Today, April 6 2016, marks the 120th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896.
Facts about the Games of the I Olympiad
- Held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896
- The Games were held at Panathenaic Stadium
- Panathenaic Stadium was the only Olympic stadium used in the 1800s, and at the time was the largest crowd ever to watch a sporting event
- 14 countries participated (New Zealand did not compete)
- The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date
- 241 Athletes Participated
- 241 Men
- 0 Women
- 43 Events in 9 sports - Athletics, swimming, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling
- The Olympics did not return to Greece until 2004, 108 years later
Did you know?
- In 1894, the Modern Olympic Movement was established and New Zealand was amongst the 13 Founding Member Nations
- New Zealander Leonard A. Cuff (NZL) had met Pierre de Coubertin in France and became the first IOC Member appointed to New Zealand and Australia.
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