in 1887,at the age of 24,the frenchman pierre de coubertin decided he wanted to restart the olympic games.it took a long time,but finaiil the first modern olympic games began in athens in apiril 1896 . thirteen countries took part . there were nearly 300 competitors in mine diffent sport.
pierre de counbertin also design ed the olympics rings.each ring represents one of the five continents at least one coulour from every national flag.
today, the olympics gamesare the world's most famous sports competition. the modern olympics take place every four years in a diffent city . in 2004 they were again in athens. over 11,000 athletes from 203 countries competed in 28 sports,3000years after the first olympic games