First Olympic Games in 1896
Venue: Athens, Greece
Dates: April 6-15, 1896
Numbers of Sports: 9 (43 events)
Numbers of Nations: 14
Numbers of Participant: 241 (all male)
Youngest Gold medallist: Alfred Hajos ( Hungary) aged 18 years 70 days in swiminng
Oldest medallist: Georgios Orphandis (Greece) aged 37 years in shooting
Final Medals tally
Country G S B Total
United States 11 7 1 19
Greece 10 19 17 46
Germany 7 5 2 14
France 5 4 2 11
Great Britain 3 3 1 7
Hungary 2 1 2 5
Austria 2 – 3 5
Australia 2 – – 2
Denmark 1 2 4 7
Switzerland 1 2 – 3
Total 44 43 32 119
TRIVIA: Greek businessman Georges Averoff from Alexandria, Egypt paid 920,000 drachma (£ 36,500 at the 1896 exchange rate) for the reconstruction of the Panathenean Stadium at Athens.
The Panathenean Stadium at Athens, the venue for the first Olympic Games in 1896 was actually been built in 330 BC by the orator Luycurgus, a disciple of Plato. Australia, France, Greece, Great Britain and Switzerland are the only five countries have never failed to be represented at all Olympic Games since 1896. James Connolly (United Sates) 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.
Alfred Hajos (Hungary) won the 100m and the 1,200m events. For the longer race, the swimmers were transported by boat and left to swim back to shore alone. Only first and second place finishers of first Olympic Games were awarded medals. The winners received silver medals and crowns of olive branches, while second place finishers received bronze medals.
QUIZ:
Q 1: What was the unique achievement of the Soviet Union wrestling team at Montreal Olympics in 1976?
A. All the 10 members of the team returned home with medals.
Q 2: Which country won the men’s Handball title at Montreal in 1976?
A. Soviet Union
Q 3: When did the Modern Pentathlon make its debut in Olympics ?
A. 1912
Q 4: What was the name of the main stadium at Mexico City, the venue of the 1968 Games ?
A. Estodio Olympico
Q 5: Who is the only Olympic Gymnast to win five gold in one celebration ?
A. Anton Heide (United States).
