The First Modern Olympic Games (1896) Trivia Questions

Spyridon Louis, a Greek water carrier and postal worker, won the marathon, becoming a national hero. He never ran another race.

No women competed. The 1896 Games were exclusively male; female athletes first appeared in 1900 in Paris.

First-place winners received a silver medal and an olive branch. Gold medals were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis Games.

All swimming events were held in the Bay of Zea, a cold, choppy bay. Swimmers battled waves and 12°C water, not a modern pool.

The 1896 marathon was about 40 kilometers (24.85 miles). The modern 26.2-mile distance was set at the 1908 London Games.

Swimmers used a variety of strokes, including breaststroke and a rudimentary front crawl, but freestyle wasn't an official category; events were open-style.

The U.S. topped the gold medal count with 11 golds. Greece had the most total medals, but the U.S. led in first-place finishes.

The Games were not tied to a specific anniversary. They were held in Athens to honor the ancient Olympic tradition, but no exact anniversary was celebrated.