The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in ancient Greece and were held every four years in Olympia to honor the king of the Greek gods, Zeus. Originally consisting of only a short footrace, the Greeks soon incorporated new sports like wrestling, boxing, and chariot racing. Only men were allowed to compete. After declining for centuries, the modern Olympic Games were revived in 1896 and are now a global event held every four years where athletes from all over the world compete in a variety of sports and those with disabilities compete in the Paralympics as well.