The inaugural modern Olympic marathon
The marathon has been an integral part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games since Athens 1896.
Modern-day Olympic marathon races are traditionally held on the closing weekend of the Games and feature extensive fields, with 155 athletes from 79 nations contesting the men’s race at Rio 2016, and 157 athletes from 80 nations competing in the women’s event. The men’s and women’s races have now been run 29 and ten times respectively, with the women’s marathon first appearing on the programme at Los Angeles 1984.
The first marathon race of them all was held at Athens 1896. Regarded as the crowning moment of the Games of the I Olympiad, the event commemorated the messenger who ran all the way from Marathon to Athens with news of victory over the Persians in 490 BC. The race followed a 25-mile (40-kilometre) route from Marathon Bridge to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens and was fittingly won by the Greek runner Spyridon Louis in a time of 2:58.50. His success on a fabled route helped establish the prestige of modern Olympic Games and also led to him heading up the procession of the medal winners at the Closing Ceremony.
In tribute to Louis, the Athens Olympic Sports Center (O.A.K.A) in Marousi - Athens have been named after him (now known as the Athens Olympic Sports Center Spiros Louis), while the Athens Authentic Marathon is held on the same route on which he won. First held in 1972, the event attracts several thousand runners every year and finishes at the Panathenaic Stadium.
It was not until London 1908 that the standard marathon distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 kilometres) was adopted, for a rather arbitrary reason: to allow the British royal family a full view of the start from the East Terrace of Windsor Castle, and a similarly unobstructed view from the royal box at the finish line at the Olympic Stadium.