‌From sprinting across tracks to soaring through the air and even dueling with finesse, the Wenlock Olympian Games showcase a diverse range of athletic prowess. 

Since 1850, the small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire in England has hosted these games, which would inspire the revival of the modern Olympics.

The 138th Wenlock Olympian Games this year has attracted participants from many regions in the UK and countries, fostering a sense of international camaraderie quite similar to the global Olympics.

"It's something that whenever I'm anywhere I always try to tell people, 'Oh, you should come to this game,' and I try to explain the history behind it all and how this is where the modern day Olympics started," said Henna Raiyat, a participant in fencing at the Wenlock Olympian Games.

Mirtel Kollo, 14, flew to England from Estonia with her family for the event's hurdles, hoping to go the Olympics one day.

"My mother was looking for competitions outside Estonia, and she found the Wenlock Olympian Games, which have an incredible history. We decided to check it out," said Mirtel Kollo.

 

Legacy of inspiration

Nestled in the heart of Shropshire in England's Midlands, this quaint town holds a special place in Olympic history. The town's Olympic legacy comes down to one man - Dr. William Brookes, a 19th-century expert on physical education.

"Doctor William Penny Brookes was the doctor of the town, and he very much wanted to improve the lives of the working classes," said Chris Cannon, Archivist of Wenlock Olympian Society.

"He saw how hard they had to work. So he started the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850. And these games were then held every year. 

"Brookes saw how that brought the community together and helped improve the health and well-being of the people of the town. He then thought this was a good thing and wanted to give it to the rest of the world."

In 1890, Brookes managed to invite Pierre de Coubertin - who would later become the creator of the modern Olympics - to the town. It was this visit that inspired the modern-day Olympics.

"Coubertin came to see him and the town put on a Wenlock Olympian Games, especially for this man called Coubertin," added Cannon. "He was inspired to form the International Olympic Committee. Very sadly, our hero Doctor William Penny Brookes, died in December 1895, four months before the modern Games started."

Despite the Games' historical importance in the modern Olympics, funding is a problem.

"We can't afford to do loads of publicity because we are a volunteer society and everything that we do, we have to raise money for," said Dr. Helen Cromarty, chairperson of the Wenlock Olympian Society.  

"It has no government funding. The local town council supports us and gives us a small grant, which is wonderful. But other than that, we don't have much."

 

Leaping to the future

As the Olympics in Paris draw near, British Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards hopes to illuminate a crucial chapter of British history.

"Everybody knows the ancient history going back to Olympia in ancient Greece," said the former triple jump champion. "But fewer people know about the more recent history, which is peculiar and how important this place is. It would be nice if athletes were more aware of the significance of Much Wenlock."

Asked if he's concerned the world record in the triple jump he has held since 1995 may be broken by an athlete at the Wenlock Olympian Games, he said: "That would be an ideal scenario."

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