Timing is everything, in life and in sports. The Paris Olympics, which run from July 26-August 11, are perfectly timed to provide diversion and inspiration at the midpoint of a summer that is beginning to feel too long and too hot. Paris has previously hosted the Games twice, first in 1900 and again in 1924. Coincidentally, a Frenchman, educator and historian Pierre de Coubertin, is known as the father of the modern Olympic Games. He idealized ancient Greece and, using the ancient Greek games as a model, felt that competition among amateur rather than professional athletes from around the world would promote understanding and peace across cultures. Despite his lofty ideals, de Coubertin openly opposed the participation of women in track and field events, deeming the protection of a woman’s “dignity” a high priority. Nonetheless, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) website, de Coubertin “never stood directly in the way of women competing in the Games and, in fact, left the decisions up to the Organizing Committee in every host city. Under De Coubertin’s IOC presidency, from Paris 1900 to Paris 1924, the number of women taking part in the Games grew six fold, from 22 to 135.” This summer, for the first time in its history, the Games will achieve gender equality, with well over five thousand women athletes competing. In all, a total of 10,500 athletes from 206 countries will participate in 35 sports, 30 disciplines and 408 events. For a deeper dive into the Paris Olympics, past and present, click here. To learn more about Pierre de Coubertin and his opinions on women competitors, click here and here. In addition, the Scarsdale Library’s numerous and diverse books offer fascinating insights and compelling narratives into the Olympics, perfect for any sports enthusiast or history buff. Click on the book jacket to be taken to the catalog link. Let the Games begin!
"The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sport, and maybe in life itself." Dawn Fraser (Australian swimmer, 3-time winner at the Olympics)
"The Olympic Games are for the world and all nations must be admitted to them.” Pierre de Coubertin
"If you don't try to win you might as well hold the Olympics in somebody's backyard." Jesse Owens (American Athlete, 4 time Gold Medalist in Track and Field at the 1936 Olympic Games.)
Last Modified July 27, 2024