Three Major World Sports Events
With an increasing number of people taking part in sports today,more large sports events are being held all around the world than ever before.Here are three that bring the greatest number of people together and offer the most opportunities for competition and collaboration.
The Olympic Games
Records show that the ancient Olympic Games were first held in 776 BC in Greece. The first modern Olympics were held in 1896.Since then,they have taken place every four years,except during the wartime years of 1916,1940 and 1944.During the 20th century,the Winter Olympic Games were introduced for sports on snow and ice.Later, the Paralympics were established for athletes with a disability.Today,over 10,000 athletes from almost every nation on Earth compete in the Olympic Games.There are more than 30 different sports represented in almost 400 events.For the host country,it is a chance to showcase the best it has to offer.When China hosted the 2008 Olympics,it built special venues and improved transport links and high-definition broadcasting systems.At the opening ceremony,thousands of performers took to the stadium in a spectacular display of Chinese art and culture,a display that delighted audiences all over the world.
FIFA
At the first FIFA World Cup in 1930,only thirteen teams took part.Since then,it has grown to be the biggest international football tournament in the world,with 32 teams competing. The Cup has faced many challenges over the years.It was cancelled during World War II, and FIFA lacked the resources to hold another tournament until 1950.Then,in 1960,a 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck the host country,Chile.Although the tournament was delayed while infrastructure was rebuilt,it eventually went ahead.Over the decades,the FIFA World Cup has become an iconic sports event.Incredibly,today it is watched by almost half of the world's population-that's more than 3 billion people.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the ultimate championship of American football.Held every year since 1967,it is currently played on the last Sunday in January or the first Sunday in February. One ticket to the Super Bowl can cost thousands of dollars.Most people,however,watch it at home,gathering together to cheer on teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles,the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers.In fact,it is the most widely watched American TV broadcast of the year,with over 100 million viewers.
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