Wednesday 4 September 2013

Heroes of the 1896 Olympics, continued

I can't let the day go by without marking the anniversary of Dimitrios Loundras, born on this day in 1885. That's him in the picture, between the two hulking fellows. Dimitrios, aged just ten, was a hero of the great 1896 Athens Olympiad. His achievement did not match the triumph (and lifetime of free shaves) of marathon winner Spiridon Louis, but he lived to be the oldest survivor of the 1896 games. And his name remains in the record books as the youngest competitor and medallist in Olympic history. Competing in the team parallel bars event, his team, Ethnikos Gymnastikos Syllogos, came third and took the bronze. Third out of three teams, but never mind - well done, Dimitrios Loundras.

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