Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Sleepy History of the Summer Olympics

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and Premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out Premium free for 7 days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Look for new value programs when you shop at Loblaws, like Hit of the Month. So you get the best deals and low prices on amazing products every month.

Starting point is 00:00:37 And did you know, PC Optima members save more. For exclusive offers and members-only pricing, just scan and save. And don't forget in-stock promise, where you can count on great offers being in-stock or get a rain check. Discover more value than ever at Loblaws, in-store and online. Conditions apply. See in-store for details.

Starting point is 00:00:58 Make your nights unforgettable with American Express. Unmissable show coming up? Good news. We've got access to pre-sale tickets so you don't miss it. Meeting with friends before the show? We can book your reservation. And when you get to the main event, skip to the good bit using the card member entrance. Let's go seize the night. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Visit amex.ca slash ymx. Benefits vary by card,

Starting point is 00:01:27 other conditions apply. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas, thanks so much for tuning in. Tonight's story was written by Alicia and I'll be reading it to you. This summer the Olympic Games will return to Paris for the first time in a hundred years. We always think of the Olympics as having happened since ancient times, and indeed that is where the seeds of the modern Olympics were sown in Greece. However, the international nature of the Olympic Games really dates back to its second beginning in 1896. That was when the organizers borrowed from Greek culture and took their idea to a global level. Tonight, we'll follow the history of the games from their inception thousands of years ago,

Starting point is 00:02:48 all the way to the present day. We will not be able to recognize every winner or mark every achievement, and of course, in sleepy fashion, we will focus mainly on the positive moments rather than the contentious ones. After all, the goal of the games is unification and optimism, and there is plenty of that story to tell. So let's spend some time settling into rest, transitioning away from the busier nature of the day. Make sure that you're nice and comfortable. If anything feels off, see if you can shift or make an adjustment so that your position feels just right. Maybe you need to pull the covers up to feel cozier, or maybe you need to lower them or even let one foot rest on top of the

Starting point is 00:04:07 cover if it's quite a warm night. Once you're content close your eyes and become aware of your entire body. Feel the outline of your own body and see yourself from a third person perspective. Watch yourself relaxing and lying there in bed. You are a picture of calm and relaxation. Your breathing is slow, steady and natural. Your body is increasingly freeing itself of tension as your head and neck sink into the pillow. This is your comfy place to rest and recharge each and every night. So embrace the simple pleasantness of being here, listening along to my voice, and invite your imagination to guide you through our story and into soft, gentle dreams.

Starting point is 00:06:17 So now, picture a colorful sea of spectators under a blue sky. The entire crowd is filled with excitement and positive feelings of what is to come. This is where our story begins. Every four years in the summer, the eyes of the world turn to the city where the Olympic Games are going to be held once more. In all likelihood, thousands of athletes will be there, representing hundreds of nations. People across the globe will sit transfixed in front of whatever television they might be able to find, whether that be at home or at a public gathering place. Together, fans everywhere will be watching the glory, the exuberance, and the occasional drama that will inevitably ensue. They will watch it unfold right before their eyes. Cheering for their compatriots, admiring the breakout stars, feeling the second-hand rush of competition.

Starting point is 00:08:29 The viewers will watch for the race times and the scorecards with bated breath. For a little while, it will feel as if the whole world is in sync. Nowadays, it's natural to feel as if the Olympic Games have been going on for many hundreds of years. Even the first of the modern games predate anyone currently living on the planet. And the general awareness that the games were rooted in antiquity might lead one to believe that they've been happening ever since they started in Greece long ago. in Greece long ago. But in truth, the proud culture and the traditions of the Olympics as we know them have only evolved in the past century or so. Their hallmark quality of being international and egalitarian took time to develop. Many people don't realize that the original games, first held thousands of years ago,

Starting point is 00:10:01 consisted simply of a footrace and religious rites. But the concept behind this display of unity and athleticism grew into something far bigger and more glorious than the ancient Greeks ever could have imagined. There are two very identifiable symbols of the games that represent the opposite ends of this vast historical timeline. At the recent end, we have the flag which shows five multicolored rings. In the true spirit of global competition, the creator of the flag claims the rings contain a color from the flag of every nation participating. This is a visual encapsulation of today's Olympic spirit, which emphasizes humanity as a global family. The other major symbol, in a nod to antiquity, is that of the torch.

