Perhaps the history of the connection between top and popular sports began at the marathon in Athens in 1896. At the first Olympic Games there – as is the case with the marathon: for hours – the first victory of a Greek participant became apparent. The news from the track put the audience in the Olympic Stadium, 70,000, maybe 80,000 strong, in a high spirits, and when the leading Spyridon Louis actually appeared in the gate to the interior, there was no holding back. Crown Prince Konstantin jumped out of the royal box, his brother Georg did the same, and together the royal children accompanied the runner, who was more likely to walk than run, on his triumphant lap to the finish.
Not the length of the course – the marathon only reached 42.195 instead of 40 kilometers in London in 1908 – but the successful mixture of professional performance and hobby sporting enthusiasm was already found on the first days of the marathon. The Olympic marathon, although invented for the occasion, was not the first marathon in history. It was preceded by two qualifying and promotional marathons. The silver bullet for the greatest success in athletics, involving interested and enthusiastic people in the competition, still leads to the present day.
