OLYMPIC CONTESTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1912, Page 3

OLYMPIC CONTESTS.

GENEALOGY AND SIGNIFICANCE ATHLETIC SUPREMACY. THIS YEAR'S GATHERING. The question of Australian representation afc the Olympic games, to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, this year, is one that is at present greatly* exercising the enthusiasm and energy of several sections of our sporting community (writes Dr. L. O. S. Poidevin in the Sydney Morning Herald). It is, of course, merely another aspect of that healthy spirit of international rivalry that finds easy expression in cricket test matches, in football " internationals," and in Davis Cup contests; and, like them, it makes its appeal not only 4,0 the particular organisations concerned, but also to the nation and the national spirit. But it represents a good deal more than a mere outlet for that rivalry — more than a, test of world's supremacy for our swimmers, our runners, or our oarsmen, as the case may be. It is a 'link with the past, representing the ancient spirit of the Greeks in modern form and jjarb j in si een6e it aptly epitomises the march of the world's progress. As such it ie highly interesting, and it sends our thoughts and enquiries speeding hurriedly back to its proennial days, and to its expression in the ancient prototypes of theee modern games. IN DAYS GONE BY. Some ten miles, from the western shores of the Peloponnesus, on the right bank of the Aepneios, just where the I Kladeos joins it, stands to-day a small town called Olympia. Here, practically, on the same spot, nearly 1500 years 8.C., stood neither town nor village, but only the Altis, or sacred enclosure, containing within it, among other temples sacred to the lesser deities, one dedicated to Zeus, or Jupiter, the father of all the gods who lived on the eummib of* Olympus, until the philosophers transferred .tfyeir ab'pde to the planetary spheres. _ Here, just outside the eastern wall of the Altis, tradition asserts that Lin MS B.C. the firefc Stadium, 630 ft in Length, was Jaid out aud built, though, perhaps, not in the same handsome style as the one 'erected later in Athens, The shape of the course and the tiers of 6esufcs on either side point to its having been originally placed in a hollow ; while the Stadium having been from time immemorial a unit for ihe measurement of length and distance, accounte for its dimensions ( and name. The old Roman mile consisted o£ 7^ stadia, or 4732 English feet, thus giving the Stadium a length of exactly 632.26 ft. In the valley of Olympia in 1453 B.C. ■the Italian Hercules instituted the Olympic games in honour of Jupiter. Tradition, however, , speake rather uncertainly of their ' founder, and divides the honour of their inception with Pelops, who on come authority ie credited with their inception in 1307 B.C. Pelopa was certainly regarded as the heroic prototype of the victor at the games, probably on account of his beating Aenomoa*, King of Pkatio, in a chariot race. Chariot-racing was not, however, included in the Penthalon, or original five games; and the' story itself ' of Pelops suggests that the games were in vogue before he entered the lists. They took place every four years, and had for their object the exercising of the youth. Beginning on the first 'full moon of ' tho summer solstice, they lasted five days. The Penthalon, or original contests, consisted of leaping,, gunning, throwing the discus, throwing the spear, and wrestling.' At first only Peloponnesians took part in tho games; but gradually other Greek States were attracted' to them, and the gathering soon became PanHellenic. Only those of pure Hellenic blood 1 , however, were allowed to compete. • Many judges were appointed, and immediately after each contest the victor was given a' palm leaf, while at the close of the games 'all the victors received wreaths of interwoven twigs cut from tho sacred olive tree in the Altis j they were then presented to the assembled people, each with his prize palm branch in his hand, while the heralds proclaimed his .name, and that, of his father and State. These • victors enjoyed lifelong distinction, which was .also shared by their families an* districts. On returning to their provinces they were accorded a triumphal • procession, and usually enjoyed exemption' from taxes. They had the privilege also of erecting statues in the Altis, which if they had 'won three events might bear their_own features. Intthe time of the eider Pliny (the first century A.D.) it is statedthat there still stood about 3000 such statues in the Sacred Grove, all within a level space about 600 ft long by nearly 680 ft broad. As the opening day approached the competitors were required to take oath that they had undergone the ten monthb* -training prescribed by law for those who wished to compete. Most of this preparatory training was undergone in the gymnasium beside the Sacred Grove and its sanctuaries and statues connected with' the games, and embodying as it does the ancient idea of the time required to "get fit" for the contests makes interesting contrast in many ways with our modern ideas on that subject. •On, the first day of the five that the games lasted,' when the sides of the stadium had been transformed into a sea of faces, the judges and competitors passed through a, special entrance into the arena. Silence reigned supreme, which on a signal from the chief of the judges was broken by the heralds, who announced the name, title, and province of each competitor. The judges then took their seats, and the contests began. As time went on more games were included in the programme, and the competitors were no longer limited to men of purely Greek birth. The Romans, after conquering Greece, sought and obtained the privilege- of competing. Even Emperors — Nero and Tiberius to wit — and illustrious men Yof letters took part in the festival. Theodotus read l part of his. history on one occasion ; celebrated orators addressed the people ; and painl* ers exhibited their works. Later still the pure Greeks became iess and less conspicuous among the competitors, and coincidentally the celebration of the games began to wane again. In 394A.D. they were, in 1 fact, suppressed by the Emperor Theodosius, ahd the Olympic buildings destroyed. THE REVIVAL.' With due appropriateness it ' was a wealthy Greek, M. Zappae, who, in 1888, gave funds to re-establish tfi© games under the auspices of the Queen of Greece. In 1894 an international congress sitting in Paris decided to revive the contests, and it was resolved and arranged that the first revival should take .place at Athens in 1896, on tho seventy-fifth anniversary of the Greek independence. Then M. Averoff, of Alexandria, came forward, and it was through his generosity and energy that the stadium at _-*t!ii?n» WSC restored to ite ancient splendour. Thus were the Olympic Game 3 revived, with many modern contests included in the programme, and with athletes coming from France, England, Australia, and, in fact, from all over the world, aa well aa from Gieek territories'. As is well known, of course, they havo

been held since then in different places ; London the last, at the % old Olympiad intervals and in accordance with the decision of the International Olympic Committee, at its meeting in Berlin during 1909, the fifth celebration since the revival is to be held, as already stated, at Stockholm, during the middle of this year. * ' The whole arrangement of this cele- ! bration is in the hands of the Swedish Olympic Committee, of which H.M. tho King of Sweden is" patron — he will probably be a competitor in the lawn tennis I — and H.R.H. the Crown Prince, honorary president. Elaborate preparations are being made by the 31 nations oificially represented on the International Olympic Committee, so that each shall be represented by ite best available talent in the great national championship athletic fray. Australasia (N«w Zealand and Australia are regarded a 6 one nation) has been represented at each series since the revival, and the organisation and equipment of our next representation is at present occupying the eneigies of the various Olympic. councils of New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria. and Tasmania ; each has decided to sei- j ect, equip, and finance ito own section of the Australasian team. Now, we are jealous enough of our national supremacy at cricket and lawn ..tennis, and it should require no personal experience of these celebrations such as I have had to make u» equally anxious to win a similar supremacy in other branches of athleticism in the 'Olympic arena. Of course, our - representation Ndepends very largely on the funds that are forthcoming through the various collecting channels. The visiting contestants are not now housed and fed by the State in ' which the contests take place, but there is a trace of that old idea in the Government ' subsidy that usually helps to defray the expenses of tho men sent to uphold the national honour. One i wonders, however, whether the general appeal on their behalf is being made along sufficiently national lines and with the vigour or confidence that it deserves, j