THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT ATHENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5582, 4 June 1896, Page 2

THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT ATHENS.

The opening of the Olympic Games at Athens, on April 6, was observed as a national festival. The day was opened with aTe Deuni in the Cathedral. The spectators are calculated to have numbered 80,000. The Crown Prince, surrounded by the members of the organising committee, formally begged the King to take over the Stadion, the restoration of which had been rendered possible by the generosity of a great Greek. His Majesty, in reply, expressed his admiration for the incomparable beauty of the structure. He also cordially welcomed the athletic youth who had come from all parts of the world to lend additional brilliance to the festival. His Majesty finally took formal 'possession of the Stadion in the name of Greece. Ihe united bands then performed the special Olympic anthem composed by M. Samara, which was conducted by the composer himself. The games commenced immediately afterwards. Results: — Foot Kn->e, 100 metres (109yds)— First heat : F. Lane, United States, 1 ; A. Szokoly, Hungary, 2. Time— l2|sec. Seeoii'l heat : J. P. Curtis, United States, 1 ; A. Chalcocondyles, Greoce, 2. Time— 1 2f sec. Third heat : . T. E. Biirlce, United States, ■I; F. Hofmunn, Germany, 2. Time— ll-!bbc. ' Foot Bace, 800 metres (675yds)— First heat ; E. H. Flack, Australia, 1; K. Dani, Hungary, 2. . Timo — 2min lCsec. Second heat : A. Leiinusiau-c, France, 1; D. Goleme?, Greece, 2. Time— 2min . ll"fsec. • •-• . . Triple Jump— J. B. Connolly, United States, 7 45ft j A. Tufferi, France, 41ft Bin. Throwing the Discus— B. Garrett, United States, 95ft 7|in ; P. ParaskevopDulos, Greece, 94ft lljin ; S. Berse-, Greece, 86ft 6 Jin. Foot Bare, 400 metres (437 yds)— Firßt heat : H. B. Jamieson, United States, 1 ; F. Hofmann, Oer* many. 2.' Time— SGjSoo, Second heat: T. A. Burke, United States, 1; C. H. Gtnelin, Oxford Un versity, England, 2. Time— 6Bj^ec. Second Day — April 7. Hurdle Bace, 110 metres, 10 flights— First heat : G. T. Gouldiug, England, 1 : A. Szokoly, Hungary, 2. Time— lß|sec. Second heat: T. V. Curtis, United States, 1; W. W. Stoyt, United States, 2. Time— lSsec. Long Jump— S. H. Clark, United States, 20ft 9*-in, 1 ; E. Garrett, United States, 2 ; J. B. Connolly, United States, 3. Foot Bace, 400 metres (437yds)— Final heat: Burke, United States, 1; Jamieson, United States, 2 ; Gmelin, t-'nglanrf, 3. Time— s4Jitec. Pnttimr the Weight (161 b), from 2-metre (6ft 3Jin) square— B. Garrett, United States, 36ft 2'2in, 1 ; M. Gouscos, Greece, 36ft l*4in. 2. Weight-lifting (two hands)— V. Jensen, Denmark, 1-. L. Elliot, En-dand, 2. Both succeeded ' in lifting above the head 1121 kilos (about 2301 b), but the Dane secured the verdict on neatest work. Weight-lifting one hand)— Elliot, England, 1561(11), 1 ; Jensen, Denmark, 2. Foot iae*, 1500 metres (1640yd**)-E. H. Flack, Australia, 1; A. Blake, United States, 2; A. Lni*musiau*c, France, 3. Time— 4min ,33isec. Third Dat — April 8.. The games were continued under the adverse conditions of ct biting north wind. A bicycle rac of 10 > kilometres (sixty-two miles) ,wa* won by Flameng (France), time 3hr Smin IS'sftc j Colottes (Greece) was fourteen laps behind. The otr-er competitors, eight in n niber, abah. donu-t the raoe, which was run in a perfect) tempeßt of wind. In the lawn-tennis tournament for singles Akratoponlos (Greece) beat Flack (Australia!; whilo Boland (Ireland) defeated; Thrnun •Hamburg). The shooting contest at a distance of 200 yds was won by Karasevdas (Greece),, the tecond place being taken by Merlin (England), Fourth Dat — April 9. Lawn Tennis— Singles : M. Paspatis (Greece) I