ATHLETICS was the original Olympic sport. The first event held in the ancient Olympics was the stade race（古代短跑项目）, about 192 meters long. Other athletics events in the ancient Games included longer foot races, a race in armor（盔甲）, and a pentathlon event（五项全能）that was made up of the stade race, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw and wrestling（摔跤）. Similar events were held in ancient Greece. Coroebus, a cook who won the race in 776 B.C., was the first recorded champion.
Gradually, other running events were added, as well as horse racing, wrestling, a pentathlon, chariot racing（四轮马车赛）, and boxing. At the athletics contest, the competitors did not wear any clothes. And women were not allowed to take part in the Games or watch them. The winners were presented with olive wreaths（橄榄枝花环）as their award.
Throughout the recorded sports history, athletics has always been practiced. In Europe, local fairs often included running, jumping and throwing events. Many of the attempted revivals(复兴) of the Olympics in the 19th century were made up of athletics contests.
