Faster, higher, stronger. These words define all modern Olympiads, held regularly and on a large scale. And, as many years ago, they serve the cause of goodness and peace throughout the world.
Strictly speaking, it is not known who exactly won the marathon at the first Olympics, since the very first of them took place in 776 BC. In those days, there was no media to convey to the modern reader in newspapers and magazines the name of the first champion marathon runner. Therefore, we can only talk about the current state of affairs, or rather from the organization of the first games of the nineteenth century, in 1896.
The first modern Olympics and the first marathon champion
The well-known public figure Pierre de Coubertin spoke for the organization of the first modern Olympic Games. He also proposed the motto of the games - “The main thing is not victory, but participation”. Interestingly, only men took part in them. This inequality has been corrected since the second games.
An interesting fact: the Olympics were not previously considered the games themselves, but the period between them, equal to four years.
A significant number of athletes were from Greece. This is not surprising since the Olympics itself took place in Athens. The competition program featured nine sports. It all began with track and field competitions. Medals were received by Americans, French and other participants. The Greeks were unlucky right up to the marathon race itself.
The marathon race is a test of strength
It all started on April 10 with the start of 24 athletes. The race took place in the conditions of the most severe heat, which made the game literally a battle for survival. The organizers of the marathon somewhat reduced the traditional distance of 42 kilometers 195 meters to 40 kilometers, but this did not make the competition any easier. Leaders were constantly changing, until at the 33rd kilometer a strong advantage of the Greek Spyridon (Spyros) Luis appeared.
The first marathon runner who ran this distance to convey the good news of the victory of the Greeks died.
The excitement in the stands was growing stronger, the audience literally jumped up in the stands. The judges, unable to withstand the tension, jumped out of their seats and, together with the athlete, overcame the finish line. At that moment, the crowd rushed to the hero, began to swing him in his arms, and the champion was escorted to the royal box. He won the competition with dignity and deserved the honor.
Interestingly, before his victory, the athlete was an ordinary shepherd, nothing special stood out. But as soon as he accomplished this sporting feat, Louis immediately became a national hero. The Olympics became for him the very chance that happens only once in a lifetime. It should be recalled that in those days there was not yet such a serious doping war, there were no synthetic anabolic steroids, which makes Louis's feat doubly significant.
However, success did not change the athlete's usual lifestyle. After the competition, he returned to his small village of Amarusi, where he was engaged in shepherding and traded in mineral water. Only twelve years later, American Johnny Hayes was able to break Louis' record at 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds. The Greek athlete himself never took part in the Olympic Games again.
The closing of the first Olympic Games almost completely repeated the ancient ceremony with the laying of a laurel wreath on the heads of the champions, the presentation of a palm branch and a medal. In the future, the Olympic movement gained momentum and is to this day a symbol of human achievement and a mirror that reflects the spirit of the people of planet Earth.
