Spiridon Louis

Spiridon Louis was born in Marousi, a village north of Athens, into a poor peasant family. As a young man, Louis helped his father transport mineral water by horse cart from local springs into Athens, developing tremendous stamina through hours of daily mountain walking. When Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, French linguist Michel Bréal proposed creating a race to commemorate the ancient soldier Pheidippides, who according to legend ran from Marathon to Athens in 490 BCE to announce victory over the Persians.

On 10 April 1896, seventeen runners lined up at the bridge of Marathon. As foreign runners dropped out in the scorching heat and dust, Louis ran a measured race, stopping at a small inn in Pikermi to drink a glass of wine given to him by his uncle. Near the village of Chalandri, he took the lead from Australia's Edwin Flack.

When a Greek cavalry officer rode into the Panathenaic Stadium shouting 'A Greek! A Greek is leading!', the 80,000 spectators erupted. Louis entered the marble stadium in dusty peasant shoes, accompanied by Crown Prince Constantine and Prince George running beside him to the finish line in 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds. Showered with gifts, Louis refused all monetary rewards, asking only for a new horse and cart to help his father carry water. In 1936, he was invited as the guest of honor at the Berlin Olympics, presenting an olive branch from Olympia.