View source for 1896 Summer Olympics

{{short description|Multi-sport event in Athens, Greece}}
{{Featured article}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox Olympic games|1896|Summer|Olympics|
| image     = Commemorative album of 1896 Olympic Games - cover by E. Gilliéron.jpg
| image_size= 200
| caption   = Cover of the official report for the 1896 Summer Olympics
| host_city = [[Athens]], Greece
| nations   = 14{{ref label|countries|note1|none}}
| athletes  = 241 (all men){{ref label|athletes|note2|none}}
| events    = 43 in 9 [[Olympic sports|sports]] (10 disciplines)
| opening   = [[Gregorian Calendar]]: 6 April 1896<br/>[[Julian Calendar]]: 25 March 1896
| closing   = [[Gregorian Calendar]]: 15 April 1896<br/>[[Julian Calendar]]: 3 April 1896 
| opened_by = [[List of kings of Greece|King]] [[George I of Greece|George I]]<ref>{{cite press release |title=Factsheet – Opening Ceremony of the Games of the Olympiad|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf|url-status=live |publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=September 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814215458/https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf |archive-date=14 August 2016|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>
| stadium   = [[Panathenaic Stadium]]
| next      = [[1900 Summer Olympics|Paris 1900]]
}}

The '''1896 Summer Olympics''',<ref>({{langx|el|Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 1896|Therinoí Olympiakoí Agónes 1896}})</ref> officially known as the '''Games of the I Olympiad''',<ref>({{langx|el|Αγώνες της 1ης Ολυμπιάδας|Agónes tis 1is Olympiádas}})</ref> and commonly known as '''Athens 1896''' ({{langx|el|Αθήνα 1896}}), were the first international [[Olympic Games]] held in [[modern history]]. Organised by the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC), which had been created by French aristocrat [[Pierre de Coubertin]], the event was held in [[Athens]], Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896.

Fourteen nations (according to the IOC, though the number is subject to interpretation) and 241 athletes (all males; this number is also disputed) took part in the games.<ref name="IOC1896">{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-1896 |title=Athens 1896 Summer Olympics|publisher=International Olympic Committee |access-date=6 April 2021}}</ref> Participants were all European or living in Europe, with the exception of the [[United States at the 1896 Summer Olympics|United States team]], and over 65% of the competing athletes were Greek. Winners were given a [[silver medal]], while runners-up received a [[copper]] medal.<ref name="OlympicMedalCount">{{cite web 
|        url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/Factsheets-Reference-Documents/Games/Records-and-Medals/Reference-document-OG-Medals.pdf
|    website=olympic.org
|      title=Olympic Summer Games Medals from Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020
|       date=2019-09-10
|     author=<!-- not stated -->
|  location=
|  publisher=The Olympics Study Center
|access-date=2025-06-07
}}</ref> Retroactively, the IOC has designated the top three finishers in each event as [[Gold medal|gold]], silver, and [[Bronze medal|bronze]] medalists. Ten of the 14 participating nations earned medals. On April 6, 1896, American [[James Brendan Connolly|James Connolly]] became the first Olympic medalist in more than 1,500 years, competing in the [[triple jump]].<ref name="IOC1896" /> The [[United States]] won the most gold medals, 11, while host nation Greece won the most medals overall, 47. The highlight for the Greeks was the [[marathon]] victory by their compatriot [[Spyridon Louis]]. The most successful competitor was [[German Empire|German]] [[sport wrestling|wrestler]] and [[gymnastics|gymnast]] [[Carl Schuhmann]], who won four events.

Athens had been unanimously chosen to stage the inaugural modern Games during a congress organised by Coubertin in [[Paris]] on 23 June 1894 (during which the IOC was also created) because Greece was the birthplace of the [[Ancient Olympic Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goh |first=ZK |date=15 February 2021 |title=Top reasons why the Athens 1896 Olympics were important for modern sport. |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/top-reasons-why-the-athens-1896-olympics-were-important-for-modern-sport |url-status= |access-date=6 June 2025 |website=Olympics.com}}</ref> The main venue was the [[Panathenaic Stadium]], where athletics and wrestling took place; other venues included the [[Neo Phaliron Velodrome]] for [[Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics|cycling]] and the [[Zappeion]] for [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics|fencing]]. The opening ceremony was held in the Panathenaic Stadium on 6 April, during which most of the competing athletes were aligned on the infield, grouped by nation. After a speech by the president of the organising committee, [[Constantine I of Greece|Crown Prince Constantine]], his father officially opened the Games. Afterwards, nine bands and 150 choir singers performed an [[Olympic Hymn]], composed by [[Spyridon Samaras]] and written by [[Kostis Palamas]].

The 1896 Olympics were regarded as a great success. The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date. The Panathenaic Stadium overflowed with the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event.<ref name="Young">{{Cite book | first=David C. | last=Young | title=The Modern Olympics: A Struggle for Revival | year=1996 | publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press | isbn=0-8018-7207-3 | location= Baltimore}}</ref>{{rp|153}} After the Games, Coubertin and the IOC were petitioned by several prominent figures, including Greece's [[George I of Greece|King George]] and some of the American competitors in Athens, to hold all the following Games in Athens. However, the [[1900 Summer Olympics]] were already planned for Paris, and, with the exception of the [[1906 Intercalated Games|Intercalated Games of 1906]], the Olympics did not return to Greece until the [[2004 Summer Olympics]], 108 years later.

== Reviving the Games ==

During the 19th century, several small-scale sports festivals across Europe were named after the [[Ancient Olympic Games]]. The 1870 [[Zappas Olympics|Olympics]] at the Panathenaic stadium, which had been refurbished for the occasion, had an audience of 30,000 people.{{r|Young|pp=43-44}} [[Pierre de Coubertin]], a French [[Pedagogy|pedagogue]] and historian, adopted [[William Penny Brookes]]' idea to establish a multi-national and [[multi-sport event]]—the ancient games only allowed male athletes of Greek origin to participate.<ref>Bijkerk (2004), 457</ref><ref>Toohey (2007), 20</ref> In 1890, Coubertin wrote an article in ''La Revue Athlétique'', which espoused the importance of [[Much Wenlock]], a rural market town in the English county of [[Shropshire]]. It was here that, in October 1850, the local physician William Penny Brookes founded the [[Wenlock Olympian Games]], a festival of sports and recreations that included athletics and team sports, such as [[cricket]], [[association football|football]] and [[quoits]].<ref>Mullins, "Pierre de Coubertin and the Wenlock Olympian Games"</ref> Coubertin also took inspiration from the earlier Greek games organised under the name of [[Zappas Olympics|Olympics]] by businessman and philanthropist [[Evangelis Zappas]] in 1859, 1870 and 1875.<ref>Matthews (2005), 66; Young (1996), 81</ref> The 1896 Athens Games were funded by the legacies of [[Evangelis Zappas]] and his cousin [[Konstantinos Zappas]]{{r|Young|p=117}}<ref>Memoire sure le conflit entre la Grece et la Roumanie concernant l'affaire Zappa – Athens 1893, by F. Martens</ref><ref>L'affaire Zappa – Paris 1894, by G. Streit</ref> and by [[George Averoff]]{{r|Young|p=128}} who had been specifically requested by the Greek government, through [[Constantine I of Greece|crown prince Constantine]], to sponsor the second refurbishment of the [[Panathenaic Stadium]]. The Greek government did this despite the cost of refurbishing the stadium in marble already being funded in full by Evangelis Zappas forty years earlier.{{r|Young|p=14}}

{{blockquote|quote=With deep feeling towards Baron de Coubertin's courteous petition, I send him and the members of the Congress, with my sincere thanks, my best wishes for the revival of the Olympic Games.|source=[[George I of Greece|King George]] of Greece (21 June 1894).{{r|Young|p=102}}}}

