Olimpics

The day had come. It was the first day of the Olympic Games. I had been training for several months and now I was in the game. I was finally in Olympia. It was the year 564 B.C., as it was later called. I stood proudly on the dais stretching my muscles. I looked up to see my brothers, father, and friends from my small village in Pindas Valley, which was also the name of it. A strong gust tousled my locks of brown hair. A trumpet sounded. The first race had begun. It was a two-hundred yard race. We all jauntily strode to the starter line, which was also the finish line. The horn sounded and we were off.

To put things short, I ended in first place. The people from my village cheered, while every one who wasn't booed and jeered. A young, thin man stepped up next me. This guy must be an announcer, I thought. I was still dazed that I had won so much as a race in the Olympics because I didn't think I was a very good athlete, in my opinion. The crowd was still roaring with excitement, for or against me I don't know.

The scrawny announcer shouted," Alexander, of Pindus Valley! In first place! He wins!" next up was the second, longer race. Because I was a swift runner of any distance, I also won that race with ease. Then we had a short break. After that was the Pancratium this is harsh and deadly event of punches, kicks, and tackles. Most of the competition wore metal over their leather hand covers. I was matched up with a small young adult who didn't look like a very good fighter. He probably had never been in a fight before.

I won the first round, the second, and the third round. The third round was difficult because I was paired up with a bear of a man. I later discovered his name was Actaeon, which means 'pain' or 'lipless'. I knew why he was named that because I was in pain after fighting him. He hit hard, fast and I barely made it out alive. But the gods seemed to favor me. I say that because I won. He was faster and stronger, but I was stronger in mind.

I won many more competitions, including the Pentathlon. I had won the Olympics. I was hailed as a great hero and spectacular sculptors made a wonderful sculpture. I went back home to the village and, even though they had had a rough year for crops, had a great village feast. And from then on my life was never the same.

I got my info about the Olympics from a "Seven Wonders of the World, History of the Olympic Games" work sheet, published by ©Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers.