As the Summer Olympics commence this week in Tokyo, we are once again reminded of the history and tradition that these games embody. Starting in 776 BC in Greece, the Olympics tested the athleticism of the competitors to decide who was the fastest and strongest athlete in the land. Fast forward to the 17th and 18th centuries, we can see the origins of many of today’s Olympic sports, including running, swimming, shooting, archery, sailing, fencing, canoeing, and field hockey. The next time you visit Jamestown and Yorktown be sure to ask our museum staff about games, sports and other competitions that were common among the peoples and cultures of Virginia hundreds of years ago. From all of us here at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, we want to wish the athletes of the 32nd Olympiad the best of luck.