On 18 June 1894, Coubertin organised a congress at the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]], Paris, to present his plans to representatives of sports societies from 11 countries. Following his proposal's acceptance by the congress, a date for the first modern Olympic Games needed to be chosen. Coubertin suggested that the Games be held concurrently with the 1900 [[World's Fair|Universal Exposition]] of Paris. Concerned that a six-year waiting period might lessen public interest, congress members opted instead to hold the inaugural Games in 1896. With a date established, members of the congress turned their attention to the selection of a host city. It remains a mystery how Athens was finally chosen to host the inaugural Games. In the following years, both Coubertin and [[Demetrius Vikelas]] would offer recollections of the selection process that contradicted the official minutes of the congress. Most accounts hold that several congressmen first proposed London as the location, but Coubertin dissented. After a brief discussion with Vikelas, who represented Greece, Coubertin suggested Athens. Vikelas made the Athens proposal official on 23 June, and since Greece had been the original home of the Olympics, the congress unanimously approved the decision. Vikelas was then elected the first president of the newly established [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC).{{r|Young|pp=100–105}}

== Organization ==

News that the Olympic Games would return to Greece was well received by the Greek public, media, and [[Royal Family of Greece|royal family]]. According to Coubertin, "the Crown Prince Constantine learned with great pleasure that the Games will be inaugurated in Athens." Coubertin went on to confirm that, "the King and the Crown Prince will confer their patronage on the holding of these games." Constantine later conferred more than that; he eagerly assumed the presidency of the 1896 organising committee.{{r|Young|p=108}}

However, the country had financial troubles and was in political turmoil. The job of [[List of Prime Ministers of Greece|prime minister]] alternated between [[Charilaos Trikoupis]] and [[Theodoros Deligiannis]] frequently during the last years of the 19th century. Because of this financial and political instability, both prime minister Trikoupis and [[Stephanos Dragoumis]], the president of the Zappas Olympic Committee, which had attempted to organise a series of national Olympiads, believed that Greece could not host the event.{{r|Young|p=111–118}} In late 1894, the organising committee under [[Stephanos Skouloudis]] presented a report that the cost of the Games would be three times higher than originally estimated by Coubertin. They concluded the Games could not be held and offered their resignation. The total cost of the Games was 3,740,000 gold [[Modern drachma|drachma]]s.<ref>Zarnowski (1992), 16–32</ref>

[[File:Demetrius Vikelas.jpg|thumb|left|[[Demetrius Vikelas]], the first president of the International Olympic Committee, was credited with the successful organisation of the 1896 Games]]

With the prospect of reviving the Olympic games very much in doubt, Coubertin and Vikelas commenced a campaign to keep the Olympic movement alive. Their efforts culminated on 7 January 1895 when Vikelas announced that crown prince Constantine would assume the presidency of the organising committee. His first responsibility was to raise the funds necessary to host the Games. He relied on the patriotism of the Greek people to motivate them to provide the required finances.{{r|Young|p=118}}<ref>According to Young (2004), 153, "Vikelas and the other Greeks did most of the work. Coubertin did very little."</ref> Constantine's enthusiasm sparked a wave of contributions from the Greek public. This grassroots effort raised 330,000 drachmas. A special set of postage stamps was commissioned; the sale of which raised 400,000 drachmas. Ticket sales added 200,000 drachmas. At the request of Constantine, businessman [[George Averoff]] agreed to pay for the restoration of the Panathenaic Stadium. Averoff would donate 920,000 drachmas{{r|Young|p=128}} to this project.<ref>Darling (2004), 135</ref> As a tribute to his generosity, a statue of Averoff was constructed and unveiled on 5 April 1896 outside the stadium. It stands there to this day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 August 1899 |title=George Averoff Dead |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/08/04/101824945.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911074311/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/08/04/101824945.pdf |archive-date=11 September 2018 |access-date=11 August 2024 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Some of the athletes would take part in the Games because they happened to be in Athens at the time the Games were held, either on holiday or for work (e.g., some of the British competitors worked for the British [[diplomatic mission|embassy]]). A designated [[Olympic Village]] for the athletes did not appear until the [[1932 Summer Olympics]]. Consequently, the athletes had to provide their own lodging.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

The first regulation voted on by the new IOC in 1894 was to allow only amateur athletes to participate in the Olympic Games.<ref>Some scholars allege that during the Sorbonne congress Coubertin was led by tactical considerations, and used the amateur requirement only as a bait in order to realize his actual aim—namely the reintroduction of the Olympic Games—more quickly (Lennartz–Wassong [2004]), 20.</ref> The various contests were thus held under amateur regulations with the exception of fencing matches.<ref>Professionalism vs amateurism was one of the dominant themes of the 19th century regarding athletics. In Greece the amateurism of athletes debate was taken a step further to encompass the question of the participation of the lower classes in the Games. In 1870, during the Zappian Olympic Games, Philippos Ioannou, a classical scholar and professor, criticised the games, and attacked the ideal of amateurism. His contention was that they were a parody, because people from the working class had taken part in the games. Ioannou suggested that only young people from the upper class should be accepted in the following Olympiad – {{Cite web|title=Professionals and Amateurs, Foundation of the Hellenic World |url=http://www.fhw.gr/olympics/ancient/en/304b.html|access-date=2023-02-09|website=www.fhw.gr}}</ref> The rules and regulations were not uniform, so the Organising Committee had to choose among the codes of the various national athletic associations. The jury, the referees and the game director bore the same names as in antiquity (''Ephor'', ''Helanodic'' and ''Alitarc''). [[Prince George of Greece|Prince George]] acted as final referee; according to Coubertin, "his presence gave weight and authority to the decisions of the ephors".<ref name="C46-47">{{cite magazine |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924083647069?urlappend=%3Bseq=57 |title=The Olympic Games of 1896: By their founder, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, now president of the International Committee |author=Pierre de Coubertin |magazine=The Century |pages=46–47 |issue=53 |date=1896–1897|hdl=2027/coo.31924083647069?urlappend=%3Bseq=57 }}</ref>

Women were not entitled to compete at the 1896 Summer Olympics, because de Coubertin felt that their inclusion would be "impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and incorrect".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/women.htm|title=Women at the Olympic Games|work=topendsports.com|access-date=9 April 2016}}</ref>

== Venues ==
[[File:Panathinaiko Stadium panorama.jpg|thumb|Panorama of the [[Panathenaic Stadium]]]]

Seven venues were used for the 1896 Summer Olympics. [[Panathenaic Stadium]] was the main venue, hosting four of the nine sports contested. The town of [[Marathon, Greece|Marathon]] served as host to the [[marathon (sport)|marathon]] event and the [[road bicycle racing|individual road race]] events. [[Swimming (sport)|Swimming]] was held in the [[Bay of Zea]], [[fencing]] at the [[Zappeion]], [[sport shooting]] at [[Kallithea]], and [[tennis]] at the [[Athens Lawn Tennis Club]]. Tennis was a sport unfamiliar to Greeks at the time of the 1896 Games.{{r|tennis}}

The Bay of Zea is a [[seaport]] and [[marina]] in the Athens area;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zea marina|url=http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/maps/GRC_Zea_marina_4635.php|access-date=2023-02-09|website=World Port Source|archive-date=10 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110014306/http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/maps/GRC_Zea_marina_4635.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> it was used as the swimming venue because the organizers of the Games wanted to avoid spending money on constructing a special purpose swimming venue.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of the Modern Olympic Movement|editor=John E. Findling, Kimberly D. Pelle|last=Lennartz|first=Karl|author2=Wassong, Stephen |year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|chapter=Athens 1896|isbn=0-313-32278-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmXi_-Jujj0C&q=1896+games,+cycling |oclc=52418065}}. p. 23.</ref>

