Olympic Games

Wrestling at the Olympic Games

Wrestling was an event at the ancient Olympic Games
From the first Olympic Games in 1896, wrestling has been included in the Olympic program.
The organizers of the Olympics introduced Greco-Roman wrestling, a style they believed to be an exact carryover from the wrestling styles used in ancient times.
In 1904, the Olympic Games added the second wrestling event and called it "freestyle", allowed the wrestlers to use their legs for pushing, lifting and tripping, and they could also hold their opponents above or below the waist.
A wrestling bout in 1912 between Estonia's Martin Klein and Finland's Alfred Asikainen lasted 11 hours and 40 minutes before Klein finally won.