The Olympics draws its roots from Ancient Greece. In recognition of this, the flame which burns for the entire duration of each of the Olympics Games is always ignited in Greece in a solemn, classical ceremony.

According to historical records, the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC with competition dedicated to the gods who lived on Mount Olympus and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia. No guessing then, how the Games earned its name.

The first 'modern' Olympic Games was held in Athens in 1896 due to the effort of Pierre de Coubertin, a French aristocrat who devoted his life and fortune to education, sport and youth.  He wrote the Olympic Charter and devoted much of life and his heart literally, to the Olympics (his heart is interred in the marble monument at Olympia commemorating the revival of the Olympic Games).

With the noble goal of building a peaceful and better world through sport practised without discrimination and in the Olympic spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play, the Olympic Games is held every four years.

The only interruption to the Olympic Games was war.The 1912 Stockholm Games was followed up eight years later in Antwerp after World War 1, while the  Games held in 1936 at Berlin went under the clouds of World War 2 only to return in 1948.

The first time an Asian nation hosted the Olympics Games was in 1964. That was when the Japanese capital of Tokyo was home to the Games. Japan went on to host the Winter Olympics twice, before Seoul was chosen for the 1988 Games and finally, Beijing for 2008.

The Chinese capital will be host for not just the main Olympic Games but also the Paralympic Games.

Apart from the Winter Olympics which was introduced in the 1920s, the world will also benefit from the Youth Olympic Games, with the inaugural event slated for 2010 and hosted by Singapore.