It is sometimes said that the prize for the winner of the ancient Olympics was a laurel wreath, but this is not entirely true. Wreaths from the branches of various plants were indeed used in Ancient Greece for, but it was the laurel wreath not at the Olympics, but at the Pythian Games, where they were crowned with the best poets and singers. Other plants were used to reward athletes.

Winner's wreath

The name of the winner was announced immediately after the competition, after which he received a palm branch and a white armband. In these armbands, the winners were rewarded at the temple of Zeus on the last day of the Olympics.

On the carved table installed in the temple, awards were laid out - wreaths of olive branches. The choice of tree is not accidental. According to Greek myth, Hercules brought the olive to Olympia from Hyperborea. There was an old olive tree, which, according to legend, the great hero planted with his own hands. Branches for wreaths, which were awarded to the winners, were cut from this tree. Such an honor was conferred from Elis. A prerequisite was the presence of living parents.

The wreath consisted of two branches tied with a purple ribbon. Such wreaths were laid on the heads of the winners at the main entrance of the Temple of Zeus, facing east, in the presence of numerous spectators.

Returning home, the winner brought a wreath as a gift to the gods. In his hometown, the Olympionist enjoyed considerable respect, he was even provided with free food for life.

Other awards

The names of the Olympionists - the winners of the ancient Greek Olympic Games - were preserved for history. The list of Olympic heroes was called a bassical. The first bassical was compiled by the philosopher, orator and scientist Hippias from Elis, who lived in the 4th century BC. BC. Subsequently, the priests of the temple of Zeus led the bassicalium.

Another incentive for olympionists was the right to install their sculptural image in a sacred grove located next to the temple. Statues of Olympic heroes were placed along the route of the sacred processions. True, not every Olympionist was awarded such an honor. To qualify for a statue in a sacred grove, one had to win three Olympic Games.

However, the awards were not limited to moral encouragement. The winners received prizes in the form of a sum of gold coins.

A very impressive award for a sports victory was captured by the myth of Endymion. According to legend, this ancient king organized a running competition in Olympia, the prize of which was ... his own kingdom. True, there were only three participants, and they were the sons of the king. No matter how fantastic this legend looks, it shows how much the ancient Greeks valued sports victories.

When, when awarding our winner Roman Vlasov, they started the patriotic song of Glinka, how the Germans distinguished themselves. At the world championship rhythmic gymnastics, which is now taking place in Stuttgart, Margarita Mamun heard the Russian anthem only the third time. And during the search for the recording, the audience sang it with the athletes without music.

Also, a capello, by the way, last winter in the USA our anthem was performed by the hockey players of the Russian junior team.

Other stories came to mind when the organizers plotted against Russian athletes.

The anthem of the Russian Federation was mixed up twice at the World Cup. At the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, during the awards ceremony, the organizers twice played the wrong melody instead of the Russian anthem.

So, in honor of Denis Yuskov's victory last year at the World Championships in Heerenveen, Holland, the same music by Glinka was staged. And in 2011, when Ivan Skobrev became the absolute world champion in the all-around, in Calgary, Canada, the correct anthem was included, as in the case of gymnast Margarita Mamun, only the third time.

But after some excursion into history, we found out that there is no global conspiracy against our athletes. Other people's songs had to listen to athletes from other countries. Here are some funny cases.

In 2012 on international tournament shooting in Kuwait, when, in honor of the victory of Maria Dmitrienko, instead of the anthem of Kazakhstan, they turned on ... a song from the scandalous film "Borat". It is curious that the film of the British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen about the adventures of a Kazakh journalist was banned from showing both in Kuwait and in Kazakhstan itself.

An explosive episode occurred in May of this year in Serbia, at the World Sambo Championship. In the final in the category up to 62 kg, the representative of Azerbaijan, Kamran Askerov, defeated an opponent from Armenia, but in his honor he listened to ... it was the Armenian anthem. Given the relationship between the two countries, it is easy to imagine what a scandal erupted.

The Americans confused the Russian anthem at the World Wrestling Championship. When awarding our athlete Roman Vlasov, who won 1st place at the World Wrestling Championship in the weight of 75 kg, the Americans mixed up the Russian anthem, and then for a long time could not find the right one.

It almost broke out when at the London Olympics, the organizers mixed up, however, not the anthems, but the flags of North and South Korea. The start of the match between the women's football teams of the DPRK and Colombia in Glasgow had to be postponed for a while, because, having seen the symbol of their main enemy, the athletes from the DPRK refused to start the meeting.

Similar incidents happened in Russia. So, in Penza in 2011, during the stage of the world series "Grand Prix" in diving, the organizers greatly surprised the Chinese athlete Zhang Finhua. Instead of the native anthem of the Celestial Empire, he heard an unfamiliar melody ... the anthem of Venezuela.

However, last year at the World Championships in gymnastics The Chinese themselves also distinguished themselves - the Ukrainian Oleg Veryanev, who won gold in exercises on uneven bars in Nanjing, stood on the podium and listened in his honor ... to the anthem of Uzbekistan.