Four of the 1896 venues were reused as competition venues for the 2004 Games. The [[velodrome]] would be renovated into a [[football (soccer)|football]] stadium in 1964 and was known as [[Karaiskakis Stadium]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Velodrome & Karaiskaki Stadium (1895 – 1964 – 2003)|url=http://stadia.gr/karaiskaki/karaiskakiold.html|access-date=2023-02-09|website=stadia.gr}}</ref> This venue was renovated in 2003 for use as a [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|football]] venue for the 2004 Games.<ref name="offrep2004">{{Cite web | title=Official Report 2004, Volume 2 | url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/43496/rec/84 | access-date=2023-02-09 | website=digital.la84.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819195306/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf | archive-date=August 19, 2008}}</ref>{{rp|324}} During the 2004 Games, Panathinaiko Stadium served as host for [[Archery at the 2004 Summer Olympics|archery]] competitions and was the finish line for the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics|athletic marathon]] event.{{r|offrep2004|pp=237, 242}} The city of Marathon itself served as the starting point for both marathon events during the 2004 Games.{{r|offrep2004|p=242}} The Zappeion served as the first home of the organizing committee (ATHOC) for the 2004 Games from 1998 to 1999, and served as the main communications center during those Games.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Official Report 2004, Volume 1 | url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/42734/rec/85 | access-date=2023-02-09 | website=digital.la84.org | pages=116–117 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808034305/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004a.pdf | archive-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref>{{r|offrep2004|p=20}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=780px
!width=40%|Venue
!class="unsortable" width=45%|Sports
!width=10%|Capacity
!class="unsortable"| Ref.
|-
|| [[Athens Lawn Tennis Club]] || [[Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Tennis]] ||align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|<ref name="tennis">[http://www.oaa.gr/history.asp History of the Athens Lawn Tennis Club.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929131456/http://www.oaa.gr/history.asp |date=29 September 2010 }} {{in lang|en|el}} – accessed 3 October 2010.</ref>
|-
|| [[Bay of Zea]] || [[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Swimming]] || align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|<ref>Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Swimming (Men): 100-Meter Freestyle". In ''The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition''. London: Aurum Press Limited. pp. 897–8.</ref>
|-
|| [[Kallithea]] || [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Shooting]] || align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|<ref name="offrep1986">{{Cite web | title=Official Report 1896, Volume 2 | url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/6403/rec/2 | access-date=2023-02-09 | website=digital.la84.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527211831/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf | archive-date=May 27, 2008}}</ref>{{rp|84}}
|-
|| [[Marathon, Greece|Marathon (city)]] || [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Athletics]] ([[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|Marathon]]), [[Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Cycling]] ([[Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's road race|Individual road race]]).|| align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|{{r|offrep1986|p=86–90,100–102}}
|-
|| [[Neo Phaliron Velodrome]] || Cycling (track) || align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|{{r|offrep1986|p=31–49}}
|-
|| [[Panathinaiko Stadium]] || Athletics, [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Gymnastics]], [[Weightlifting at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Weightlifting]], and [[Wrestling at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Wrestling]] || align="right"|80,000
| align=center|{{r|offrep1986|p=1}}
|-
|| [[Zappeion]] || [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Fencing]] || align="right"|Not listed.
| align=center|<ref>[http://www.zappeion.gr/en/en_history_4.asp Zappeion history.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921072658/http://www.zappeion.gr/en/en_history_4.asp |date=21 September 2008 }} – accessed 3 October 2010.</ref>
|}

== Calendar ==
<section begin="Calendar"/>
{| class="wikitable"  style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%; position:relative; width:75%;"
|-
| style="background:#0c3;"|&nbsp;'''OC'''&nbsp;||Opening ceremony
| style="background:#39f;"|&nbsp; ●&nbsp;||Event competitions
| style="background:silver;"|&nbsp;'''1'''&nbsp;||Event finals
| style="background:#e33;"|&nbsp;'''CC'''&nbsp;||Closing ceremony
|}

{| class=wikitable style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%; line-height:1.25em; width:75%; text-align:center;"
|-
!style=width:18%; colspan=2|April 1896
!style=width:4%;|6th<br/>Mon
!style=width:4%;|7th<br/>Tue
!style=width:4%;|8th<br/>Wed
!style=width:4%;|9th<br/>Thu
!style=width:4%;|10th<br/>Fri
!style=width:4%;|11th<br/>Sat
!style=width:4%;|12th<br/>Sun
!style=width:4%;|13th<br/>Mon
!style=width:4%;|14th<br/>Tue
!style=width:4%;|15th<br/>Wed
!style=width:6%;|Events
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan=2|{{nowrap|‡ Ceremonies}}||style="background-color:#00cc33;" |'''OC''' || || || || || || || || || style="background-color:#ee3333;" |'''CC'''||{{n/a}}
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Athletics_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Athletics]]
<!--6-->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!--7-->|style="background:silver;"|'''4'''
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!-- 10 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''5'''
<!-- 11 -->|
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''12'''
|-

|align=left rowspan=2|[[Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Cycling]]
| style="text-align:left;" |{{nowrap|[[File:Cycling_(road)_pictogram.svg|20px]] Road cycling}}
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|
<!-- 10 -->|
<!-- 11 -->|
<!--12-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|rowspan=2|'''6'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" |{{nowrap|[[File:Cycling_(track)_pictogram.svg|20px]] Track cycling}}
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!--9-->|
<!-- 10 -->|
<!-- 11 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''3'''
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Fencing_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Fencing]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!-- 10 -->|
<!-- 11 -->|
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''3'''
|-

| style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Gymnastics_(artistic)_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Gymnastics]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|style="background:silver;"|'''6'''
<!-- 10 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!-- 11 -->|
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''8'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Shooting_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Shooting]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|style="background:#39f;"|●&nbsp;
<!--9-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!-- 10 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!-- 11 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!--12-->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''5'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Swimming_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Swimming]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|
<!-- 10 -->|
<!-- 11 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''4'''
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''4'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Tennis_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Tennis]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|style="background:#39f;"|●&nbsp;
<!--9-->|style="background:#39f;"|●&nbsp;
<!-- 10 -->|style="background:#39f;"|●&nbsp;
<!-- 11 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''2'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Weightlifting_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Weightlifting at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Weightlifting]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|style="background:silver;"|'''2'''
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|
<!-- 10 -->|
<!-- 11 -->|
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''2'''
|-

 | style="text-align:left;" colspan=2 |[[File:Wrestling_pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Wrestling at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Wrestling]]
<!--6-->|
<!--7-->|
<!--8-->|
<!--9-->|
<!-- 10 -->|style="background:#39f;"|●&nbsp;
<!-- 11 -->|style="background:silver;"|'''1'''
<!--12-->|
<!--13-->|
<!--14 -->|
<!--15 -->|
|'''1'''
|-
!colspan=2|Daily final events !! 2 !! 8 !! 1 !! 9 !! 8 !! 12 !! 2 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! rowspan=2|43
|-
!colspan=2|Cumulative total !! 2 !! 10 !! 11 !! 20 !! 28 !! 40 !! 42 !! 43 !! 43 !! 43
|-
!style=width:18%; colspan=2|April 1896
!style=width:4%;|6th<br/>Mon
!style=width:4%;|7th<br/>Tue
!style=width:4%;|8th<br/>Wed
!style=width:4%;|9th<br/>Thu
!style=width:4%;|10th<br/>Fri
!style=width:4%;|11th<br/>Sat
!style=width:4%;|12th<br/>Sun
!style=width:4%;|13th<br/>Mon
!style=width:4%;|14th<br/>Tue
!style=width:4%;|15th<br/>Wed
!rowspan=2|Total events
|-
|}
‡ The iconic [[Olympic rings]] symbol was not designed by [[Pierre de Coubertin|Baron Pierre de Coubertin]] until 1912.

'''Note:''' Silver medals were awarded to the winners, with copper medals given to the runners-up, and no prizes were given to those who came in 3rd place in any events.
<section end="Calendar"/>

== Opening ceremony ==

[[File:1896 Olympic opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|The opening ceremony in the Panathenaic Stadium]]

On [[Easter Monday]] 6 April (25 March according to the [[Julian calendar]] used in Greece until 1923),<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Julian to Gregorian Calendar |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/julian-gregorian-switch.html |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=www.timeanddate.com |language=en}}</ref> the games of the First Olympiad were officially opened.<ref name="Coubertin">{{Cite web | url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924083647069&view=1up&seq=52 | title=The Olympic Games of 1896 | author=Pierre de Coubertin | work=The Century Magazine | page=42 | date=November 1896}}</ref> The Panathenaic Stadium was filled with an estimated 80,000 spectators, including King [[George I of Greece]], his wife [[Olga Konstantinova of Russia|Olga]], and their sons. Most of the competing athletes were aligned on the infield, grouped by nation. After a speech by the president of the organising committee, Crown Prince Constantine, his father officially opened the Games with the words (in [[Modern Greek|Greek]]):<ref name="IOCA">[http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1896 Athens 1896&nbsp;– Games of the I Olympiad], International Olympic Committee</ref>

{{blockquote|"I declare the opening of the first international Olympic Games in Athens. Long live the Nation. Long live the Greek people."}}

Afterwards, nine bands and 150 choir singers performed an [[Olympic Hymn]], composed by [[Spyridon Samaras]], with words by poet [[Kostis Palamas]]. Thereafter, a variety of musical offerings provided the backgrounds to the Opening Ceremonies until [[1960 Summer Olympics|1960]], since which time the Samaras/Palamas composition has become the official Olympic Anthem (decision taken by the IOC Session in 1958). Other elements of current Olympic opening ceremonies were initiated later: the [[Olympic flame]] was first lit in [[1928 Summer Olympics|1928]], the first athletes' oath was sworn at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]], and the first officials' oath was taken at the [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Olympic Games]].{{r|IOCA}}

== Events ==
At the 1894 Sorbonne Congress, a large roster of sports was suggested for the program in Athens. 

