitive levels. It presides over a vast geographic area which includes the Far East and the Middle East, as well as some countries from the former Soviet Union.

The permanent headquarters of the OCA is in Kuwait.

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