With the 2012 Olympics only about 100 days away it is time to get all historical on you. On this day in 1896 in Athens the first modern Olympic games kicked off. 241 athletes from 14 nations participated during the 9 day event. The games were a great success as it had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date. Greek athlete Spyridon Louis stole the show as the former water-carrier (yup, that was a job at the time) won Gold for the Marathon and became a national hero. From the number of athletes participating to the equipment used you’ll see quite a bit has changed since 1896.
The Opening Ceremony at the 1896 Athens Olympics. [Source]
Marathon gear has changed quite a bit since the 1896 games. [Source]
The American delegation team in the Pan-Athenian stadium. [Source]
A fencing match at the 1896 Olympic games. [Source]
Shot put [Source]
A gymnast competes in the rope-climb at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece [Source]
Louis Spiridon (centre) of Greece receives his gold medal at the medal ceremony for winning the Marathon event during the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. \ Mandatory Credit: IOC/Olympic Museum /Allsport [Source]
Another look at Louis Spyridon winner of the Marathon. [Source]
Start of the 100m… The future winner, America’s Thomas Burke, is in the second lane on the left ©IOC [Source]
The 1896 Athens Olympics saw heavyweight wrestler Carl Schuhmann, left, of Germany defeat Greece’s own Giorgios Tsitas in the gold medal final. (IOC Olympic Museum/Getty Images) [Source]
1896 Olympics-Athens Greece. In the beginning…someone tried an iron cross!
Athènes 1896-The start of a race. [Source]
Track and field [Source]
Athens 1896-Entrance of the Pan-Athenian stadium and in the middle Georges AVEROFF’s statue. [Source]
Athens 1896-Fencing-A match [Source]
Athens 1896-FLATOW Alfred (GER) 1st. [Source]
German gymnastics team. [Source]
KONSTANTINIDIS Aristidis of Greece came in first [Source]
Athens 1896-Princeton University team [Source]
[Source]
The American delegation headed to the games. [Source]
French fencing team [Source]
The Pan-Athenian stadium from the top of the tiers. [Source]
[Source]
Tennis [Source]
Athens 1896-WEINGARTNER Hermann (GER) at the horizontal bar. [Source]
Robert Garret 1896 Olympics [Source]
Members of an international committee for organization of 1896 Summer Olympics. [Source]
Front and reverse side of the 1896 first-place silver medal [Source]
The first Olympic poster. [Source]
