Sports have a very long tradition in human history. Since the dawn of time, people have pushed their limits and competed against one another to see who would triumph. Although such activities also included fighting, injury, or death, sports emerged as a relatively harmless way of testing one’s limits, as well as the limits of other people. Now they are more popular than ever, both as something you can train in your free time and as something you can watch and maybe place a few bets on your favorite team or player. Those who like to bet say that it makes a huge difference when watching sports and the Internet has more betting options for people than ever, especially with sites that offer promotions like 888sport bonus code, which give you a bonus when you place your first bet.
The Olympics
The Olympic Games date back from Ancient Greece; the first games were held in 776 BC and they were the first organized sports event in human history. However, the Ancient Olympics slowly died away with the rise of the Roman Empire, but they served as inspiration for the Modern Olympic Games, which were officially held for the first time in 1896 in Athens. Soon, they were split into the Summer and Winter Olympics, in order to account for those sports that were played on ice and snow, including figure skating, skiing, and others. Many athletes have marked the history of the Summer Olympics, here are some of them.
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Usain Bolt
When Bolt first appeared, the reputation of the sport was ruined, as there were countless accounts of doping use, superstition, and other scandals. The record that he set forth, as well as the manner in which he did it, was a breath of fresh air for athletics at the Olympics. Even though he does not have a very long status as a reigning champion, Bolt did succeed in restoring the reputation of a sport single-handedly.
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Jesse Owens
This athlete became a prominent historical figure and a symbol of resistance to oppression, as he managed to win four gold medals in extraordinary conditions at the Berlin Games in 1936. Although the 1936 Games were intended to showcase the superiority of the German race over all others, Owens single handedly managed to spoil those intentions by achieving this incredible goal.
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Larisa Semyonovna Latynina
This Soviet gymnast holds the record for most Olympic medals, having won 18 of them in the field of gymnastics. She was one of the gymnasts that positioned the Soviet Union as the dominant factory for excellent gymnasts. She competed in three consecutive Olympics, in 1956, 1960, and 1964, with a total of nine gold, five silver, and four bronze medals.
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Michael Phelps
Phelps is undoubtedly the best athlete in the history of the Olympic Games, with a score that is very unlikely to be beaten in the near future. In 2008, he won eight gold medals in Beijing. With 28 medals in total, he is the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.
