Five days, five rings, five things to know about the games…
- The Olympic motto is the hendiatris Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. It was proposed by Pierre de Coubertin upon the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894.
- The Olympic symbol, better known as the Olympic Rings, consists of five intertwined rings and represents the unity of the five inhabited continents; Africa, America, Asia, Oceania, Europe.
- The colored version of the rings: blue, yellow, black, green, and red, over a white field forms the Olympic flag. These colors were chosen because every nation had at least one of them on its national flag.
- Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic ideals are expressed in the Olympic creed:The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.
- The Olympic medals awarded to winners are made of gold-plated silver, silver, or bronze, and awarded to the top 3 finishers in a particular event. Olympic diplomas are given to competitors placing fourth, fifth, and sixth since 1949, and to competitors placing seventh and eighth since 1981.
Happy five days to go!
References: Wikipedia