Incident with the Russian anthem at the World Youth Championships in Canada. Recorded on air: January 11, 2014.

And a completely tragicomic incident occurred in Taiwan this summer. In honor of the victory of the Lithuanians in the basketball tournament, the organizers launched not the modern Lithuanian anthem, but the Lithuanian SSR. The cynicism of the situation was that the athletes did not hear this, because they won ... the world championship among the deaf. But the members of the delegation, of course, made a strong protest. The situation was quickly corrected.

SAID!

"There is no need to look for political motives in stories with anthems. It is just necessary that our representatives at the competitions check such things in advance - so that the organizers have the right anthem. Although, of course, such stories raise certain questions. It would be nice if this happened to the country, athletes which are rarely raised on pedestals. Russian athletes they constantly win at various tournaments, and our anthem is often performed.

(Vitaly MUTKO, Minister of Sports, about scandals with hymns).

Slovan - Lokomotiv Anthem of the USSR. Slovan - Lokomotiv Anthem of the USSR

In the last century there was a great army of Soviet athletes. These people courageously fought for victories, bringing joy to their fans, raising the prestige of the country, developing soviet sport. All of them were idols of the youth of that time. Remembering famous athletes, one cannot but say about the main events sports life Soviet period.

The main achievements of the athletes were, of course, Olympic Games. The Soviet Union first took part in the Olympic Games in 1952, at the Olympics in Helsinki. In those games, the country of the Soviets won 22 gold medals, 30 silver and 19 bronze.

The first Olympic medalist - Nina Apollonovna Ponomareva-Romashkova

First Golden medal The USSR was conquered by Nina Apollonovna Ponomareva - Romashkova. The athlete began her sports career in running disciplines, and later became interested in discus throwing. Immediately after the games in Helsinki, the gold medalist set a world record in discus throwing - the throwing distance was then 53 meters 61 centimeters. Next in sports career Nina had many victories, including new records. Since 1966, Nina Apollonovna switched to coaching, preparing the younger athletes for new victories.

On the ice arena. Irina Rodnina

Many victories to the Soviet Union were brought by players of hockey teams and representatives figure skating. At world competitions, Soviet athletes had no equal on ice in terms of strength and skill. Among the masters of figure skating since 1963, speaking at all-Union youth competitions, Irina Rodnina became famous. From 1964 to 1969, life on the ice was not easy for Irina. Under the guidance of coach S. A. Zhuk, who complicated the program many times, with her partner Alexei Ulanov, Irina went to the European Championship. The couple took first place in free skating, and Irina received the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.

For the victory at the Olympics in 1972, Rodnina was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. On the eve of the performance in training, the athlete received a traumatic brain injury, but she did not refuse to perform, she overcame her painful condition. Since the autumn of 1972, Irina began to perform in tandem with Alexander Zaitsev. This duet was remembered for a long time by a figure skating lover.

Golden goalkeeper - Vladislav Tretyak

There is hardly a more famous figure in hockey than Vladislav Tretyak.

The first goalkeeper of our country, many times recognized as the best at the world championships, recognized as the best hockey player of the last century. The legendary Soviet athlete, the first European to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 1997. Three-time Olympic champion who won gold; 10 times world champion; 9-time European champion; 13-time champion of the USSR, whose books were published in different languages, published four times and instantly sold out in America. Since 2006 - President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.

Thunderstorm gates - Valery Kharlamov

Another legendary athlete is CSKA scorer Valery Kharlamov, whose life was tragically cut short. A man who once argued his fate. Two-time Olympic champion in 1972 and 1976. An 8-time world champion, Valery began playing sports as a sickly little boy. In appearance, he could not be given his age - he was so short. But what would Soviet hockey be without him? He received many honors on his deserts, because he has 438 matches for CSKA and 293 goals in his matches. At the World Cup and Olympic Games - 123 matches, 89 goals.

The best scorer in the history of the Ice Hockey World Championships - won 155 points in 105 matches. Fate did not spare him, but he did not give up. Once having a car accident, he trained for a long time and, finally, went out on the ice again. Later, as a result of a fatal mistake, he also dies in a car accident. There are two children left, a girl and a boy. And here hockey club came to the rescue. The destinies of the hockey players were closely intertwined, all were close people, teammates took care of the little son Alexander, who also became a hockey player. No wonder, because one of his mentors was Fetisov.

Vyacheslav Fetisov - Honored Master of Sports of the USSR and Honored Coach of Russia. Defender of CSKA, and later of the Spartak club, who played 480 matches at the championships of the USSR and Russia and scored 153 goals. Winner of all top hockey titles. Its activities today are anti-doping programs for athletes at different levels.