Starting point is 00:11:29 Several months prior to each summer games, the flame is lit by the sun's rays at the original site of Olympia in Greece. Greece. It is then taken by relay passed from one person to another until it reaches the host city. The moment that the flame is lit in the host stadium has become key to every opening ceremony. In a way, it is as if the Greeks of the past have sent their lofty ideals and classical traditions down through history to illuminate Olympic venues across the world. venues across the world. It's hard to precisely pinpoint the year of the first Olympic Games. The widely accepted date for the first games is 776 BCE, but historians say worship and ritual were happening at the site of origination

Starting point is 00:12:49 more than 200 years earlier. In fact, there is evidence of offerings being there as long as half a millennium before during the Mycenaean age. Beginning with 776 BCE, there are inscriptions at Olympia showing the winners of a foot race that occurred every four years. It seemed that other events soon sprang up to add to the competition, with the competitors representing the Greek city-states and kingdoms. In addition to running, there was soon a pentathlon which consisted of events like jumping, javelin, and discus. Other competitions that arose over the years included wrestling, boxing, equestrian events, chariot races, and pancration, which could loosely be imagined as a sort of ancient Greek MMA fighting. Offerings to numerous gods were also made in conjunction with these events, and the

Starting point is 00:14:30 winners were immortalized in literature and art. According to Olympics historian and sports sociologist David Goldblatt, Zeus the King of the Gods became the god most synonymous with the event by about 490 BCE. That's around when the impressive Temple of Zeus was begun. Temple of Zeus was begun. It was followed by the even more impressive Statue of Zeus, which was placed there in about 430 BCE and is now considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This enormous figure was crafted from ivory, marble, and gold and showed Zeus holding a human-sized Nike, the goddess of victory, in his hand. Other sources say the Olympics were always a religious festival in honor of Zeus and were held where they were because the site was supposedly where Zeus threw a lightning bolt to earth. There was an altar to Zeus in that location long before the creation

Starting point is 00:16:09 of the temple. The athletic stadium itself was first begun in the 6th century BCE. It was later enlarged allowing the site to hold 45,000 spectators or more. Nowadays to us, that number may not sound very impressive, but Goldblatt, in his book on the games, urges us to consider the context. According to him, this number of people would have represented as much as 5% of the freeborn men of the entire Greek world at the time, many of whom would have journeyed a good distance to be there. And while wealthier visitors had the advantage of comfortable accommodations, the vast majority of the attendees would have withstood the elements in tent settlements. From the 5th to the 2nd centuries BCE, the games lasted only five days. When the Greeks were conquered by the Romans in the second century, the games were rebranded

Starting point is 00:17:50 under the Roman gods. Zeus became Jupiter and the festivities were extended to six days of competitions, offerings and celebrations. These concluded with a parade of athletes and a feast for the judges and competitors. But as the time of the Romans wore on, the games fell apart. They had been in steady decline already. The primary historian of victors stopped keeping track in 217 CE. In 393 CE, the emperor Theodosius, a champion of Christianity, announced that all pagan cults and practices must end. The sanctuary of Olympia fell into neglect and was marred by fires. In this state, it appears to have then been repeatedly buried in silt from flooding,

Starting point is 00:19:18 with its remaining pieces looted. looted. Although some form of the games without state sanction and with far less fanfare may have dragged onward during that period, the final blow was probably in 436 CE when Theodosius II commanded that all Greek temples be destroyed. At this point, the ancient portion of Olympic history came to a close, and the tradition lay dormant for over a thousand years. Not much was said about the topic for a millennium, but then little references began to pop up here and there, suggesting that modern people had a desire to tap into the values of the ancients. Goldblatt credits the increasing availability of books in the 16th century for a revival of interest in Greek, Latin, and translated works that may have contained information about the games. He points to Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 3, as an early reference, reference, quoting the words, and if we thrive, promise them such rewards as victors were at the Olympian Games. In the 1600s, a poet named Michael Drayton pointed to a local competition in England called the Cotswold Games.