beat G. S. Robertson (England) ; Boland (Ireland) beat Bal is (Greece). Doubles : Kasdoglis and Petrokokkins (Greece) b-*at Flack ( * ustralia) and Eolwrtson ; Holand and Thraun (Hamburg) defeated the brothers Akratopouloß. Foot Knee, 800 metres— Final heat:: Flack 3, Dani 2. Time— 2min Usee. Schumann (Germanysecured flrst place for the Horizontal! Bar. Jumping the Horse : ScliHmann, 1: Vaulting the Horse : Zutter (Switzerland), 1. The competition with the rings was won by Metropoulos (»-ireece). The •word contest wan won by Georgiades (Greece). The following gained prizes in shooting:'Cnrascodus Parlidesand Nicolas Tricoupi (breece), Kasdoglis (Greece). Fifth Day — April 10. -. Foot Bacs, Marathon to Athens —The great evint of the day was the foot race from Marathon to Athens, 'he distance being 42 kilometres (261, miles). Th« s- tart, was maile from the famous Tumulus at Marathon, and the goal was tlie Stadion at Athens. The prize is n liaudßomu cup,' presentod by Michael Breal, jnember ■of the Institute of France. . There were twenty competitors. • ; The> three placed men wero all Greeks, tne.result being-: Louy l, Vasilakos 2, Belokas 3. '*■ he winner's time . was 2hr ."iSniiu. . . Viuilakos canie in Smin later, with Belokas 2Ssec behind. The fourth place was taken • by a Hungarian. The scene in the Stadion when it was discovered that a Greek was leading baffles description. The winner approached the winning post just by the Boyal throne amid a rain of flowers and bouquets. The enthusiaum of the aud ence was so great that the programme was suspended while the Crown Prince and Prince George led the victor out of the Stadi jn. Louy is a peasant of the village of Amarousiou. Foot Bace, 100 metres— Final heat: Burke, United Stater*, 1. Time— l2*;sec. High Jump— Clark, United State-*, sft llin. Hurdle Bace, 110 metres— Pinal heat: Curtis, United States. Time— l7-fjseo. Pole Jump— Hoyt, United States, 10ft lOiii* Tyler, United States, 10ft Oin. Bevel ver Shooting— These competitions vere won by two brothers named Payne, of America. Sixth Dat— April 11. Wrestling— Final : Herr Schumann, Germany, threw M. Tsintas, Greece. 100 Metres, Swimming— M. Hajos, of Budapest, easily beat his twenty competitors. The final heats in the 2000 metres and. 10,000 metres Bicycle Baces were won by M. Masson, France. In the Lawn Tennis Match for Singles, Boland proved the victor. The contest for doubles was won by Boland and Thraun. M. Hajos won the 200 and 1200 metres Swimming Baces, while the 500 inetreß event fell to, Herr Neumann, Austria. M. Mnsson,. France, won the two kilometres, to kilometres and tho one lap Bieyclo Baces. Seventh Day — April 12. A bicycle race from Athens to Marathon and back to the Velodrome at Phalerum, a distance of 90 kilometres (about 56 miles) was; won by M Constantiuides, a Greek, whose time was 3h* 22min 31sec. Battel, an Englishman, came in 'second. There were six competitors. Eighth Day — April 13. The twelve hours bicycle race ended in a victory for Smal, the Austrian champion, who covered 315 kilometres. Keeping* an Englishman, was second. The Olympic games were brought to an appropriately classic conclusion on April 15, when, amidst great enthusiasm, the victors were crowned by the King with wreaths of wild olive and laurel. Everything, indeed, was conducted on strictly classical lines — with additions demanded perhaps by the modern spirit — the proceedings being ushered in by the reading of a Pindaric ode by Mr George Stuart Robertson, of New College, Oxford, on the arrival of the Royal party. Tlie chief honours of the day were apparently reserved for the young- Greek peasant Louy, who won the, long-distance race of twenty-six and a quarter miles from the plain of Marathon to the Stadion at Athens.