On a black and white field: about Karpov and Kasparov

There is hardly a person who is unfamiliar with the names Karpov and Kasparov. Ice and fire, struggle and hope. Lots of tournaments. The rating of the match between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov in 1984-85 does not decrease even today. Modern chess players learn to play from these matches, and the old experienced chess players try to figure it out, to look from here at that time, to comprehend what was more important in that period: incorruptibility, determination, calculation and scientific skill. Anatoly Karpov is 64 this year, and Garry Kasparov is 52, he is a lecturer and entrepreneur.

Record holder Alexander Dityatin

Alexander Nikolaevich Dityatin is not just a three-time Olympic champion and 7 times world champion, he also distinguished himself by the fact that at the 1980 Olympics, held in Moscow, he immediately earned 8 medals in all evaluated gymnastic exercises. It was with this record that he entered the Guinness Book of Records.

In the air as on the ground: Sergey Bubka

The famous Soviet and Ukrainian athlete, track and field athlete Sergei Nazarovich Bubka is familiar to many for his unforgettable pole vaulting. He is the Honored Master of Sports of the USSR and the champion of the 1986 Olympic Games, a 6-time world champion, who set his world record in pole vaulting 6.15. This record was broken only in February 2014. Strength, speed and technique are the main components that Sergey Bubka learned to master by his personal trainer Vitaly Afanasyevich Petrov.

Boxer Kostya Tszyu- Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, three times became the champion of the USSR, was twice the champion of Europe and once the world champion among amateurs. Konstantin Tszyu develops his own training methods for professional boxers and successfully conducts training famous athletes Nowadays.

One of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestlers. This athlete managed to speak not only for the USSR national team, but also for Russia. He won the Olympic Games 1 time as part of the USSR national team and 2 more times as part of Russia. He also has 9 victories in the world championships and 12 in Europe. Recognized as the best athletes of the year in the world, included in the list of the 25 greatest athletes of the 20th century. Won 888 fights and lost only 2 times. There were even cases when rivals were simply afraid and refused to go against him.

In the sport of Soviet times, there were no losers and the victories of athletes from the USSR were incomparable with the victories of many foreign representatives. Russian sport today continues to delight its fans with its bright victories.

Have you heard such a proverb: “The soldier who does not dream of becoming a general is bad”? With your permission, my dear readers, in the light of today's our topic, I will paraphrase it a little: "The athlete who does not dream of participating in the Olympic Games is bad."

Yes, this is undoubtedly the most prestigious event in the field of sports, with an interesting history that lasts for 12 centuries. The first event is traditionally dated to 776 BC and was held in Olympia, Greece.

As the Greeks claimed, they received a mythological origin emanating from the gods. In addition to being an athletic event, it was also an important religious celebration held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. And despite the pomp, grandeur and importance of this event, the first champions did not receive gold cups and medals, but ordinary olive branches and crowns.

The accomplishments of several legendary athletes in antiquity are so extraordinary that they are still remembered today, hundreds of years after their deaths. Below I would like to tell you about several ancient champions of the Olympic Games, as well as some interesting stories, legends, records and facts.

Onomast from Smyrna

Onomast (or Onomastos) was the first in history Olympic champion in a sport like boxing. This species was introduced at the 23rd Olympiad in 688 BC.

According to historians, Onomast was also the first to write the rules of ancient Greek boxing. With four Olympic victories, he also leads the list of boxers holding all Olympic titles.

Orsippus of Megara

Orsippus was a famous Greek runner who lived in the city of Megara. He also became known as "the first naked runner to compete in the Olympics", as well as the first winner in this sport.

Orsippus won the running competition at the 15th Ancient Olympiad, held in 720 BC. It was then that the Greek tradition of athletic nudity (hymn) was introduced and adopted.

Euryleone of Sparta

Euryleona was a famous horsewoman. She won the two-wheeled chariot race in the Ancient Olympic Games of 368 BC.

The Games in Olympia are the most grandiose sports and religious festival in Ancient Greece. The Games at Olympia have been held every five years since the beginning of the 8th century. BC e. and at the beginning of the 4th c. n. e.

Who took part in the Olympics

Only full-fledged people could take part in the games. Not everyone was even allowed to watch the Olympic Games; women were strictly forbidden to attend this spectacle.

The competition lasted five days, the first half was completely devoted to sports competitions, the second was devoted to sacrifices, feasts and rewarding the winners.

During the games, it was forbidden to conduct any militant actions, the so-called "sacred world" was declared. Violators were severely punished, although in general it was a very impressive fine.

The winners of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece became national heroes, who were remembered for centuries, they brought glory to their city-state, for which they often put marble statues, and also dedicated songs.

To compete, an athlete had to prove that he had been training for at least 10 months before the start of the games. In addition, he should not have any crimes on his account.

The players competed in various competitions, the environments of which are: four types of running, fist fight, wrestling, pentathlon, equestrian running. The games ended with a run of hoplites - players with a shield, in a helmet and in greaves.

Moreover, at the very beginning of the appearance of the games, they were limited only to running, then more and more new competitions were added. Athletes performed at the games exclusively naked.