Starting point is 00:21:30 He deemed their creator the great inventor and champion of the English Olympics. Despite the reference, a modern observer would probably think that the Cotswold Games were more like a renaissance fair than a recognizable sporting event. Designed to entertain people of all classes, the Cotswold games reportedly involved horse racing, hounds, sledgehammer throwing, fighting with swords and cudgels, quarterstaff, and shin kicking. After the death of King James, Puritan backlash to the revelries diminished their popularity. They eventually ended in 1652 when their organizer passed away and the land upon which they took place was subdivided. The Cotswold Olympics were revived multiple times

Starting point is 00:22:51 over the coming centuries, most recently in 1963. They have now rung continuously since then. They have now rung continuously since then. As the 19th century began, events coincided to revive interest in the tradition of the games. To begin with, the Temple of Zeus was uncovered by archaeologists, including its marble tablets featuring depictions of the 12 labors of Hercules. These eventually ended up displayed at the Louvre in Paris. As the decades went on, more structures at the site were slowly uncovered, including the Temple of Hera and the Philippian. Meanwhile, there was a surge in Greek patriotism, spurred by the country's successful campaign

Starting point is 00:24:11 for independence from the Ottoman Empire. In 1835, a poet and newspaper editor named Panagiotis Tsoutsos issued a call for a revival of the games. A wealthy businessman named Evangelos Tsarpas joined him some years later writing to King Otto with a proposal to make the dream a reality. In 1859, the Tsarpas Olympic Games were held. The games were not a standalone event this time. Embedded in a larger cultural celebration of art and industry,

Starting point is 00:25:10 they were held on three consecutive Sundays in Athens. The attendees were largely Greek and the organization of the games was not very good. The event didn't merit a repeat and was seen as a bit of a failure. When Tsarpas passed away in 1865, he left a large amount of money for the purpose of continuing the games. In 1870, the new king, George, agreed to hold them again. As before, they were to be merely one facet of a larger celebration. However, using the money from Tsar Pass, the Greeks were able to rebuild the Panathenaic complete with a grandstand. Travel funds and prizes were also in the budget to attract athletes. More attention was paid to ceremony and nods to antiquity, and the event attracted about 30,000 people from all walks of life. Riding high on that success, another event was planned for 1875.

Starting point is 00:26:58 However, this time, the games were again far less successful. The organization was poor, and the stadium had fallen into disuse and neglect. As a result, the current Olympic organizers laid low for years afterwards, and a fourth round of games was never successfully staged. Although other athletic events kept the interest in sports alive through the end of the 1880s, the interest in sports alive through the end of the 1880s, it would take a much more international effort to get the games back off the ground. That finally happened in the last decade of the century. in the last decade of the century. In 1892, the dream of the Olympic Games began anew in France. A man named Baron Pierre Coubertin, who was a known advocate for the value of athletics was lecturing on the topic of physical activity at the Sorbonne. As a conclusion to his speech, he proposed a revival of the Olympic Games.

