Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games

Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games

The Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games are usually held every year in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England. The 2006 Games were the 120th.

On 25 February 1850, the Wenlock Agricultural Reading Society resolved to establish a class called The Olympian Class "for the promotion of the moral, physical and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Wenlock and especially of the working classes, by the encouragement of out-door recreation, and by the award of prizes annually at public meetings for skill in Athletic exercise and proficiency in Intellectual and industrial attainments". The secretary of the Class and driving force behind the Olympian Games was Dr. William Penny Brookes. The first meeting was held at Wenlock racecourse on 22-23 October 1850.

In 1859, it sent £10 to Athens for a prize for the best runner in the longest race at an Olympic Games held in November. The Wenlock Prize was the largest prize on offer and was won by Petros Velissarios of Smyrna, from the Ottoman Empire, and one of the first international Olympians.

In 1860, the Class officially became the Wenlock Olympian Society and Dr Brookes adopted some of the athletics events from the Athens 1859 Games and added them to the programme of the Olympian Games.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin visited the Olympian Society in 1890, who held a special festival in his honour. He was inspired by Dr Brookes and went on to establish the International Olympic Committee.

References

* [http://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/ Wenlock Olympian Society]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/features/2004/08/william_penny_brookes.shtml BBC - Father of the modern Olympics]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games — Die Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games aus dem Jahr 1850[1] sind ein Vorläufer der modernen Olympischen Spiele. Sie werden jedes Jahr in Much Wenlock (Shropshire, England) abgehalten. Geschichte Am 25. Februar 1850 hat die Wenlock Agricultural …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wenlock et Mandeville — sont les mascottes officielles, la première pour les Jeux olympiques d été de 2012 et la deuxième pour les Jeux paralympiques. Elles ont été présentées au public le 19 mai 2010. Elle représente les deux dernières gouttes d acier qui a été utilisé …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Olympic Games — For the 776 BC to AD 393 Games see Ancient Olympic Games. For the most recent Summer Games in Beijing, see 2008 Summer Olympics. For the most recent Winter Games in Vancouver, see 2010 Winter Olympics. For the next Summer Games in London, see… …   Wikipedia

  • Much Wenlock — 52.859722222222 3.0538888888889 Koordinaten: 52° 52′ N, 3° 3′ W …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Summer Olympic Games — The Olympic flame at Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics Games 1896 • …   Wikipedia

  • Much Wenlock — For the geological epoch, see Wenlock epoch. Coordinates: 52°35′48″N 2°33′29″W / 52.5966°N 2.5580°W / 52.5966; 2.5580 …   Wikipedia

  • Cotswold Olimpick Games — “Olympicks” redirects here. For the 776 BC to AD 393 Games see Ancient Olympic Games. For the 1894 revival, see Olympic Games. Image from 1636 depicting the Cotswold Games. Robert Dover, founder of the games, is on horseback, carrying a wand.[1]… …   Wikipedia

  • Shropshire — This article is about the English county. For other uses, see Shropshire (disambiguation). Shropshire Motto of County Council …   Wikipedia

  • Olympische Spiele — Olympische Flagge mit den fünf Ringen; erstmals verwendet bei den Olympischen Spielen 1920 in Antwerpen Olympische Spiele (von altgriechisch τά Ὀλύμπια ta Olýmpia „die Olympischen Spiele“[1]; neugriechisch  …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Олимпийские талисманы — Олимпийский талисман часть олимпийской символики, с 1972 года обязательный атрибут Олимпийских игр. Символ, имеющий, согласно «Большой олимпийской энциклопедии»[1] рекламно коммерческую значимость. Используется страной организатором в качестве… …   Википедия

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”