Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon
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Special race invented as part of the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme
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The men's marathon event was a special race invented as part of the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. Seventeen athletes from 5 nations competed.[1] It was the capstone of the athletics programme. The event was won by Spyridon Louis and was the only Greek victory in athletics.
Background
Michel Bréal originated the idea of a race from the city of Marathon to Athens, taking inspiration from the legend of Pheidippides. The first such marathon race was a Greek national competition that served as a qualifier for the Olympic marathon. The race was held on 22 March 1896 and won by Charilaos Vasilakos in 3 hours and 18 minutes. To recruit additional runners, Greece held a second qualifying race on 5 April 1896, won by Ioannis Lavrentis in a time of 3:11:27.[2][a] The length of the marathon in 1896 was approximately 40km (25mi).[3][4]
The Olympic race was held on 10 April 1896. While twenty-five athletes traveled to Marathon for the race, only seventeen actually began the race.
At least one woman, Stamata Revithi, attempted to enter the race, but this was rejected. Officially, the reason given was that her entry came after the deadline; unofficially, the reason was her gender.[5](p21) She ran the course on her own the next day, covering the distance in 5½ hours.[6]
There are also references to a woman named Melpomene attempting to run; there is dispute whether this was a second woman, or instead it was Revithi.[5](pp20–21)
Summary
Burton Holmes' photograph titled "1896: Three athletes in training for the marathon at the Olympic Games in Athens". Charilaos Vasilakos in the middle.
Just as in the 1500 metre race, Albin Lermusiaux took the lead early. Edwin Flack and Arthur Blake maintained second and third place, until Blake dropped out at 23 kilometres. At 32 kilometres, Lermusiaux dropped out as well, leaving Flack in the lead as Spyridon Louis was making full use of his endurance to reach the front.
Exhausted from trying to maintain his pace, Flack dropped out of the race with three kilometres left, leaving Louis alone at the front; he stormed home to finish the 40 kilometre race in one minutes and ten seconds under three hours.
Vasilakos finished second, followed by Spyridon Belokas, who held off a fast-finishing Gyula Kellner to seemingly complete a Greek top-three sweep.
However, Kellner subsequently lodged a protest, claiming Belokas had covered part of the course by carriage after having supposedly dropped out of the race: the protest was upheld, and Belokas was disqualified.
Records
Marathon distances at the time were not standardized and records were not officially recognized. The best time in a qualifying race was by Lavrentis.[3]
↑ Two qualifying races were held in Greece to select the Greek Olympic marathon runners. The first race was on March 22 of the Gregorian calendar (or alternately on March 10 of the Julian calendar). The second race was held on April 5 of the Gregorian calendar (or alternately on March 24 of the Julian calendar). Note, the source Martin 2000 is incorrect about the dates of the two qualifying races. The correct dates (noted above) are listed in Bijkerk and Young 1999, page 27, annotation 3.[2] For further details regarding the dates see Talk:Charilaos Vasilakos.
↑ Anthony Bijkerk; David C. Young (Winter 1999). "That Memorable First Marathon"(PDF). Journal of Olympic History. 7 (1). ISOH: 27. Archived from the original(PDF) on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2025. Results summary: page 27, annotation 3.
↑ Martin & Gynn, Running through the Ages, 22; Tarasouleas, Stamata Revithi, "Alias Melpomeni", 55; Tarasouleas, The Female Spiridon Loues, 12. However, some of the authors who believe that "Melpomene" and Revithi are the same person attribute to the latter the more favorable time of 4½hours. E.g. Miragaya, The Female Olympian, 314, who cites DeFrantz, A. (1997). "The Changing Role of Women in the Olympic Games". 37th International Session for Young Participants– IOA Report. Ancient Olympia: International Olympic Academy.
Lampros, S.P.; Polites, N.G.; De Coubertin, Pierre; Philemon, P.J. & Anninos, C. (1897). The Olympic Games: BC 776 – AD 1896. Athens: Charles Beck. (Digitally available at la84foundation.org)
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