Starting point is 00:28:42 Over the next two years, the Baron tried out the argument for the Olympics in various venues, attempting to gain the International Athletic Congress in 1894. Although the meeting of the Congress was not explicitly about the Olympics, he planned to use it to pitch his idea and gain support. The first modern games was scheduled to be held in 1896 in Athens, with a second event following four years later in Paris. As part of his vision, Coubertin ensured that there was a strict adherence to amateurism. No professional athletes were to be involved, with the exception of fencing masters. Creating this rule, however, had the effect of ensuring that only those with the time

Starting point is 00:30:19 and the money to train would be able to participate. the money to train would be able to participate. This insistence on amateurism was a position that would profoundly affect the participants for many years to come. The 1896 event in Athens saw more countries participating than any previous Olympics ever had. 14 nations were involved, represented by 245 athletes, all of them men. Many of the classic Greek sports were featured, but notably, this was the first occurrence of a marathon event in which the races progressed from the city of Marathon to Athens. As a new concept, the race must have seemed very long at the time. Although there were finishers, the third place winner was disqualified when it was discovered that he had taken a carriage ride for part of the route.

Starting point is 00:31:44 discovered that he had taken a carriage ride for part of the route. In contrast to the climate-controlled pools of today, all the swimming events happened in the sea, which was extremely cold at the time. at the time. One athlete reportedly said, my will to live overcame my desire to win. The Paris Games happened four years later as scheduled, although they unfolded over a longer period of time than the previous Olympics. Staged as part of the Athens Games, 24 countries participated, but historians suggest that some of the athletes didn't even realize they were part of the Olympics. Olympics. With their sporting events so diffused, it seems likely they were more focused on their own competition within their sport. In fact, in addition to the 975 men who competed, there were also 22 women. Once again testing the fortitude of the swimmers, the organizers held the water events in the Seine River. Whereas the Greek competitors had frozen in the sea, the

Starting point is 00:33:55 Paris swimmers found themselves swept to new speed records by the currents, which somewhat diluted their glory. There were also reportedly uneven grassy fields for the runners to navigate, and broken telephone poles had been used to make hurdles. It seemed the infrastructure of the games had a long way to go. As the 20th century dawned, the new tradition of the modern Olympics seemed established. A perusal of the fascinating timeline on the subject provided by history.com shows that each year there were advancements as well as setbacks, and that the games were always susceptible to the effects of global politics.

Starting point is 00:35:10 The first Olympic event of the century crossed the Atlantic to the United States. Continuing the practice of tying the Games to the World's Fair, Continuing the practice of tying the Games to the World's Fair, the organizers held the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. The location turned out to be a deterrent to athletes from other continents. Only 12 countries were represented, and 85% of the competitors were American. Women were allowed to participate, but only in the sport of archery. The marathon event turned out to be a particular fiasco thanks to temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of the runners collapsed from exhaustion, and even the winner, Thomas Hicks, had to be fortified and carried across the line. However, there were also inspiring moments that year. In particular, a man named George Iser competed in gymnastics despite having a wooden leg.

Starting point is 00:36:44 competed in gymnastics despite having a wooden leg. Not only that, but he took home six medals, three of which were gold. The 1908 games featured a special last minute twist. They were scheduled to be held in Rome, but due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, they were relocated to London. These games turned out to be the longest Olympics on record, with 22 countries competing in events that stretched across six months. However, of note to those who have been following the plight of the Olympic swimmers,

Starting point is 00:37:48 following the plight of the Olympic swimmers, the water events were finally held in a pool. 1912 was the year Stockholm hosted. This time, with Japan represented, all five continents were finally competing. Boxing wasn't included because it was seen as distasteful to Swedish audiences. But it was a big year for technology, with the debut of electronic timing and the public address system. Unfortunately, this was also the year that represented the first controversy regarding the amateurism requirement. American Jim Thorpe impressed the world by winning gold in the pentathlon and decathlon, as well as placing in both the high jump and the long jump. However, he was disqualified when information surfaced that he had played

Starting point is 00:39:10 resort baseball for compensation while he was a college student, and he was stripped house. After he passed away, the winds were restored to him 30 years later, in a time when amateurism was no longer a mandate for an Olympian. Due to World War I, the expected 1916 games in Berlin were cancelled. However, the International Olympic Committee, otherwise known as the IOC, got right back in the swing of things with the games in Antwerp for 1920. Returning to its former popularity, the event hosted 2,600 athletes who represented 29 countries. Some nations were absent due to hostilities that lingered from the war. However, this was the notable occasion when the iconic Olympic flag with the five rings was first flown. It debuted at the IOC meeting in 1914. There was lots to remember about the return to Paris for the 1924 Games. This time, participation really jumped, with 3,000 athletes representing 44 countries. As a sign of the modern times, there were also over a thousand reporters present. The French were the first to create an Olympic village where the athletes were housed.

