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Some dates in the history of the marathon
In 490 BC the Persian army arrived on the plain near the village of Marathon some miles east of Athens. Before the Persians had prepared themselves for the battle the larger but inferior army from Athens attacked. Against all the odds the Athenians won and Greece retained its independence.
Six hundred years later historians wrote that a runner called Feidippides was sent to Athens to report the great victory. After he had made his announcement the exhausted messenger was said to have fallen down dead.
In documents of the same period there was no mention of Feidippides - who was a well known messenger/distance runner at this time - actually running from Marathon to Athens.
This legend however inspired the French baron Pierre de Coubertin - founder of the modern Olympic Games - to introduce a marathon race in the first Olympic Games in Athens 1896.
1896
On 10 March 1896 the first organised marathon race in history was held. Twelve Greeks ran a selection race before the first modern Olympic Games. Charilaos Vasilakos won the race between Marathon and Athens in 3 hours 18 minutes. Some weeks later another selection race took place.
Spiridon Louis won the first Olympic marathon.
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On Friday 10 April the first Olympic Games finished with the marathon. Just before two o'clock in the afternoon 17 runners set off from Marathon to Athens. There was one runner from Australia, USA, France and Hungary plus 13 from Greece.
The Greek participants who had all run this unknown distance distance before, started more cautiously than the foreign competitors who were the four in the lead after 20km. When the Greek, Spiridon Louis, reached the village of Pikermi after 22km he was placed far back in the field but in spite of this was filled with optimism. Louis drank a glass of wine and declared he was sure that he would win.
Edwin Flack from Australia, who earlier had won both 800m and 1500m, had a clear lead with 10km to go. A few kilometres later, Louis had caught up with him. The two ran together for four kilometres until Flack had to drop back and then abandon the race. Spiridon Louis was the first runner to reach the newly renovated Olympic stadium in Athens. He recorded 2:58:50 for the 40km race.
The victory was met with great excitement by the 100,000 spectators who lined the streets of Athens and who waited at the finish. The host nation had had no success at the Olympic Games. The victory in the closing marathon race therefore saved the Greek honour.
Spiridon Louis was 24 years' old when he won the first Olympic marathon. His background was vague; there is information that he was everything from a well-to-do farmer, to a shepherd, soldier or postman. He was offered money, goods and even shares after his victory but according to tradition was only allowed to accept a horse and wagon which the inhabitants of his home village Maroussi needed.
Dorando Pietri collapsed, was helped over the finish line and then disqualified.
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1908
The fourth Olympic Games were held in London. The marathon was remarkable since the Italian Dorando Pietri, who was first to cross the finish line, was disqualified because he was assisted by officials when he sank to the ground exhausted a hundred metres from the finish.
Today the race is also remembered because the course in London determined the official distance for the marathon running. At the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s a marathon race was about 40km. The course was not so exact. Later on in the 1900s the distance was standardised based on the 1908 race which became the accepted distance for the Marathon, 26 miles and 385 years, that is to say 42,195 metres.
Sigge Jacobsson – the best Swede.
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1912
Olympic Games in Stockholm. The newly built Olympic arena was full on two days during the Games, at the opening ceremony and for the marathon. It was oppressively hot when, at 13:48 on 14 July, 68 runners set off on the 40.2km marathon course from the Olympic Stadium to Sollentuna Church and back.
The South African Kennedy Kane McArthur won in 2:36:54.8 - a new Olympic record. The big Swedish hope, Sigge Jacobsen, finished in 6th place with 2:43:24.9. Despite being the best European competitor he received a lot of criticism after the race. Sixth place was considered a failure.
1958
It was wet and chilly when the European Athletics Championships were held in Stockholm Not appropriate weather for jumpers and sprinters, but ideal conditions for distance runners. On 24 August, Sergey Popov from the Soviet Union, recorded an impressive display on the European Championship course from the Olympic Stadium out along Roslagsvägen, through Danderyd and Enebyberg to Hagby and then back through Sollentuna to the Olympic Stadium.
Popov was over five minutes in front of the second place and won in 2:15:17.2 - a new world record by over two minutes and the only time a world record has been recorded in Sweden at the marathon distance.
The first Stockholm Marathon.
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1979
4 August 1979 was the premiere of Stockholm Marathon which soon became a major international race.
The event is now in its 31st year. 18,500 entries were accepted for 2009 and the race was fully subscribed by 1 December 2008.
1982
The women’s marathon was accepted for the first time at an international championships. The debut took place at the European Athletics Championships in the historical marathon city of Athens. On 12 September Rosa Mota from Portugal won European gold in 2:36:03.
1984
For the first time women competed in the marathon at an Olympic Games.
In Los Angeles the home favourite Joan Benoit took a clear victory in 2:24:52 in front of Norwegian Grete Waitz, 2:26:18 and Rosa Mota from Portugal, 2:26:57. Grete won the debut women's World Championship marathon the previous year.
At the Olympic Games in 1980 1500m was the longest race for women.
2012
On 14 July - 100 years to the day after the Olympic Marathon in Stockholm - the Jubilee Marathon Stockholm 1912-2012 will take place.
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Jubileumsmarathon Stockholm 1912–2012.
E-mail: info@jubileumsmarathon.se Phone: +46 (0)8-545 664 40, Fax: +46 (0)8-664 38 22
Address: Stockholm Marathon, Box 15124, SE-167 15 Bromma, Sweden
This website is produced by Jomsborg AB
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Great races in Sweden 2012
ASICS Stockholm Marathon
The 35th ASICS Stockholm Marathon will be an exiting race in a beautiful city with 21,500 runners from all over the world. Enthusiastic spectators line the route in the Swedish capital. At the finish in the classical 1912 Olympic Stadium thousands of fans greet the runners.
www.StockholmMarathon.se
Stockholm Ultra Marathon
The first ever Stockholm Ultra Marathon will be on Sunday 4 August 2013. The race has two distances; 50 km and 100 km. The course will run through the central parts of Stockholm.
www.StockholmUltra.se
Tjejmilen
This is the biggest sporting event in Sweden for women with 33,000 female runners and joggers of all ages. The 30th Tjejmilen will be staged on Saturday 7 September 2013.
Everyone loves the scenic course through the royal park ”Djurgården” in central Stockholm. The distance is 10,000 metres.
www.Tjejmilen.se
DN Stockholm Half Marathon
Welcome to the DN Stockholm Half Marathon. Start and finish at the Royal Palace. 17,000 runners from all over the world. Inspiring course through the central districts of the Swedish capital.
www.StockholmHalfMarathon.se
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