User:Johnboddie/sandbox

The 1896 Summer Olympics were the first international Olympic Games held in modern history. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was established in 1894 by a congress organized by Pierre de Coubertin in Paris. The committee appointed the Greek capital Athens as the host city, and the games took place from from 6 to 15 April 1896. According to the IOC, 14 nations took part, and 241 male athletes competed. Participants were all European, or living in Europe, with the exception of the United States team. Over 65% of the competing athletes were Greek, and Greece won the most medals overall, 47. The athletic highlight for the Greeks was the marathon victory by their compatriot Spyridon Louis. The most successful competitor was German wrestler and gymnast Carl Schuhmann with four victories.The 1896 Olympics were regarded as a great success. The Games had the largest international participation of any sporting event to that date.