Starting point is 00:41:37 During the games, the success of the British runners, Eric Liddle and Harold Abrahams was impressive enough that it eventually inspired the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire. It's also worth pointing out that this was the first year that the Winter Olympics took place, first year that the Winter Olympics took place, hosted in Chamonix, France. Pushing the summer games to new heights yet again, Amsterdam attracted 46 countries to the event when the city hosted in 1928. For those who enjoy the ceremony of the games, it's interesting to note that this was the first year that the Olympic flame was lit in a cauldron, a site that has become familiar today. It was also the beginning of the tradition in which the country of Greece leads the opening

Starting point is 00:42:54 procession and the host country walks last. This was the year of the first Asian gold medalist when Japan's Mikio Oda won the triple jump. But in what might be the sweetest Olympic story of all time, An Australian rower named Henry Pierce won a gold medal despite stopping for a duck family to pass him by. Unfortunately, the timing of the Great Depression made the 1932 Olympics an event that faced challenges. Hosted in Los Angeles, it attracted 37 countries, but only 1,334 athletes. 34 athletes. There were a surprising number of spectators considering the hard economic times. From a historical perspective, it is notable that this was the first modern games to condense the events into a considerably shorter time. All the competitions took place within a 16-day period, which was much shorter than the previous 79 days or more. This is a standard that has lasted into the present day.

Starting point is 00:44:50 It was also the first time that medals were presented upon a podium, a part of the Olympics that is now considered iconic. The years of 1936 through to 1948 represent a rocky period for the Olympics, marred by war-related hostilities and cancellations. By 1952, however, Helsinki was ready to get the world back on track. 5,000 athletes and a whopping 69 countries made it that year. countries made it that year. Helsinki marked the first games that occurred during the Cold War, and it's important to mark the advent of the Soviet Union as a communist competitor. The women's gymnastics team began its four-decade medal streak. Meanwhile, a check runner won three gold medals, including the marathon, which was an event he had never run before. The first Olympic Games in the southern hemisphere came four years later.

Starting point is 00:46:33 Melbourne, Australia was the host for 1956. The events took place later in the calendar year to accommodate the timing of the Australian summer. Unfortunately, the games were fraught with boycotts due to various political controversies. Still, more than 3,000 athletes attended from over 65 countries, and in a show of international friendship, the organizers began the tradition of having the competitors enter the closing ceremonies together instead of being segregated by nation. Rome got the Games back in 1960, which was an event perhaps most notable for being televised more than any previous Olympics.

Starting point is 00:47:49 for being televised more than any previous Olympics. Eurovision created a live feed to Europe and the taped events were flown to the United States every night to be replayed on network TV. An Ethiopian runner named Abibi Bekeela became the first black African to win a gold medal. He not only ran the marathon barefoot, which was held on the cobblestones of the Appian Way, he also set a world record in the process. This was also the year that the Paralympics were first held, a separate event featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries who used wheelchairs. The Paralympics would eventually expand to include competitors with a wide range of disabilities. In 1964, an Asian country officially hosted for the first time. Tokyo was the site, finally getting the games back after its 1940 wartime cancellation. Abibi Bakila won a second gold medal, building on his performance from the previous Olympics.

