The only Games in which lyrics of the English version were used in translation were the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, English was sung instead of Japanese. If it is to be performed in a language other than English or Greek, then the original version is translated to the language it is to be performed but in the 20 Beijing Games, Greek was also sung instead of Chinese and in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, English was sung instead of Portuguese. If the anthem is to be performed in English, then the English sung version is used, which has been usually in English-speaking countries. ? Ancient Spirit immortal, of every people. ? And thy pilgrim is running to this here temple, ? Plains, mountains and seas shine with thee ? and make the body worthy and ironlike. To the glory of thine own earth and heaven.Īt running and at wrestling and at throwing, Of the beautiful, the great and the true, The anthem was performed in English at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley and since then it has been played at each Olympic Games: during the opening ceremony when the Olympic flag is hoisted, and during the closing ceremony when the Olympic flag is lowered. The anthem by Samaras and Palamas was declared the official Olympic Anthem by the International Olympic Committee in 1958 at the 54th Session of the IOC in Tokyo, Japan. In the following years, every hosting nation commissioned to various musicians the composition of a specific Olympic hymn for their own edition of the games. The anthem was performed for the first time for the ceremony of opening of the first edition at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.