Peep into the Olympic Games and Glamour Event 100 m

Premasara EPASINGHE

The Olympic Games 2012, which will start on August 5, 2012 in Great Britain, United Kingdom will decide on the Fastest Men on Earth. One of the events that last in my memory, was the 2008, Beijin Olympic Games - Marvel of all sporting events in the world.

In the Beijin Olympics, 2008, Usain Bolt took just 9.69 seconds to win the 100 metres.

It was undoubtedly one of the most astonishing Athletic feats ever seen. When I visited London recently, I came to understand that one million people have already applied to buy tickets for the Men's 100 m final at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The amount will be 20 times over than the newly constructed stadium could accommodate. The fabulous construction - stadium is another marvel.

Olympic Games is the world's major international Athletic Competition held in two separate segments - The Summer Games and the Winter Games - since 1992, it has alternated so that there are two years between segments, but 4 years before a segment is repeated.

In 776 BC, the Games were first celebrated in Olympia. Greece, and were held every four years until 393 AD, when they were abolished by the Roman Emperor.

The modern summer games were initiated by Baron Pierre de Coubertin and were held in Athenes, Greece in 1896. Women did not compete until 1912. It was not held during world War I and II. Track and field events, Archery, Basketball, Swimming, Diving, Weightlifting, Yatching, Hockey, Skating, Badminton, Volleyball.

Control of the Olympic Games is vested in the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which lay down the rules.

In 2012, Olympics the star attraction will be on the men's 100 m sprint, which will decide the Fastest Man on Earth. All eyes will be again on Usain Bolt.

On Sunday night before 10 o'clock, Eight Men will line up at the start line of the Olympic 100 metres final in Londons Olympic stadium. These eight super men, all believe they can join the greatest club in athletics history. The fastest Men on Earth is an Elite Club. The 100m, remains the "Glamour Event" of the Olympic Games.

Most probably, Usain Bolt, the reigning olympic champion and multiple world record - holder, will win the London 2012, Gold Medals in 100, 200 metres and sprint relay. This 22 year old Jamican will be the cynosure of all eyes, inside the stadium and for Billions of TV viewers.

According to the available records and sources, the Original Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC. There were number of foot-races. The ancient equivalent of today's sprints was called Stade - a race from one end of Olympia Stadium, and back, a distance of 200 yds.

There were two races, titled semi-endurance Diaulos and Endurance - Dolichos, which was 24 turns of the stadium. The competitors were armed with the shields of warrior. The men with a weak-heart were not allowed to participate, in these events.

The greatest ancient olympic games hero was a young man from the Island of Rhodes - He arrived in 164 BC at the 154th olympiad. He was Leonidas. At his first games he won strade - Dialous - Dolichos. An ancient historian Eusebios Pampilos, described Leonidas - Fastest Man in the known world, at that time.

While reading homer, you may come across tales of sprint races. In ancient Greece, the Queens even selected kings in their areas considering the speed of the Athletic Champions.

Black sprinters have six differences from their white counterparts. They are (1) less body fat (2) shorter torsos, (3) Thinner hips, (4) Thick thigh muscles (5) Longer legs (6) Thinner calf muscles.

There is also another critical difference, that is the high percentage of what psychologists call fast twitch fibres.

Another notable feature, I presume, that no white, Asian or East African Athlete had never broken 10 second barrier in the 100 metres.

Marathon runner have an imbalance, sometimes about 80 percent slow twitch fibres, so too do sprinters. Top sprinters have 80 percent fast twitch fibres.

Usain Bolt ran 100 m 2009 world championships in 9.58 seconds. Mathematicism and experts that natural limit for the human body was anywhere between 9.60 and 9.26 seconds.

According 100 metres top sprinters they take 41 to 44 step and they are monitoring each step according to the Great Britain coach, Olympic 2012 Dan Ptaff.

In the very early years, Tom Burke, Frank Jarvis, Archie Hahn (Stlouis - 1904), Reg Walker (London 1908) Ralph Craig (Stockholm - 1912), Charley Paddock, (Antwerp 1920), Harold Abraham (Paris 1924), Percy William (Amesterdam 1928), Eddie Tolan (Los Angeles 1932), Jesse Owens (Berlin 1936), Harrison Dillard (London - 1948) Lindy Remigino (Helesinki 1952), Bobby Morrow (Melborune 1956), Armin Hary (Rome 1960), Bob Hayes (Tokyo 1964), Jim Hihes (Mexico City - 1968), Valeri Borzov, (Munich 1972), Hasely Crawford (Montreal 1976), Allan Wells (Moscow 1980), Carl Lewis (Los Angeles, 1984), Carl Lewis (Seoul 1988), Linford Christie (Barcelona 1992), Donovon Bailey (Atlanta 1996), Maurice Greene (Sydney 2000), Justin Gatlin (Athenes 2004), Usain Bolt (Beijing 2008).