While the earliest records for the Ancient Olympic Games date back to 776 BC, the modern version began in the late 19th century. That was when Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, fascinated by the idea of the ancient Greek athletic contests, decided to try to recreate them.

He helped establish the Modern Olympics, with the first set of games taking place in 1896 in Athens. During these games, 14 countries competed in nine different sports and 43 events. 164 of the 245 athletes were Greek and all of them were male.

Returning to its origins, the 2004 Olympic Games will take place in Athens for the second time since the Olympics began. Over 10,500 male and female athletes from 201 countries will compete in 28 sports and 301 medal events.

The Olympic motto, introduced in 1894 when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was first organized, lives on today ...
"Swifter, higher, stronger." (Citius, Altius, Fortius.)

Let the games (and quotes) begin ...

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."

-- Heywood Hale Broun

"A lifetime of training for just ten seconds."

-- Jesse Owens

"When anyone tells me I can't do anything, I'm just not listening any more."

-- Florence Griffith Joyner

"I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match."

-- Mia Hamm

(On winning seven gold medals) "I swam my brains out."

-- Mark Spitz

"Curling is not a sport. I called my grandmother and told her she could win a gold medal because they have dusting in the Olympics now."

-- Charles Barkley

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well."

-- Pierre de Coubertin

"When I go out on the ice, I just think about my skating. I forget it is a competition."

-- Katarina Witt

"I succeed on my own personal motivation, dedication and commitment… My mindset is: If I'm not out there training, someone else is."

-- Lynn Jennings

"The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours."

-- Peggy Fleming