1896 Summer Olympics: Difference between revisions

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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>{{r|mod-olym}}{{unreliable source|sure=y|date=July 2024}} 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. Retroactively, the IOC has converted these to gold and silver and awarded bronze medals to third placed athletes. 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.