The first official announcements regarding the sporting events to be held featured sports such as football and cricket,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/134962.html|title=The ignorant Olympians}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=July 2024}} but these plans were not finalised, and these sports did not make the final program for the Games.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thread/sports/no-spot-the-olympics-its-not-cricket/article17949431.ece|title=No spot the Olympics? It's not cricket|website=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 April 2017 }}</ref> [[Sport rowing|Rowing]] and [[Sailing (sport)|sailing]] events were also scheduled but were cancelled on the planned days of competition: sailing due to a lack of special boats in Greece and no foreign entries, and rowing due to poor weather.<ref name="C98-99">Coubertin–Philemon–Politis–Anninos (1897)</ref>{{rp|99–100, 109}} 

As a result, the 1896 Summer Olympics programme featured 9 sports encompassing 10 disciplines and 43 events. The number of events in each discipline is noted in parentheses.

{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* {{GamesSport|Athletics|Events=12|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Cycling|Format=d}}
** Road <small>(1)</small>
** Track <small>(5)</small>
* {{GamesSport|Fencing|Events=3|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Gymnastics|Events=8|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Shooting|Events=5|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Swimming|Events=4|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Tennis|Events=2|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Weightlifting|Events=2|Format=d}}
* {{GamesSport|Wrestling|Events=1|Format=d}}
}}

=== Athletics ===
{{Main|Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

The athletics events had the most international field of any of the sports. The major highlight was the [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|marathon]], held for the first time in international competition. [[Spyridon Louis]], a previously unrecognised water carrier, won the event to become the only Greek athletics champion and a national hero. Although Greece had been favoured to win the [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|discus]] and the [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put|shot put]], the best Greek athletes finished just behind the American [[Robert Garrett]] in both events.{{r|Young|p=153}}

No [[world record]]s were set, as few top international competitors had elected to compete. In addition, the curves of the track were very tight, making fast times in the running events virtually impossible. Despite this, [[Thomas Burke (athlete)|Thomas Burke]], of the United States, won the [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|100-meter]] race in 12.0 seconds and the [[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400-meter]] race in 54.2 seconds. Burke was the only one who used the "[[crouch start]]" (putting his knee on soil), confusing the jury. Eventually, he was allowed to start from this "uncomfortable position".<ref>Sears (2001), 159</ref>

[[File:Masson flameng.jpg|thumb|right|Frenchmen [[Léon Flameng]] ''(left)'' and [[Paul Masson (cyclist)|Paul Masson]] won four cycling events]]

[[File:Leonidas Pyrgos.jpg|thumb|Fencer [[Leonidas Pyrgos]] became the first Greek modern Olympic champion by winning the masters foil competition]]

[[File:Schuhmann flatow weingartner.jpg|thumb|right|The German individual gymnastics champions: Schuhmann, [[Alfred Flatow|Flatow]], and [[Hermann Weingärtner|Weingärtner]]]]

[[Chile]] claims one athlete, [[Luis Subercaseaux]], who competed for the nation at the 1896 Summer Olympics. This makes Chile one of the 14 nations to appear at the inaugural Summer Olympic Games. Subercaseaux's results are not listed in the official report, though that report typically includes only winners and Subercaseaux won no medals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2016/04/160406_deportes_juegos_olimpicos_atenas_1896_misterio_chile_luis_subercaseaux_jmp | title=El misterio del único latinoamericano en los Juegos Olímpicos de Atenas 1896 |trans-title=The mystery of the only Latin American at the 1896 Athens Olympic Games |date=April 6, 2016 | work=BBC World | access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref> He was entered to compete in the 100m, 400m and 800m events but is usually listed as a no show.<ref name="Subercaseaux">{{cite web | url=http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/922400 | title=Luis Subercaseaux | publisher=Olympedia | access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> An appraisal of a famous photo of series 2 of the 100 meters sprint, performed by facial recognition experts of the [[Investigations Police of Chile|Chilean forensic police]], concluded that Subercaseaux was one of the participants.<ref name="LUN">{{cite news|first=Mario|last=Cavalla|title=Esta es la foto que descubrió al primer chileno olímpico|work=Las Últimas Noticias|location=Santiago, Chile|url=http://www.lun.com/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?dt=2014-05-17&PaginaId=29&bodyid=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005051459/http://www.lun.com/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?dt=2014-05-17&PaginaId=29&bodyid=0|archive-date=5 October 2018|url-status=dead|date=17 May 2014|page=29|access-date=2021-08-08}}</ref>

The day after the official marathon, [[Stamata Revithi]] ran the 40-kilometer course in 5 hours 30 minutes, finishing outside [[Panathinaiko Stadium]].<ref>Martin & Gynn, ''Running through the Ages'', 22; Tarasouleas, ''Stamata Revithi, "Alias Melpomeni"'', 55; Tarasouleas, ''The Female Spiridon Loues'', 12.</ref> However, some of the authors, who believe that "Melpomene" and Revithi are the same person, attribute to the latter the more favorable time of {{frac|4|1|2}}&nbsp;hours.<ref>E.g. Miragaya, ''The Female Olympian'', 314, who cites {{cite conference |first=A. |last=DeFrantz |title=The Changing Role of Women in the Olympic Games |book-title=37th International Session for Young Participants&nbsp;– IOA Report |publisher=International Olympic Academy |date=1997 |location=Ancient Olympia }}</ref> She was denied entry into the official race as the 1896 Olympics [[Women at the Olympics|excluded women from competition]].<ref>Officially, she was rejected because the deadline for participation had expired; however, as Olympic historians David Martin and Roger Gynn point out, the real problem was her gender. Greek participants had been chosen through two trial national races, which had taken place on 10 {{smaller|<nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|O.S.]] 27&nbsp;February}} and 24&nbsp;March {{smaller|<nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|O.S.]] 12&nbsp;March}}. Another athlete, [[Carlo Airoldi]], was also not allowed to run because he was a professional (Martin–Gynn, ''Running through the Ages'', 12, 21).</ref>

=== Cycling ===
{{Main|Cycling at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

The rules of the [[International Cycling Association]] were used for the cycling competitions.{{r|Coubertin|pp=46–47}} The [[track cycling]] events were held at the newly built [[Neo Phaliron Velodrome]]. Only one road event was held, a race from Athens to Marathon and back (87 kilometres).

