Australia at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Australia at the Olympic Games

Flag of Australia – Flag bearers
IOC code  AUS
NOC Australian Olympic Committee
Website www.olympics.com.au
At the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens
Competitors 1 in 2 sports
Medals Gold
2		 Silver
0		 Bronze
0		 Total
2
Olympic history (summary)
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*with New Zealand as Australasia
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One athlete from Victoria, a British colony which later formed part of Australia, competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Edwin Flack was born in England and was resident in London in 1896, but spent most of his life in Australia and so is considered an Australian athlete by the International Olympic Committee.[1]

The Union Flag was used as the flag for the Australian colonies as well as Great Britain and Ireland at the 1896 Summer Olympics.

Flack was the only competitor from an Australian colony. He entered five events, winning medals in three. The bronze medal in tennis, however, was part of a mixed team and therefore is not counted for Australia.

Contents

Medalists

Medal Name Sport Event
 Gold Edwin Flack Athletics 800 m
 Gold 1500 m

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Both of Flack's gold medals came in the athletics competitions as he won both of his track races.

Athlete Events Heat Final
Result Rank Result Rank
Edwin Flack 800 m 2:10.0 1 2:11.0
1500 m N/A 4:33.2
Marathon N/A DNF -

Tennis

Main article: Tennis at the 1896 Summer Olympics

In the singles tournament, Flack lost both of the matches he competed in. His loss in the semifinals of the doubles competition, while carrying no prize at the time, earned him a retroactive bronze medal from the International Olympic Committee. This medal is counted for mixed team rather than Australia, however.

Athlete Event First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Opposition
Result		 Rank
Edwin Flack Singles  Akratopoulos (GRE)
L		 Did not advance 8
Opponent nation Wins Losses Percent
Greece 0 2 .000
Total 0 2 .000

Notes

  1. ^ See, e.g., [1], the IOC medal chart for the 1896 Games listing Flack's two gold medals for Australia.

References

External links