Connolly became the first Olympic champion in more than 1,500 years in the triple jump -- which was then a hop-hop-jump combination. His prize: a silver medal and olive wreath.
The gold medal was not introduced until 1904. Coubertin wanted gold to be the top prize in Athens, but Greece's Crown Prince Constantine didn't want it to seem as if the athletes were being paid.
The Greeks had expected to dominate the games. Instead, the Americans were on their way to taking the most victories: 11 in all. The marathon became a point of national pride for the host country.
The race is inspired by the legend of messenger Pheidippides running to Athens in 490 BC to announce -- with his dying breath -- Greek victory over Persians in the Battle of Marathon. In 1896, a water-seller named Spyridon Louis joined 16 others in the first Olympic marathon.
What got Louis there in the first place is lost to history. Some versions say he was picked by a military officer. A more romantic tale is that he wanted to gain the respect of the family of the woman he loved.
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