Twenty-seven-year old James Connelly withdrew from Harvard University to compete in the Olympics in Athens in 1896, and went on to become the first victor in modern Olympic competition. What was his event?
A) The 100-metre dash B) The triple jump ü C) The decathlon D) The marathon
Connolly made the trip to Europe along with other U.S. competitors aboard a tramp steamer. Because of a back injury, he did not participate in the training aboard the ship, but did manage one workout in a park in Italy. Upon arriving in Athens, the team learned to its dismay that Greece was still on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian. They had expected two weeks to train; instead, the Games were to begin on the following day. Nevertheless, Connolly jumped 13.71 metres, more than a metre beyond his nearest rival.
