Centuries ago, Greeks dominated all types of military conquests and sporting events, especially at the Olympics that were also hosted in Greece. They were so extraordinary at these sporting events because sports were used as survival and military skills. Initially, the Olympics was only a one-day event before it was increased to 3 days after 684BC, and then later to 5 days.
Most of the sports that form part of the Olympic Games were either practised or invented by the ancient Greece citizens. The Greeks loved their games and even built gymnasiums for participants to compete and train. Also though modern Greece still loves the sport, they are no longer the most elite nation when it comes to the Olympic Games.

Pentathlon

This is a word with Greek origins that is created by combining two different words, including pente (which means 5) and Athlon (which means competition). Therefore, it’s easy to understand why this sport comes with five different events. The five sporting events included discus throw, javelin throw, long jump, a wrestling match, and station, which was a series of short races. However, the modern-day version of pentathlon now comprises of cross country running, equestrianism, fencing, swimming, and shooting.

Running

This is considered one of the oldest sports in the world that doesn’t have any contact. In the culture of ancient Greece, running included various speed tests of around 219 yards that was referred to as a state race, a 437-yard race that was known as diaulos, and a much longer run that was known as Dolichos. Greeks were phenomenal runners during the ancient period. In today’s Olympics, running is regarded as the most diversified sporting event with several races that range from long to mid to short runs.

Jumping

This was another prevalent sport in ancient Greece that we now call horizontal jump, board jump, or long jump. The game originated at the Olympic Games in ancient Greece. During the early Olympic Games in Greece, athletes used to run with weights or stones before they jumped, and pushed them backwards at the end of their run to propel them further forward. In ancient Greece, the long jump was the only event known back then. It symbolized the ability to make it across an obstacle. The jump has been part of the track and field events since 1896.

Discus Throw

The incredible sport of discus throw can be traced back to 708BC. The discus was initially made out of stone. However, other materials were used at different periods in ancient Greece, including bronze, lead, and iron to form a discus. Discobolus, the Myron statue, suggests that this popular sporting event might have existed as early as the 5th century BC. The technique used to throw the discus during the Olympic games in ancient Greece is very similar to the method used today. The only difference is that we use a massive circular disk today.