Australia at the 1896 Summer Olympics
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]
| Australia at the 1896 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | AUS |
| NOC | Australian Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Athens | |
| Competitors | 1 in 2 sports |
| Medals |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
| Other related appearances | |
1906 Intercalated Games | |
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.
Medalists
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Edwin Flack | Athletics | 800 m |
|
1500 m |
Athletics
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
In the singles tournament, Flack lost the only match 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 | .svg.png){kind=small} L |
Did not advance | 8 | ||
| Opponent nation | Wins | Losses | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Total | 0 | 1 | .000 |
Notes
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.