In the track events, the best cyclist was Frenchman [[Paul Masson (cyclist)|Paul Masson]], who won the one lap [[time trial]], the sprint event, and the 10,000 meters. In the 100 kilometres event, Masson entered as a pacemaker for his compatriot [[Léon Flameng]]. Flameng won the event, after a fall, and after stopping to wait for his Greek opponent [[Georgios Kolettis]] to fix a mechanical problem. The Austrian fencer [[Adolf Schmal]] won the 12-hour race, which was completed by only two cyclists, while the road race event was won by [[Aristidis Konstantinidis]].<ref name="LW">Lennartz-Wassong (2004), 23</ref>

=== Fencing ===
{{Main|Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

The fencing events were held in the [[Zappeion]], which, built with money [[Evangelis Zappas]] had given to revive the ancient Olympic Games, had never seen any athletic contests before.{{r|Young|p=148}} Unlike other sports (in which only amateurs were allowed to take part at the Olympics), professionals were authorised to compete in fencing, though in a separate event. These professionals were considered gentlemen athletes, just like the amateurs.{{r|C46-47}}

Four events were scheduled, but the [[épée]] event was cancelled for unknown reasons. The [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's foil|foil event]] was won by a Frenchman, [[Eugène-Henri Gravelotte]], who beat his countryman, [[Henri Callot]], in the final.{{r|Young|p=148}} The other two events, the [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's sabre|sabre]] and the [[Fencing at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's masters foil|masters foil]], were won by Greek fencers. [[Leonidas Pyrgos]], who won the latter event, became the first Greek Olympic champion in the modern era.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

=== Gymnastics ===
{{Main|Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

The gymnastics competition was carried out on the infield of the Panathinaiko Stadium. Germany sent an 11-man team, which won five of the eight events, including both team events: in the team event on the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's team horizontal bar|horizontal bar]], the German team was the only entry.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Three Germans added individual titles: [[Hermann Weingärtner]] won the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's horizontal bar|horizontal bar event]], [[Alfred Flatow]] won the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's parallel bars|parallel bars]], and [[Carl Schuhmann]], who also won the wrestling event, won the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's vault|vault]]. [[Louis Zutter]], a Swiss gymnast, won the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's pommel horse|pommel horse]], while Greeks [[Ioannis Mitropoulos]] and [[Nikolaos Andriakopoulos]] were victorious in the [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's rings|rings]] and [[Gymnastics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's rope climbing|rope climbing]] events, respectively.{{r|Young|p=151}}

=== Sailing and rowing ===
[[File:BASA-3K-7-422-21-1896 Summer Olympics.jpg|thumb|German team at the 1896 Summer Olympics]]
A regatta of sailing boats was on the program of the Games of the First Olympiad for 31 March 1896 (Julian calendar). However this event had to be given up.

The official English report states:{{r|C98-99|pp=99–100}}

{{blockquote|quote=The Regatta could not take place because some special boats embarkation had not been provided for.|source=Charalambos Anninos|The Olympic Games B.C. 776. – A.D. 1896}}

The German version states:

{{blockquote|quote=The sailing competitions were cancelled because neither had we provided the special boats for it, nor had foreign applicants registered.}}

Rowing races were scheduled for the next day, 1 April 1896 (Julian); however, poor weather forced their cancellation.

The official English report states:{{r|C98-99|p=109}}

{{blockquote|quote=The regatta was therefore postponed to three o'clock in the afternoon. In the afternoon however the storm was still on the increase, some of the lighter embarkations were thrown on the shore by the violence of the waves, and the elements continued to rage with such fury that every idea of a boatrace had to be given up.}}

The German rower, Berthold Küttner, wrote several articles about the 1896 Games that were published in his Berlin rowing club's magazine in 1936 and reprinted in the [[Journal of Olympic History]] in 2012. He stated that he and Adolf Jäger had lined up for the start of the [[double sculls]] event. He further wrote that "The double scull would be the first to start because the wind had become much stronger. On a fishing boat we took our double scull to the starting line. We already had problems getting into the double scull because of the swells. From our opponents no one had appeared – although both Greeks and Italians had applied. Because a longer wait for them seemed pointless, the starter told us to sail without competition.

"After the official salutation and presentation in the Court Loge, where many of the attendees could not hide a laugh about my clothing, Prince George, President of the Committee, praised me for our appearance at the racing track and presented me with the winners medal in bronze. At the same time he also gave me one for ''Bundesbruder'' Jäger. The commemorative medal, which each of the participants received, had already been presented to us earlier."

He went on to state that the single sculls and race for naval boats were postponed until the following day, then ultimately cancelled when the weather worsened. The [[International Olympic Committee]] does not recognize any of this.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://heartheboatsing.com/2016/04/13/athens-1896-the-first-olympic-rowing-medallists/|title=Athens 1896: The First Olympic Rowing Medallists?|date=13 April 2016}}</ref>

=== Shooting ===
{{Main|Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

Held at a range at [[Kallithea]], the shooting competition consisted of five events—two using a rifle and three with the [[pistol]]. The first event, [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre military rifle|the military rifle]], was won by [[Pantelis Karasevdas]], the only competitor to hit the target with all of his shots. The second event, for [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 25 metre military pistol|military pistols]], was dominated by two American brothers: [[John Paine (sharpshooter)|John]] and [[Sumner Paine]]. They became the first siblings to finish first and second in the same event. To avoid embarrassing their hosts, the brothers decided that only one of them would compete in the next pistol event, the [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 30 metre free pistol|free pistol]]. Sumner Paine won that event, thereby becoming the first relative of an Olympic champion to become Olympic champion himself.<ref name="CP76,83">Coubertin–Philemon–Politis–Anninos (1897), 76, 83–84</ref>

The Paine brothers did not compete in the [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 25 metre rapid fire pistol|25-meter pistol event]], as the event judges determined that their weapons were not of the required calibre. In their absence, [[Ioannis Phrangoudis]] won. The final event, the [[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 300 metre free rifle, three positions|free rifle]], began on the same day. However, the event could not be completed due to darkness and was finalised the next morning, when [[Georgios Orphanidis]] was crowned the champion.{{r|CP76,83}}

=== Swimming ===
{{Main|Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

[[File:Hajos.jpg|thumb|left|[[Alfréd Hajós]], the first Olympic champion in swimming, is one of only two Olympians to have won medals in both sport and art competitions]]

The swimming competition was held in the open sea because the organizers had refused to spend the money necessary for a specially constructed stadium. Nearly 20,000 spectators lined the [[Bay of Zea]] off the [[Piraeus]] coast to watch the events. The water in the bay was cold, and the competitors suffered during their races. There were three open events ([[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle|men's 100-metre freestyle]], [[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 500 metre freestyle|men's 500-metre freestyle]], and [[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 1200 metre freestyle|men's 1200 metre freestyle]]), in addition to a [[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's sailors 100 metre freestyle|special event open only to Greek sailors]], all of which were held on the same day (11 April).{{r|LW}}

For [[Alfréd Hajós]] of Hungary, this meant he could only compete in two of the events, as they were held too close together, which made it impossible for him to adequately recuperate. Nevertheless, he won the two events in which he swam, the 100 and 1200 meter [[freestyle swimming|freestyle]]. Hajós later became one of only two Olympians to win a medal in both the athletic and [[Art competitions at the Summer Olympics|artistic competitions]], when he won a silver medal for architecture in 1924. The 500-meter freestyle was won by Austrian swimmer [[Paul Neumann (swimmer)|Paul Neumann]], who defeated his opponents by more than a minute and a half.

=== Tennis ===
{{Main|Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

Although tennis was already a major sport by the end of the 19th century, none of the top players turned up for the tournament in Athens. The competition was held at the courts of the [[Athens Lawn Tennis Club]], and the infield of the velodrome used for the cycling events. [[John Pius Boland]], who won the event, had been entered in the competition by a fellow-student of his at Oxford; the Greek, Konstantinos Manos. As a member of the Athens Lawn Tennis sub-committee, Manos had been trying, with the assistance of Boland, to recruit competitors for the Athens Games from among the sporting circles of Oxford University. In the first round, Boland defeated [[Friedrich Traun]], a promising tennis player from [[Hamburg]], who had been eliminated in the 100-meter sprint competition. Boland and Traun decided to team up for the doubles event, in which they reached the final and defeated their Greek opponents after losing the first set.<ref>Gillmeister (1995), 23–24</ref>

=== Weightlifting ===
{{Main|Weightlifting at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

[[File:Launceston Elliot.jpg|thumb|[[Launceston Elliot]], winner of the one-armed weightlifting event, was popular with the Greek audience, who found him very handsome]]

The sport of weightlifting was still young in 1896, and the rules differed from those in use today. Competitions were held outdoors, in the infield of the [[Panathenaic Stadium|main stadium]], and there were no weight limits. The first event was held in a style now known as the "[[clean and jerk]]". Two competitors stood out: Briton [[Launceston Elliot]] and [[Viggo Jensen]] of Denmark. Both of them lifted the same weight, but the jury, with Prince George as the chairman, ruled that Jensen had done so in a better style. The British delegation, unfamiliar with this tie-breaking rule, lodged a protest. The lifters were eventually allowed to make further attempts, but neither lifter improved, and Jensen was declared the champion.<ref name="C70-71">Coubertin–Philemon–Politis–Anninos (1897), 70–71</ref>

Elliot got his revenge in the [[Weightlifting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's one hand lift|one hand lift]] event, which was held immediately after the two-handed one. Jensen had been slightly injured during his last two-handed attempt and was no match for Elliot, who won the competition easily. The Greek audience was charmed by the British victor, whom they considered very attractive. A curious incident occurred during the weightlifting event: a servant was ordered to remove the weights, which appeared to be a difficult task for him. Prince George came to his assistance; he picked up the weight and threw it a considerable distance with ease, to the delight of the crowd.{{r|C70-71}}

=== Wrestling ===
{{Main|Wrestling at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}

[[File:Schuhmann lotta atene 1896.jpg|thumb|left|[[Carl Schuhmann]] (left) and [[Georgios Tsitas]] shake hands before the final match of the wrestling competition]]

No weight classes existed for the wrestling competition, held in the Panathenaic Stadium, which meant that there would only be one winner among competitors of all sizes. The rules used were similar to modern [[Greco-Roman wrestling]], although there was no time limit, and not all leg holds were forbidden (in contrast to current rules).

