United States at the 1896 Summer Olympics
Fourteen competitors from the United States competed in three sports at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Americans were the most successful athletes in terms of gold medals, beating host nation Greece, 11 to 10, despite fielding only 14 competitors compared to an estimated 169 Greek entrants. However, the Greeks' 46 total medals dwarfed the Americans' 20.
| United States at the 1896 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
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| IOC code | USA |
| NOC | United States Olympic Committee |
| in Athens | |
| Competitors | 14 in 3 sports |
| Medals Ranked 1st |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
| Other related appearances | |
| 1906 Intercalated Games | |
The United States team had 27 entries in 16 events, with 20 of the 27 resulting in top-three finishes.
Most of the American competitors were students at Harvard University or Princeton University or members of the Boston Athletic Association. The team trained at The Pennington School, in Pennington, New Jersey, while preparing for the first modern Olympic Games.
Medalists
Of the 14 Americans at the Athens Games, 12 won medals. Charles Waldstein, a shooter, and Gardner Williams, a swimmer, were the two who did not win any medals.
Results by event
Swimming
Williams competed in two swimming events, placing in neither.
- Men
| Athlete | Event | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | ||
| Gardner Williams | 100 metre freestyle | Unknown | 3–10 |
| 1200 metre freestyle | Unknown | ||
Athletics
The United States squad of 11, which featured only one national champion, won nine gold medals in the twelve athletics events, with contributions from six different athletes. Six silver medals and two bronze medals also went to the Americans in athletics.
- Track & road events
| Athlete | Events | Heat | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Thomas Burke | 100 m | 11.8 | 1 Q | 12.0 |  |
| Francis Lane | 12.2 | 1 Q | 12.6 |  | |
| Thomas Curtis | 12.2 | 1 Q | Did not start | ||
| Thomas Burke | 400 m | 58.4 | 1 Q | 54.2 | |
| Herbert Jamison | 56.8 | 1 Q | 55.2 |  | |
| Arthur Blake | 1500 m | n/a | 4:34.0 | | |
| Thomas Curtis | 110 m hurdles | 18.0 | 1 Q | 17.6 | |
| William Hoyt | Unknown | 2 Q | Did not start | ||
| Arthur Blake | Marathon | n/a | Did not finish | ||
- Field events
| Athlete | Events | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | ||
| Ellery Clark | Long jump | 6.35 | |
| Robert Garrett | 6.00 | | |
| James Brendan Connolly | 5.84 | | |
| James Brendan Connolly | Triple jump | 13.71 | |
| Ellery Harding Clark | High jump | 1.81 | |
| James Brendan Connolly | 1.65 | | |
| Robert Garrett | 1.65 | | |
| William Hoyt | Pole vault | 3.30 | |
| Albert Tyler | 3.20 | | |
| Robert Garrett | Shot put | 11.22 | |
| Ellery Harding Clark | Unknown | 5–7 | |
| Robert Garrett | Discus throw | 29.15 | |
Shooting
The Paine brothers contested only two events, taking the top two spots in the event in which they both competed, the military pistol. Sumner was the only one of the two to enter the free pistol, which he won. Waldstein was the third member of the American shooting contingent, competing in the military rifle event.
| Shooter | Event | Hits | Score | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Paine | 25 m military pistol | 25 | 442 | |
| Sumner Paine | 23 | 380 | | |
| Sumner Paine | 30 m free pistol | 24 | 442 | |
| Charles Waldstein | 200 m military rifle | Unknown | 14–41 | |
References
- 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.
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