Summer Olympiad (1896)

The 1896 Summer Olympics—officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad—was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Athens, Greece. It was the first Olympic Games held in the Modern era, marking the revival of the Ancient Olympic Games. With Ancient Greece as the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Athens was seen as an appropriate choice to stage the inaugural modern Games. It was unanimously chosen as the host city during a congress organized by Pierre de Coubertin, in Paris, on June 23, 1894, in which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was also established. The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date. Panathinaiko Stadium, the first big stadium in the modern world, overflowed with the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event. The highlight for the Greeks was the marathon victory by their compatriot Spiridon Louis. The most successful competitor was German wrestler and gymnast Carl Schuhmann, winning four gold medals. After the Games, Coubertin and the IOC were petitioned by, among others, Greece's King George and some of the American competitors in Athens, to hold all the following Games in Athens. The revival of the ancient Olympics attracted athletes from 14 nations, with the largest delegations coming from Greece, Germany, France and Great Britain. On 6 April 1896, the American James Connolly won the triple jump to become the first Olympic champion in more than 1,500 years. Winners were awarded a silver medal and an olive branch.

Opening date
06 April 1896

Closing date
15 April 1896

Ceremonies

Official opening of the Games by: His Majesty The King George I

Lighting the Olympic Flame by: The Olympic flame was first lit during the opening ceremony of the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

Olympic Oath by: The first athletes' oath was sworn at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

Official Oath by: The first officials' oath was sworn at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

Participation

14 NOCs (Nations)
241 athletes (0 women, 241 men)
43 events

Country of the host city: Greece (GRE)

Sports

• Aquatics
  
• Athletics
  
• Cycling
  
• Fencing
  
• Gymnastics
  
• Shooting
  
• Tennis
  
• Weightlifting
  
• Wrestling

Highlights

• James Connolly (USA-athletics) won the triple jump on 6 April 1896, and thus became the first Olympic champion since the Ancient Games. He also finished second in the high jump and third in the long jump. He left Harvard University to travel to Athens on a cargo ship and then by train to compete.

• There is no event that the Greek hosts wanted to win more than the marathon race, because of its historical significance. Spyridon Louis (GRE-athletics) set off from the city of Marathon and took the lead four kilometres from the finish line and, to the great joy of the 100,000 spectators, won the race by more than seven minutes.

Facts

• Opening of the Games proclaimed by the Head of State of the host nation

• An Olympic Anthem composed by Spyros Samaras (music) and by Kostis Palamas (lyrics) was first played at the Games of the I Olympiad in Athens. Thereafter, a variety of musical offerings provided the backgrounds to the Opening Ceremonies until 1960, since which time the Samaras/Palamas composition has become the official Olympic Anthem. (decision taken by the IOC Session in 1958)

• An Official Report, and commemorative Olympic stamps were introduced frist time in Olympic.