The Olympic Games date back to Ancient Greece, where contests were held at Olympia every four years, with the first recorded games thought to be in 776 BC. Revived by Pierre de Coubertin, the first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896. The Paralympic Games began after Dr Ludwig Guttman opened a spinal injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In 1948, he organised the Stoke Mandeville Games, where 16 injured servicemen and women competed in archery. These games grew into the Paralympics, which were first staged in Rome in 1960 with 400 athletes from 23 nations.
Sources: International Paralympic Committee & Olympics.com
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