2012 Summer Olympics: History of the gap Ceremony

The gap Ceremony at the Summer Olympics wasn't invariably the spectacle that it's these days. In fact, there was little or no fanfare concerned within the 1896 Games of the I Olympiad in Athens. As time went on, the gap Ceremony became the stage for not solely the world's greatest athletes, however conjointly the host country's innovation and, in some cases, political statements.Here could be a rundown of how the gap Ceremony has evolved:First gap Ceremony: Athens, 1896. Spiros Samaras and Kostis Palamas created the Olympic Anthem for the games, which has been the official anthem since the 1960 Olympics. The games were officially opened by King George I.First parade of the delegations: London, 1908. it absolutely was the primary time that the athletes paraded behind their country's flag in sport apparel. But, it wasn't till the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam that the order of the Parade of countries (Greece initial, host country last) would become protocol.Unity when World War I: Antwerp, 1920. The gap Ceremony in Belgium saw several firsts: the employment of the Olympic flag (five interlocking rings, the colours of that represented a minimum of one color from each flag collaborating within the games; conjointly represented the unity of 5 continents), the introduction of the Athlete's oath (which was created by a competitor from the host country on behalf of all the athletes), and also the unleash of doves as a logo of peace.

Use of fire: Amsterdam, 1928. A cauldron at the highest of a tower within the stadium was lit with symbolic fireplace, the primary time fireplace was employed in the Olympic Games.Political pageantry: Berlin, 1936. The Olympic organizers, namely Dr. Carl Diem, came up with the thought of a torch relay that would begin in Olympia, Greece, and finish in Berlin. it absolutely was a move to showcase the ability of Nazi Germany. And, the assembly of it all, from the planning of the torches to the media coverage, proved that time. Despite the political implications of that particular torch relay, it absolutely was the beginning of a practice that continues within the gap Ceremony of the Olympics to the present day.Paying homage to the fallen: Tokyo, 1964. the ultimate leg of the torch relay was run by a young man who was born in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 -- the day the atomic bomb was dropped on his town by the us. it absolutely was Japan's manner of honoring the victims of the attack that left tens of thousands of individuals dead.The end of twenty years of boycotts: Barcelona, 1992. From 1972 to 1992, the Olympic Games experienced one boycott or another.


Finally, it all ended with the Barcelona Olympics, and also the country celebrated during a huge manner. The gap Ceremony was replete with colourful puppetry and a paralympic archer that sent a flaming arrow over the gang to lightweight the Olympic cauldron.Memorable moment: Athens, 2004. Singer Bjork performed "Oceania" at the gap Ceremony, a song that she wrote for the Olympics. throughout her performance, her dress unfurled across the ocean of athletes, turning into a ten,000 sq. foot map of the world.Most spectacular ceremony: Beijing, 2008. Few would disagree that the Chinese outdid themselves with the gap Ceremony of the 2008 Olympics. With virtually fourteen,000 participants, the host country placed on an awe-inspiring show of meticulous precision, skill, and theatrics.