The Olympic Games

Unless you live on the moon, you'll know that this year is a special year. Yes, February has 29 days so it's what we call a 'leap year', and if it's a leap year, it's also the year in which we see the world's biggest and best sports competition...the Olympic Games! This year the Games are being held in Beijing, China from August 8 to August 24. English Club has put together a special Olympic Games section for you. You'll find lots of interesting stuff by reading the five short articles below; and don't forget to try the Olympics Quizzes based on the articles. You can also find out about some of the most popular sports by clicking on the links to the right. All are Olympic sports, except for cricket, golf and rugby. And there's a good chance those will be played at the Olympics in the future as well.

Ancient Olympics
Over 2,500 years ago the ancient Greeks began to stage a sporting contest every four years in the town of Olympia.

Modern Olympics
The idea to revive the Olympic Games was suggested in the mid-nineteenth century, and by 1894 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed.

Olympic People
The Olympic Games is a huge event involving thousands of athletes representing their countries as competitors in dozens of sports.

Olympic Dreams
The dream of every sportsperson is to win an Olympic medal.

Olympic Spirit
The Olympic spirit is best expressed in the Olympic Creed.