Apart from the two Greek contestants, all the competitors had previously been active in other sports. Weightlifting champion Launceston Elliot faced gymnastics champion [[Carl Schuhmann]]. The latter won and advanced into the final, where he met [[Georgios Tsitas]], who had previously defeated [[Stephanos Christopoulos]]. Darkness forced the final match to be suspended after 40 minutes; it was continued the following day, when Schuhmann needed only fifteen minutes to finish the bout.<ref>Coubertin–Philemon–Politis–Anninos (1897), 93–94</ref>
{{Clear}}

== Closing ceremony ==
[[File:1896 Olympic medal.jpg|thumb|275px|A silver medal was awarded to the winner of each event. The current system of gold, silver, and bronze medals was not implemented until the [[1906 Intercalated Games|1906 Olympic Games]].]]
On the morning of Sunday 12 April (or 31 March, according to the Julian calendar then used in Greece), King George organised a banquet for officials and athletes (even though some competitions had not yet been held). During his speech, he made clear that, as far as he was concerned, the Olympics should be held in Athens permanently. The official closing ceremony was held the following Wednesday after being postponed from Tuesday due to rain. Again, the royal family attended the ceremony, which was opened by the [[national anthem of Greece]] and an ode composed in [[ancient Greek]] by [[George S. Robertson]], a British athlete and scholar.{{r|Coubertin|p=50}}

Afterwards, the king awarded prizes to the winners. Unlike today, the first-place winners received a silver medal, an [[olive]] branch and a diploma, while runners-up received a copper medal, a [[Bay Laurel|laurel]] branch and a diploma.<ref name="official report">Coubertin–Philemon–Politis–Anninos (1897), 232–234</ref><ref>IOC Olympic Museum exhibition panel, 2010</ref> Third place winners did not receive a prize.

Some winners also received additional prizes, such as Spyridon Louis, who received a cup from [[Michel Bréal]], a friend of Coubertin, who had conceived the marathon event. Louis then led the medalists on a lap of honour around the stadium, while the Olympic Hymn was played again. The King then formally announced that the first Olympiad was at an end and left the Stadium, while the band played the Greek national hymn and the crowd cheered.<ref name="C50">{{Cite web|title=Browse {{pipe}} Cornell University Library Making of America Collection|url=https://collections.library.cornell.edu/moa_new/browse.html?frames=1&cite=&coll=moa&view=50&root=/moa/cent/cent0053/&tif=00059.TIF&pagenum=50|access-date=2023-02-09|website=collections.library.cornell.edu}}</ref>

Like the Greek king, many others supported the idea of holding the next Games in Athens; most of the American competitors signed a letter to the Crown Prince expressing this wish. Coubertin, however, was heavily opposed to this idea, as he envisioned international rotation as one of the cornerstones of the modern Olympics. According to his wish, the next Games were held in Paris, although they would be somewhat overshadowed by the [[Exposition Universelle (1900)|concurrent Universal Exposition]].{{r|Young|p=156}}

== Participating nations ==

[[File:1896 Olympic games countries.PNG|thumb|Participating countries]]
[[File:1896 Summer olympics team numbers.png|thumb|Number of athletes from each country]]

The concept of national teams was not a major part of the Olympic movement until the [[1906 Intercalated Games|Intercalated Games]] 10 years later, though many sources list the nationality of competitors in 1896 and give medal counts. There are significant conflicts with regard to which nations competed. The International Olympic Committee gives a figure of 14, but does not list them.{{r|IOC1896}} The following 14 are most likely the ones recognised by the IOC. Olympedia lists 13, excluding Chile;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympedia.org/editions/1 |title=1896 Summer Olympics|publisher=Olympedia.org |access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> other sources list 12, excluding Chile and Bulgaria; others list 13, including those two but excluding Italy. Egypt is also sometimes included because of the participation of [[Dimitrios Kasdaglis]], a Greek national who resided in Alexandria after living in Great Britain for years. Belgium and Russia had entered the names of competitors but withdrew.
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:100%;"
|-
! Participating Nations
|-
|
# {{flagIOC|AUS|1896 Summer|1}}&nbsp;– [[Federation of Australia|Prior to 1901]] Australia was not a unified nation but six separately administered British colonies, but the results of [[Edwin Flack]] are typically given with him listed as Australian. This is a modern convention, because the [[Australian Olympic Committee]] was only founded in 1920. The concept of "national teams" chosen by [[National Olympic Committee]]s did not exist at this point in time.
# {{flagIOC|AUT|1896 Summer|3}}
# {{flagIOC|BUL|1896 Summer|1}}&nbsp;– The [[Bulgarian Olympic Committee]] claims that gymnast [[Charles Champaud]] was competing as a Bulgarian.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bgolympic.org/fce/index.shtml?s=001&p=0039&n=000001 |title=Athens 1896 |publisher=[[Bulgarian Olympic Committee]] |access-date=7 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312003309/http://www.bgolympic.org/fce/index.shtml?s=001&p=0039&n=000001 |archive-date=2007-03-12}}</ref> Champaud was a Swiss national living in Bulgaria. Mallon and de Wael both list Champaud as Swiss.<ref>De Wael, KONRAD [http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/gym1896.html Gymnastics 1896]</ref> Olympedia listed him as a member of the Bulgarian team of Swiss nationality.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/31002 |title=Charles Champaud|publisher=Olympedia.org |access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
# {{flagIOC|CHI|1896 Summer|1}}&nbsp;– The Chilean Olympic Committee claims to have had one athlete, [[Luis Subercaseaux]], compete in the 100, 400, and 800-meter races in the athletics programme.{{r|LUN}}<ref>Guttmann (1994), 128; {{cite web|url=http://www.coch.cl/museo.htm |title=La Presencia de Chile en los Juegos Olimpicos |access-date=2006-12-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702073204/http://www.coch.cl/museo.htm |archive-date= 2 July 2008 }}, Olympic Committee of Chile; McGehee (2000), 107</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutolympics.co.uk/athens-olympics.html |title=1896 Athens Olympics |access-date=21 February 2011 |author=AboutOlympics |quote=Fourteen nations were represented&nbsp;– Australia, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, USA, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland |archive-date=28 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128194808/http://www.aboutolympics.co.uk/athens-olympics.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first1=Bill | last1=Mallon | first2=Ture | last2=Widlund | title=The 1896 Olympic Games. Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary | page=39 | year=1988 | publisher=McFarland | location=Jefferson | isbn=0-7864-0379-9 | url=https://archive.org/details/resultsofearlymo00mall | access-date=21 February 2011 | quote=Across the field, in answer to the Herald's trumpet, come two Hungarians, a Chilian, a Frenchman, a German, an Englishman and an American, to run the 100-meters race | df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://olympic-museum.de/part_count/1896.htm | title=Participating Countries&nbsp;– Olympic Games Athens 1896 | access-date=22 May 2011 | author=Olympic Games Museum | year=2011 | publisher=olympic-museum.de | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127142910/http://olympic-museum.de/part_count/1896.htm | archive-date=2011-11-27}}</ref> If so, he was 13 years old at the Olympics. No further details are given, and no mention is made of Subercaseaux in de Wael, or the Official Report. Olympedia claims that he was entered to compete in the 100m, 400m and 800m events but did not start.{{r|Subercaseaux}}
# {{flagIOC|DEN|1896 Summer|3}}
# {{flagIOC|FRA|1896 Summer|12}}
# {{flagIOC|GER|1896 Summer|19}}
# {{flagIOC|GBR|1896 Summer|10}} Tennis champion [[John Boland (Irish nationalist politician)|John Boland]] became a prominent [[Irish nationalist]]; his daughter [[Bridget Boland|Bridget]] later claimed that he had objected when the [[Union Jack]] was raised to mark his doubles triumph, pointing out that Ireland had its own [[green harp flag]], following which the organisers apologised and agreed to prepare an Irish flag.<ref name="MacCarthy30" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Ace Boland smashes his way to tennis success |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/ace-boland-smashes-his-way-to-tennis-success |website=olympics.com |publisher=IOC |access-date=26 July 2024}}</ref> While historian Kevin MacCarthy is sceptical of this story, by 1906, Boland was crediting his medals to Ireland.<ref name="MacCarthy30">{{cite book|last=MacCarthy|first=Kevin|title=Gold, Silver and Green: The Irish Olympic Journey 1896-1924|url=https://archive.org/details/goldsilvergreeni0000mcca/page/30 |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive |year=2010|pages=30–37|publisher=Cork University Press|isbn=9781859184585}}</ref> On the IOC website, his singles gold is credited to Great Britain,<ref>{{cite web |title=Athens 1896; Tennis Singles Men Results |url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-1896/results/tennis/singles-men |website=olympics.com |access-date=26 July 2024 |publisher=International Olympic Committee}}</ref> although a photograph captioned his nationality as "IRL/GBR".<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907035507/http://www.olympic.org/en/Multimedia-Player/All-Photos/1896/01/01/RAAEE042/?CurrentMediaPageIPP=20&CurrentMediaPage=4&SortOrder=rate |url=http://www.olympic.org/en/Multimedia-Player/All-Photos/1896/01/01/RAAEE042/?CurrentMediaPageIPP=20&CurrentMediaPage=4&SortOrder=rate |title=Photos RAAEE042 |quote=Athens 1896—Boland, John Pius (IRL/GBR) |archive-date=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |website=Olympic.org |publisher=International Olympic Committee}}</ref>
# {{flagIOC|GRE|1896 Summer|169}}&nbsp;– Greek results typically include the results of competitors from Cyprus, [[Smyrna]] and Egypt.<ref>Gillmeister (1998), 364</ref> Some sources give Cypriot results separately, though most count [[Anastasios Andreou]], a Greek-Cypriot and the only athlete from Cyprus, as Greek (Cyprus was a protectorate of the United Kingdom at the time). Kasdaglis, an athlete of Greek origins living in [[Alexandria]], Egypt, is listed by the IOC as Greek during both his competition in the [[Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's singles|singles tennis]] competition and the [[Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's doubles|doubles tennis]] competition along with his teammate, the Greek athlete [[Demetrios Petrokokkinos]].<ref name="IOCTennisDoubles">{{Cite web|title=Athens 1896 Tennis Doubles Men Results|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-1896/results/tennis/doubles-men|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Olympics.com|language=en}}</ref>
# {{flagIOC|HUN|1896 Summer|7}} 
# {{flagIOC|ITA|1896 Summer|1}}&nbsp;– The most prominent Italian involved with the games, [[Carlo Airoldi]], was deemed a professional and excluded from competition. However, the shooter [[Giuseppe Rivabella]] was also Italian and did compete.<ref>De Wael, [http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/sho1896.html Shooting 1896] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422194906/http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/sho1896.html |date=22 April 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ri/giuseppe-rivabella-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418014440/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ri/giuseppe-rivabella-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Giuseppe Rivabella |access-date=24 February 2009 |work=Sports-Reference}}</ref>
# {{flagIOC|SWE|1896 Summer|1}} 
# {{flagIOC|SUI|1896 Summer|3}}
# {{flagIOC|USA|1896 Summer|14}}
* {{flagIOC|ZZX|1896 Summer}} – [[Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Tennis doubles]] teams could consist of players from different countries; the IOC labels these Mixed Teams.{{r|IOCTennisDoubles}}
|}

