Wasannin Olympics sun samo asali ne daga garin Olympia na kasar Grika. A shekarar 884 kafin haihuwar annabi Isa, an yi yaki a tsakanin birnin Elyse da na Sparta don neman mallakar garin Olympia. A lokacin, fararen hula na bangarorin biyu ba su son yake-yake da dama da aka samu a tsakaninsu, suna begen zaman lafiya. Don haka, bangarorin biyu sun yi shawarwari da daddale wata yarjejeniya, inda aka amince cewa, an maida garin Olympia a matsayin wuri mai zaman lafiya da yin wasanni. Don haka, an kawo zaman lafiya ga wurin ta hanyar yin wasanni.

A lokacin, shugabannin kasar suna son gudanar da gasanni domin a zabi sojoji ta wannan hanya. Kana fararen hula suna son shiga gasanni domin ta haka za su iya motsa jiki da tafiyar da harkokinsu na rayuwa ba tare da fuskantar yake-yake ba.

Bisa ka'idojin da aka tsara, yayin da ake gudanar da gasar wasanni, an dakatar da dukkan wasu yake-yake a kasar Girka gaba daya. Duk wanda ya tada yaki, za a yanke masa hukunci. Ta hanyar shirya gasar wasanni, jama'a sun kara sada zumunta da fahimtar juna tsakaninsu, wannan zai taimaka wajen kyautata dangantakar dake tsakanin birane daban daban na kasar.

Da farko, an gudanar da gasar wasannin ce a wurare daban daban na kasar Girka, ciki har da Athens da Olympia, kuma gasar da aka gudanar a Olympia ita ce tafi girma. A karni na 8 kafin haihuwar annabi Isa ne aka dakatar da yin gasanni a sauran sassan kasar, inda aka hallara baki daya a Olympia da yin wasanni tare a wurin. Sabo da haka, aka fara kirar gasar wasanni ta kasar Girka da suna "wasannin Olympia". Wato "gasar wasannin Olympics" na yanzu.

An gudanar da wasannin Olympics karo na farko a shekarar 776 kafin haihuwar annabi Isa, kuma ana gudanar da wasanni ne a bayan shekaru hudu-hudu. Da farko dai, baligai maza ne kawai suke shiga wasannin na Olympics, kuma tun wasannin Olympics karo na 37, aka fara amince da matasa sun halarci wasannin.