Sports play an important role in our life. Thousands of people play
different sport games, go in for track-and-field athletics, cycling, boxing
and so on. Figure-skating, skiing and skating are among the most popular winter
sports. They attract the attention of millions of fans who gather together at
the stadiums and skating-rinks to enjoy their favourite kind of sports. People
go in for sports because sports help them to keep fit and develop a healthy
body. They say, "Health is above wealth". Of course, sometimes it's
difficult to find time for going in for sports regularly, people are so vary
busy now. But if you arrange your day correctly, you can find an opportunity
for sports. There are lots of stadiums, sports clubs and sports grounds in our
country.
Besides, pupils have PT
lessons at school. As a rule, schoolchildren love these physical training lessons
because they make schoolchildren strong, quick and healthy, they develop
muscles and give a lot of energy.
From time to time every
school organizes competitions in different kinds of sport. The most popular
sports at school are basketball, football and volley-ball. In summer, of
course, people prefer swimming to any other kind of sports, because swimming
gives much exercise, makes a man strong, healthy and cheerful.
Our health depends on our way
of life. They say, "Health is above wealth". That means we must take
care of our health.
To begin with we should have
proper food at regular hours. We must eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
every day because they contain plenty of vitamins. There is a saying "An
apple a day keeps the doctor away". But not only healthy food is important.
What really matters is physical exercise. Even a little exercise each day will
keep you fit. Swimming, skating or skiing gives us a lot of exercise. It helps
to feel healthy and cheerful after a hard day at school or at work. Cycling is
useful exercise, too. It gets you out into the fresh air. You find new places,
see new sights. You can stop anywhere and there are no parking problems.
Some people prefer camping
out, the weather of course, must be good. You can't find it pleasant to sit in
a tent, shivering with cold, while it's raining cats and dogs.
Many people enjoy training in a
gym, taking exercise classes or doing exercises at home. But all of them
believe that physical fitness is very important.
The Olympic Games have a very
long history. They began more than 2 thousand years ago in Greece. The
ancient Greeks often waged wars. Small states suffered a lot from these wars.
They wanted to live in peace with their neighbours. So it was decided to organize
athletic games in Olympia.
These games took place every four years and all wars were stopped during the Games.
Usually the Olympic Games began before the middle of summer. All the cities in Greece sent
their best athletes to take part in them. All athletes took an oath and
promised to compete honestly and keep the rules of the Games. The Olympic Games
ware accompanied by arts festivals. Only men could take part in Olympic Games.
Women were not allowed even to watch the competitions at the stadium under the
penalty of death. The competitions lasted five days. The winners in each kind
of sport or art got an olive wreath which was the highest honour. When the champions
came back home, the people greeted them with flowers. The Greeks often put
statues of their champions in the city squares, because they brought glory to
their native city.
For a long time, from 394 till 1896, there were no Olympic Games. The
first Games of modern times began in 1896 in Athens,
Greece.
Competitions in nine kinds of sports were held: athletics, swimming,
gymnastics, weight-lifting, wrestling, tennis, fencing, cycling and shooting.
Winter sports namely figure-skating was included in the Olympic programme for
the first time in 1908.
At first only men took part in the Games. Later rules were changed many
times. Women and girls were allowed to take part in competitions, many new
sports and games were added. But one thing remains unchanged - the popularity
of these international festivals of health, youth and beauty.
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