Starting point is 00:49:30 On the technological front, this was the first time computers were used to keep statistics. The games held in Mexico City in 1968 were fraught with change. As the first Olympics to be widely broadcast in color, it offered the world an irresistible front seat to the action. And it also heralded an era when people sought to use that international stage to protest racism and other injustices. As a result, there were many conflicts, some quite serious and others quietly symbolic. This global stage also increased the frenzy of commercialism that the organizers had long sought to keep out of the games. Beginning in 1960, sponsorships found their way in, creating const new urgency for the committee to reconsider their rules about amateurism. In the countries aligned with the Soviet Union,

Starting point is 00:51:21 known as the Eastern Bloc, the government was flagrantly supporting their amateur athletes like professionals, providing them with state-sponsored income while they trained exclusively for competition. The policy was beginning to look unfair for many other countries who did not have the same practices. The issue of the amateurism rules also affected the athletes themselves. Experts recommended a three-month on-site training period for participants who were not used to competing in such high altitudes. The current limit for training time, thanks to the desire to keep the games among amateurs was only four weeks. The Olympic Committee considered the advice

Starting point is 00:52:32 and grudgingly lengthened the period to only six weeks. This came back to haunt them when the altitudes affected the outcomes, especially in track and field. Sprinters and field athletes blew through records, while long-distance runners suffered extra strain, resulting in an uneven playing field for those who lived year-round at higher altitudes. Among the many remarkable moments in Mexico City, it was the first year that a woman was tasked with lighting the Olympic cauldron, but inclusion of women in the planning of the games had a long way to go. 1972 was a very difficult year in Olympic history. was a very difficult year in Olympic history. A terrorist act in Munich ensured that the games there would go down in history for that reason, rather

Starting point is 00:53:55 than as the largest Olympics to date. The positives were overshadowed by tragedy. In the pursuit of more uplifting Olympic moments, one must move ahead to Montreal in 1976. These were the first Olympic Games to be held in Canada. Those old enough to remember the 1970s cannot think of Montreal without remembering the astounding successes of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci. At the young age of 14, she got the first perfect 10 score in Olympic history. And then she went on to get six more, earning three gold medals in the process. But controversy continued to challenge the organizers. Widespread boycotts diminished participation. Meanwhile, arguments about the growing unfairness of amateurism amid the new commercialist world, and the unfair Eastern Bloc practices grew louder. Furthermore, the problem of doping became a major bone of contention.

Starting point is 00:55:52 contention. Montreal lost a considerable amount of money on the games that year, due to all the problems the event encountered. In response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the 1980 games in Moscow suffered from a massive boycott, led by United States President Jimmy Carter and joined by 60 other countries. In the end, there were still about 5,000 competitors from 80 nations. But this, the largest boycott in Olympic history, negatively affected many aspects of the proceedings. But the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles saw the number of participants greatly rebound. Although there were certainly additional boycotts in retaliation for the events surrounding before, a record-breaking 140 nations participated. Proving the earning potential of the event, the Los Angeles Games were also enormously profitable, generating $225 million. generating $225 million. Murals from the 1984 event can still be seen on the streets of Los Angeles today

Starting point is 00:57:37 and serve as a positive reminder. That financial boom marked an unstoppable evolution of commercialism in the games. Corporate sponsorships were sold, allowing brands to put the Olympic symbol on their products. Furthermore, each leg of the torch relay was sold to a sponsor for $3,000 per kilometer. Adding the financial successes in LA to the high global television viewership, the prospects The prospects for the viability of future Olympics felt brighter than ever. Although it was not the year of an Olympic Games, 1986 was important because the amateurism mandate finally ended. The IOC delegated decisions about eligibility to the respective governing sports bodies for the events. The 1988 games in South Korea were the first to go forward without the amateurism mandate. But perhaps one of the most striking examples of what changed after was the emergence of the dream team in American basketball, which appeared on the world stage in 1992 to compete in Barcelona.

