Athletics is a collection of sporting events or disciplines which usually take place on track or field. The word is actually derived form the Greek 'athlon' meaning 'contest'.

The greatest athletic event in the world is the Olympics. The original Games began in Olympia, Greece in 776 BC and were staged until 393 AD. Then in 1896, thanks largely to Frenchman Pierre Frédy, Baron de Coubertin, the games were revived and the Modern Olympic Games began. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was established and these first Modern Games were held rather appropriately in Athens.

Olympic Games Highlights

The first Modern Olympic Games attracted a modest number of athletes - fewer than 250 in fact - but the event was regarded as a major success. Nowadays there are thousands of competitors from nations around the globe and billions of viewers worldwide.

Not many DVDs are produced covering the athletics and in recent years there have only been reviews of individual Olympic Games released on DVD, every four years.