WHAT WERE THE EVENTS AT THE FIRST MODERN OLYMPICS?
READY TO RUN Sprinters line up for the 100m final at the 1896 Olympics
After a hiatus of more than 1,500 years, the Olympics returned to Greece in April 1896. Competitors from 14 countries converged on Athens to take part in 43 events (compared to more than 300 at Rio 2016) including weightlifting, wrestling, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, shooting, track and field, and a marathon along the legendary route taken by Pheidippides. The ancient sports formed the template, but boxing was replaced with the more civilised fencing, whilst chariot racing became cycling.