Starting point is 00:59:31 The Barcelona Olympics opened in spectacular fashion when Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo lit the Olympic cauldron with a flaming arrow. lit the Olympic cauldron with a flaming arrow. A new world order was represented, with the reunified Germany competing as one team, and the former USSR and Yugoslavia fragmented into multiple countries. But the most sensational star power of the event was arguably the unbeatable American basketball team, composed entirely of top NBA players. of top NBA players. The dream team easily won gold, with an average of a 44-point margin across all their matches. Far from diminishing the appeal of the Olympics, the shift to allowing professional players enhanced the public's interest in watching. Jumping ahead to the next landmark in Summer Olympic history, the Games returned to Athens in 2004. in 2004. A record 201 countries competed. In a nod to history, the route of the Marathon traced the original 1896 path from Marathon to Athens. Other highlights of the games included American swimmer Michael Phelps

Starting point is 01:01:31 winning eight medals, which set a record for the most in a single Olympics, six of them gold. The American softball team crushed the competition, winning every game, and the Argentinian men's football team triumphed without conceding a single goal. The Beijing Games in 2008 were notable for setting a new bar for the opening ceremonies. Estimates have it costing record-breaking amounts, anywhere between $16 million and $100 million. They featured 15,000 performers. 204 teams competed there, breaking 130 Olympic records. standout athletes once again included Michael Phelps, who took home eight gold medals, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who won three. London landed its third Olympics in 2012. One notable statistic from that year was that Team USA had more female athletes than male for the first time, and there was at least one woman on every delegation. Michael Phelps wasn't finished winning medals.

Starting point is 01:03:33 He officially became the most decorated Olympian by taking home four more golds and two silvers. Usain Bolt impressed the world once again, winning three more gold medals of his own. 2016 is a notable year because Rio de Janeiro hosted the first games in South America. Although construction delays and concerns over the Zika virus got the event off to a bumpy start, there was much to celebrate in the end. The many standout athletes that year included American gymnast Simone Biles, who won four gold medals and one bronze. Michael Phelps, who brought home another five golds, and American female swimmer Katie Ledecky,

Starting point is 01:04:47 who won four gold medals and a silver. Usain Bolt reigned as the fastest man in history, sprinting his way to a total of eight gold medals for his Olympic career. The COVID pandemic era presented challenges to the Games. The 2020 event wasn't cancelled, as three of the Games had been during the war years. as three of the games had been during the war years. However, it was postponed until 2021 due to health concerns. Even when they took place, the events had to be spectator free, and some athletes were stymied by positive COVID tests prior to their events.

Starting point is 01:05:56 It's fair to say that the proceedings lacked their usual exuberance. But the Olympics appear to be back on track for Paris in 2024. And of course, many new innovations are planned. According to the IOC, Paris 2024 promises to deliver spectacular games that are more responsible, more sustainable, and more inclusive. The organizers have laid out a cutting-edge plan to halve the game's related carbon footprint compared to previous games with innovative solutions for energy, food, venues, transport, and digital services. Although wild events and the conflicts among nations will always create challenges for the organizers. The modern history of the Olympic Games tells a hopeful story.

Starting point is 01:07:17 Whether any given event was historically trouble-free or challenged by obstacles, it's certainly true that being the location of any Olympics leaves an indelible impression on the host city. In fact, a recent report from the IOC showed that 92% of the permanent venues used for the games in the past quarter of a century, and 85% of all the venues used since the modern Olympics began, are still in use today. But of course, the legacy of the Olympics goes far beyond the ruins we can excavate, or the stadiums where we can cheer for our athletic heroes. Through conflicts and change, the Olympics are like a symbolic rallying point for humanity, a starting block where we can all begin together again and again. Although the delegations may have their differences, there is a great passion across the globe

Starting point is 01:08:51 for watching these amazing athletes put aside the worries of the world and concentrate on what they do best. Together, we cheer their successes, we share their disappointments, and for a together at the Olympic Games. You You You You The You You You You You You You I'm going to go ahead and start the video. You You I'm going to go ahead and turn the volume down. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume down a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit.

Starting point is 01:15:04 I'm going to turn the volume up a little bit. You You You I'm going to go ahead and start the video. You You You You You You You You You You You You I'm going to go ahead and start the video. You You you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Sleepy History of the Summer Olympics

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.