===Number of athletes by National Olympic Committees===

National Olympic Committees did not yet exist. Over 65% of all athletes were Greek.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border:0;"
|-
! Country
! Athletes
|-
| {{flagIOC|GRE|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 169
|-
| {{flagIOC|GER|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 19
|-
| {{flagIOC|USA|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 14
|-
| {{flagIOC|FRA|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 12
|-
| {{flagIOC|GBR|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 10
|-
| {{flagIOC|HUN|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 7
|-
| {{flagIOC|AUT|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 3
|-
| {{flagIOC|DEN|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 3
|-
| {{flagIOC|SUI|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 2/3 <ref name="Champaud">Charles Champaud can be considered an athlete for either Switzerland or Bulgaria.</ref>
|-
| {{flagIOC|AUS|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 1
|-
| {{flagIOC|ITA|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 1
|-
| {{flagIOC|CHI|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 1
|-
| {{flagIOC|SWE|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 1
|-
| {{flagIOC|BUL|1896 Summer}} ||align=center| 0/1<ref name="Champaud"/> 
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:right; border:0px; background:#fff;"| '''Total''' ||style="text-align:center; border:0px; background:#fff;"| '''243'''
|-
|}

== Medal count ==
{{further|1896 Summer Olympics medal table}}
Ten of the 14 participating nations earned medals, in addition to two medals won by [[Mixed team at the Olympics|mixed teams]] (teams made up of athletes from multiple nations). The IOC has retroactively assigned gold, silver and bronze medals to the three best placed athletes in each event to comport with more recent traditions. In this regard, five of the bronze medalists at the Games are unknown: two in swimming and three in gymnastics.

The United States won the most gold medals (11), while host nation Greece won the most medals overall (47), as well as the most silver (18) and bronze (19) medals, finishing with one fewer gold medal than the United States, though having 155 athletes more than the U.S.<ref>
{{Cite web|title=Athens 1896 Medal Table|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-1896/medals|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Olympics.com|language=en}}</ref>

{{:1896 Summer Olympics medal table}}

===Podium sweeps===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Date
!Sport
!Event
!NOC
!Gold
!Silver
!Bronze
|-
|7 April
|[[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Athletics]] 
|[[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump|Men's long jump]]
|{{flagIOC|USA|1896 Summer}}
|[[Ellery Clark]]
|[[Robert Garrett]]
|[[James Brendan Connolly|James Connolly]]
|-
|9 April
|[[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Shooting]]
|[[Shooting at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre military rifle|Men's 200 metre military rifle]]
|{{flagIOC|GRE|1896 Summer}}
|[[Pantelis Karasevdas]]
|[[Pavlos Pavlidis]]
|[[Nicolaos Trikupis]]
|-
|10 April
|[[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Athletics]] 
|[[Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump|Men's high jump]]
|{{flagIOC|USA|1896 Summer}}
|[[Ellery Clark]]
|[[Robert Garrett]]<br>[[James Brendan Connolly|James Connolly]]
|''Not awarded''
|-
|11 April
|[[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics|Swimming]]
|[[Swimming at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's sailors 100 metre freestyle|Men's sailors 100 metre freestyle]]
|{{flagIOC|GRE|1896 Summer}}
|[[Ioannis Malokinis]]
|[[Spyridon Chazapis]]
|[[Dimitrios Drivas]] 
|}

