Where were the first modern Olympic Games held?
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. About 240 male athletes from 14 nations competed in 43 events.
The French educator Pierre de Coubertin led the revival of the Olympics and founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894. Athens was a natural choice, because ancient Greece had held the original Olympic Games at Olympia for more than a thousand years.
The main venue was the Panathenaic Stadium, a restored ancient marble stadium. Sports included athletics, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. American James Connolly became the first modern Olympic champion, in the triple jump.
The first marathon
The marathon was created for these Games, inspired by the legend of a Greek messenger. Greek water carrier Spyridon Louis won it, becoming a national hero. Women first competed in the Olympics in Paris in 1900.
Athens hosted the Summer Olympics again in 2004. The Panathenaic Stadium was used for the archery competition and the finish of the marathon, linking the modern Games with their 1896 beginnings.
Did You Know?
Winners at the 1896 Games received silver medals and an olive branch. Gold medals for first place were introduced in 1904.