Elite athletes will already have their eyes on next year’s Olympics in Paris. The modern Olympics were the brainchild of Baron de Coubertin of course, but a market town , Morpeth, in Northumberland had been hosting its own Olympics since the 1870’s
The events at Morpeth included running, high jump, pole vault and wrestling. All of which featured in the last Olympics, held in Tokyo. Alongside Tug of War and handicap Quoits.
So, more than 20 years prior to the first Modern Olympics, Morpeth were holding their own equivalent. The last episode taking place in 1958.
Much Wenlock in Shropshire also held an Olympics prior to the modern version.
The video below is from the 1933 version of the Morpeth Olympics.
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