== Notes ==
* {{note label|countries|A|none}} The number of countries, given by the International Olympic Committee, is open to interpretation and could be between 10 and 15. There are numerous reasons for the disparity: national teams hardly existed at the time, with most athletes representing themselves or their clubs, and countries were not always as well-defined as they are today. The number of countries here reflects the number used by most modern sources, including the International Olympic Committee website. See [[#Participating nations|the relevant section]] for further details.
* {{note label|athletes|B|none}} The number of competitors given according to the International Olympic Committee. Mallon & Widlund give a total of 245 athletes, while De Wael gives 246. The identities of 179 athletes at the Games are known.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of the Modern Olympic Movement|editor=John E. Findling, Kimberly D. Pelle|last=Bijkerk|first=Anthony T.|year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|chapter=Pierre de Coubertin|isbn=0-313-32278-3|oclc=52418065}}
* {{Cite magazine|first=Pierre De |last=Coubertin |author2=Hambidge, Jay|author-link= Pierre De Coubertin|title=The Olympic Games of 1896  |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924083647069&view=1up&seq=49|magazine=[[The Century Magazine]]   |volume=LIII|issue=1|access-date=28 June 2008 |date=November 1896}}
* {{Cite book |last=Coubertin |first=Pierre De |author-link=Pierre De Coubertin |author2=Timoleon J. Philemon, N.G. Politis and Charalambos Anninos |title=The Olympic Games: BC 776&nbsp;– AD 1896 |chapter=The Olympic Games in 1896&nbsp;– Second Part |publisher=Charles Beck |location=Athens |year=1897 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf |access-date=25 July 2008 |archive-date=27 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527211831/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf |url-status=dead }}
* {{Cite book|title=Architecture of Greece|last=Darling|first=Janina K.|year=2004 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0-313-32152-3|chapter=Panathenaic Stadium, Athens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4F-v35--l_gC&q=Panathenaic+Stadium,+Averoff,+Constantine |oclc=54500822 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{cite web|last=De Wael|first=Herman|title=Herman's Top Athina 1896 Olympians|url=http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/topath96.html|access-date=3 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130160551/http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/topath96.html |archive-date=2007-11-30}}
* {{Cite news|title=George Averoff Dead |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/08/04/101824945.pdf |work=The New York Times |date=4 August 1899|access-date=31 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911074311/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1899/08/04/101824945.pdf |archive-date=11 September 2018 |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite book|title=Tennis: a Cultural History |format=PDF|last=Gillmeister|first=Heiner|year=1998 |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|isbn=0-7185-0195-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hftxBcXOQxsC&q=1896,+Egypt,++Kasdaglis |oclc=67496016 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite journal | last = Gillmeister | first = Heiner | date = Winter 1995 | title = Olympic Tennis: Some Afterthoughts | journal = Citius, Altius, Fortius | volume = 3 | issue = 1 | pages = 23–25 | url = http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv3n1/JOHv3n1g.pdf | access-date = 25 July 2008 | archive-date = 24 January 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120124043053/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv3n1/JOHv3n1g.pdf | url-status = dead }}
* {{Cite book|title=Games and Empires: Modern Sports and Cultural Imperialism|last=Guttmann|first=Allen|year=1994 |publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=0-231-10042-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJn8paCwgJYC&q=Subercaseaux,+1896,+games |oclc=231638134 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.coch.cl/museo.htm | title = La Presencia de Chile en los Juegos Olimpicos | access-date=3 July 2008| publisher = Olympic Committee of Chile | language = es| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702073204/http://www.coch.cl/museo.htm| archive-date = 2 July 2008}}
* {{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of the Modern Olympic Movement|editor=John E. Findling, Kimberly D. Pelle|last=Lennartz|first=Karl|author2=Wassong, Stephen|year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|chapter=Athens 1896|isbn=0-313-32278-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmXi_-Jujj0C&q=1896+games,+cycling |oclc=52418065 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite book|title=Running through the Ages|last=Martin|first=David E.|author2=Gynn, Roger W. H. |year=2000|publisher=Human Kinetics|isbn=0-88011-969-1|chapter=The Olympic Marathon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qb125O62NVQC&q=Stamata+Revithi |oclc=42823784 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite book|title=America's First Olympics: The St. Louis Games Of 1904 |last=Matthews|first=George R.|year=2005|publisher=University of Missouri Press|isbn=0-8262-1588-2|chapter=The Ghost of Plato|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKRUmep515oC&q=Wenlock,+Brookes,+Coubertin |oclc=58468164 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite book|last=McGehee|first=Richard V.|title=Strange Pilgrimages: Exile, Travel, and National Identity in Latin America|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2000|url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf|chapter=The Impact of Imported Sports on the Popular Culture of Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Mexico and Central America|editor=Ingrid Elizabeth Fey, Karen Racine|isbn=0-8420-2694-0|access-date=25 July 2008|oclc=237382448|archive-date=27 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527211831/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1896/1896.pdf|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web|last=Mullins |first=Samuel P. |url=http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1980s/84099.htm |title=Pierre de Coubertin and the Wenlock Olympian Games |access-date=11 July 2008 |publisher=University of Leeds |work=Proceedings of the International Olympic Academy–Selected 1980s Proceedings |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218043658/http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1980s/84099.htm|archive-date=18 February 2011}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.fhw.gr/olympics/ancient/en/304b.html|title=Professionals and Amateurs|access-date=18 July 2008 |work=From Ancient Olympia to Athens of 1896|publisher=Foundation of the Hellenic World}}
* {{Cite book|title=Running through the Ages|last=Sears |first=Edward S.|year=2001 |publisher=McFarland|isbn=0-7864-0971-1|chapter=The Revival of the Olympic Games|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vxxOw3FvOgwC&q=Burke,++crouch+start |oclc=46650949 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite book|title=The Olympic Games: A Social Sciences Perspective |last=Toohey |first=Kristine |year=2007 |publisher=CABI|isbn=978-1-84593-355-5}}
* {{Cite book|title=A Brief History of the Olympic Games|last=Young |first=David C. |year=2004 |location= Oxford |publisher=Blackwell |isbn=1-4051-1130-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hCNtwn24iK8C&q=Zappas+Olympic+Committee |chapter=The Modern Olympic Games |oclc=54111254 |access-date=2016-04-09}}
* {{Cite journal | author-link1 = Frank Zarnowski | last = Zarnowski | first = C. Frank | date = Summer 1992 | title = A Look at Olympic Costs | journal = Citius, Altius, Fortius | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–32 | url = http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n1/JOHv1n1f.pdf | access-date = 24 March 2007 | archive-date = 28 May 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080528012143/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n1/JOHv1n1f.pdf | url-status = dead }}
* {{Cite book| author=Greenberg, Stan | title=The Guinness Book of Olympic Facts and Feats | publisher=Guinness | location=Enfield | year=1996 | isbn=0-85112-639-1 | oclc=35921786}}
* {{Cite book| author=Kluge, Volker | title=Olympische Sommerspiele: die Chronik I | publisher=Sportverlag | location=Berlin | year=1997 | isbn=3-328-00715-6 | oclc=38258227}}
* {{Cite book| editor=Lennartz, Karl | title=Die olympischen Spiele 1896 in Athen: Erläuterungen zum Neudruck des Offiziellen Berichtes | publisher=Agon | location=Kassel | year=1996 }}
* {{Cite book| author=MacAloon, John J | title=This Great Symbol: Pierre de Coubertin and the Origins of the Modern Olympic Games | publisher=The University of Chicago Press | location=Chicago | year=1982 }}
* {{Cite book| author=Smith, Michael Llewellyn | title= Olympics in Athens 1896. The Invention of the Modern Olympic Games | publisher=Profile Books | location=London | year = 2004 | isbn=1-86197-342-X | oclc=186174794}}
* {{Cite book| author=Wallechinsky, David | title=The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics | publisher=Overlook Press | location=Woodstock | year=2000 | isbn=1-58567-033-2 | oclc=43561597}}
* {{Cite book | author=Randall, David | title=1896: The First Modern Olympics | url=http://www.1896olympics.com/ | format=ebook | publisher=Blacktoad Publishing | location=London | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-9570591-0-8 | access-date=2016-04-09 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209003424/http://www.1896olympics.com/ | archive-date=9 December 2011 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}
* "Athens 1896 - A remembrance" (1995). The Olympic Movement Archive. [https://www.theolympicmovement.amdigital.co.uk/Documents/Detail/athens-1896-a-remembrance/28848111?item=28848115]

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IOC games|games=1896 Summer Olympics }}
* [https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/cultural-collections/archives/from-the-parliamentary-collections/parliament-and-the-olympics/programmecoverolympics/ 1896 Olympic Games Programme – UK Parliament Living Heritage]

{{S-start}}
{{s-sports|soly}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Zappas Olympics]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=I Olympiad<br/>[[Athens]]|years=1896}}
{{s-aft|after=[[1900 Summer Olympics|Paris]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Olympic Games}}
{{Nations at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}
{{Events at the 1896 Summer Olympics}}
{{1896 Summer Olympic venues}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:1896 Summer Olympics| ]]
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