Australia at the 1896 Summer Olympics
| Australia at the 1896 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | AUS |
| NOC | Australian Olympic Committee |
| in Athens, Greece April 6, 1896 – April 15, 1896 | |
| Competitors | 1 in 2 sports and 6 events |
| Medals Ranked 8th |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
| Other related appearances | |
| 1906 Intercalated Games ––––  Australasia (1908–1912) |
Australia competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896. One athlete from the Colony of Victoria, a British colony which later formed part of Australia, competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Edwin Flack was born in England and was a resident in London in 1896, but spent most of his life in Australia and so is considered an Australian athlete by the International Olympic Committee.[1]
The Union Flag was used as the flag for the Australian colonies as well as Great Britain and Ireland at the 1896 Summer Olympics.[citation needed]
At the end of these Olympics, Australia was ranked in eighth position on the medal table with a total of 2 medals (2 gold).
Flack was the only competitor from an Australian colony. He entered five events, winning medals in three. The bronze medal in tennis, however, was part of a mixed team and therefore is not counted for Australia.
Medalists
[edit]
The following competitors won medals at the games. In the discipline sections below, the medalists' names are bolded. Medals awarded to participants of mixed-NOC teams are represented in italics. These medals are not counted towards the individual NOC medal tally.
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gold |
Edwin Flack | Athletics | Men's 800 metres | April 9 |
| Gold |
Edwin Flack | Athletics | Men's 1500 metres | April 7 |
 Bronze |
Edwin Flack | Tennis | Men's doubles | April 9 |
| Medals by sport | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | |
 |
|
Total |
| Athletics | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Multiple medalists
[edit]The following competitors won multiple medals at the 1896 Olympic Games.
| Name | Medal | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin Flack | Gold Gold | Athletics | Men's 800 metres Men's 1500 metres |
Competitors
[edit]The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games.
Athletics
[edit]Both of Flack's gold medals came in the athletics competitions as he won both of his track races.
Track & road events
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Edwin Flack | 400 m | DNS | Did not advance | ||
| Edwin Flack | 800 m | 2:10.0 OR | 1 Q | 2:11.0 | |
| Edwin Flack | 1500 m | —N/a | 4:33.2 OR | | |
| Edwin Flack | Marathon | —N/a | DNF |
Tennis
[edit]In the singles tournament, Flack lost the only match he competed in. His loss in the semifinals of the doubles competition, while carrying no prize at the time, earned him a retroactive bronze medal from the International Olympic Committee. This medal is counted for mixed team rather than Australia, however.
| Athlete | Event | First round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Opposition Score |
Rank | ||
| Edwin Flack | Singles |  Akratopoulos (GRE)L |
Did not advance | =8 | ||
 Edwin Flack (AUS) George S. Robertson (GBR) |
Doubles | —N/a | Marshall / Marshall (GBR) W WO |
Kasdaglis / Petrokokkinos (GRE) L |
Did not advance | |
Notes
[edit]- ↑ See, e.g., , the IOC medal chart for the 1896 Games listing Flack's two gold medals for Australia.
- ↑ Edwin Flack competed in athletics and tennis.
References
[edit]- Lampros, S.P.; Polites, N.G.; De Coubertin, Pierre; Philemon, P.J. & Anninos, C. (1897). The Olympic Games: BC 776 – AD 1896. Athens: Charles Beck. (Digitally available at )
- Mallon, Bill & Widlund, Ture (1998). The 1896 Olympic Games. Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0379-9. (Excerpt available at )
- Smith, Michael Llewellyn (2004). Olympics in Athens 1896. The Invention of the Modern Olympic Games. London: Profile Books. ISBN 1-86197-342-X.
External links
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