By Zhang Jie

pictures by the courtesy of Zhang Jie

World Expo and modern Olympic Games are two global galas in the world, and they both have their own themes. With their rich and deep contents, these two events have attracted the attentions of the entire world, embodying the aspiration of the mankind. But many people do not know that there was once a strong affinity between the World Expo and the Olympic Games, and there once existed a period of mutual cooperation between these two events, creating indelible impact upon their future development respectively. The first modern Olympic Games was held in Athens, and after that, the following three Olympic Games were all held during the World Expo and on the World Expo sites, developing a set of patterns that have been observed in running the games since then.

By the end of the 19th century, the passion for sports in the western hemisphere had hit a fresh height, and sports became an important part of entertainment events at that time. The World Expo, which started in 1851, also became attached to the Olympic Games. The second modern Olympic Games was held in 1900 as part of the Paris World Expo. Many athletes were amateurs at that time, participating in only a small number of competing events, though it seemed inconsiderate for award-winners to bear the costs of the medals at that time. Women were allowed to participate for the first time at this Olympic Games, and it was also the first time for the World Expo and the Olympic Games to be held at the same time in the same city.

The holding of the Olympic Games during the World Expo continued in 1904 and 1908. The third Olympic Games was held in 1904 during the St. Louis World’s Fair. Compared with the second Olympic Games, the third one was more standardized, as the organizers had earmarked special grounds and put in place good facilities for the Olympic Games. The games also boasted a host of popular sports events and a large number of athletes from all over the world. The first Olympic Games held in the US has won higher reputation for the World Expo partly due to the tremendous efforts of the organizers, and it was also during this World Expo that the Olympic Games became known by more and more people. The cooperation between the World Expo and the Olympic Games stepped into a new phase.

The fourth Olympic Games was held in 1908 during the London World Expo, and strictly speaking, this was the first real modern Olympic Games judging from the way it was staged. The organizer has built up first-rate stadiums for the Olympic Games, setting up a variety of competing events. Athletes from participating countries were well received by the host, and for the first time, the Olympic Games had an opening ceremony. The major events were arranged to be held in a stadium located in the 140-acre exhibition zone, and the organizer raked in over 100,000 pounds in revenues from the spectators. Needless to say, visitors were also deeply attracted by the thrills and spills of the sports events and the enthusiastic cheers for athletes after visiting the delicate and intricate exhibitions in the frenzy month of July..

The early Olympic Games received support from local governments as well as financial aids from the World Expo, but along with the expanding impact of the Olympic Games, it embarked upon a path towards independence and was no longer held during the World Expo since the fifth Olympic Games in 1912. Although the cooperation between the World Expo and the Olympic Games ended, the potential impact between these two galas continued to exist. The ability for a city to hold a large-scale international event could only be tested, sharpened and accumulated in practice, and the hosting of the World Expo and Olympic Games was no doubt the best touchstones. The charm of a city could be reflected in its successful hosting of the World Expo or the Olympic Games, which also embodies people’s aspiration for holidays and happy gatherings.

Photos：

1. The 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair earmarked a sports ground in the World Expo zone for the 3rd Olympic Games

2. The monument of“Olympic—World’s Fair”erected at the entrance of the Francis Field in St. Louis.

3 & 4 Indigenous people emulate the sports events of the Olympic Games during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

5 & 6. Official sports events of the St. Louis Olympic Games held concurrently with the St. Louis World’s Fair.