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New bridge honours Australia's first Olympian in 1896 Athens Olympics

Edwin Flack represented Australia solo, starting a long tradition of Olympic participation

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New bridge honours Australia's first Olympian in 1896 Athens Olympics
29 Jun 2012

A new foot bridge connecting AAMI park and the MCG will be named after Australia's first Olympian, Edwin Flack.
The Edwin Flack Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of the year as part of the Olympic Park's $363 million redevelopment.
Flack represented Australia in the 1896 Olympics in Athens, the first Modern Olympics of its time.
He won gold for the 1500m and 800m sprints and then another bronze medal in the tennis doubles.
Sports Minister Hugh Delahunty says that the Olympian set standards high for the Australian Olympic teams to come.
"Edwin Flack set the scene for our Olympians,'' he said.
"You couldn't get a better example and better inspiration to our up and coming athletes.''
The bridge is expected to provide a faster and safer route over Olympic Boulevard between stadiums.
The walkway will also feature the original Olympic rings used during the 1956 Melbourne games.
When Flack competed in the first Olympics, Australia had no national Olympic committee at the time.
It was Flack's private decision to go to Athens and represent Australia. The country was still governed by each State and hadn't unified yet.
Entering as a member of the London Athletic Club, he chose to run in the colours of his Australian athletics club.
Amazingly, Flack took on the marathon in the 1896 Olympics, despite never having run a race longer than 16 km.
In second place, Flak's competitor retired from the race leaving him in first. But with just 4 kilometres to go, he collapsed. A Greek spectator came to help him, but in Flack's delirious state, he punched him to the ground. He was later treated by Prince Nicolas of Greece at the stadium and recuperated under the care of the Royal Family for four days.
Flack was instilled with the nickname 'The Lion of Athens' after his triumphant Olympic pursuit and was followed by crowds in the Athenian streets.
Flack later joined the Australian Olympic Committee, but never competed in another Olympics.
Greece and Australia are the only countries that have competed in all Olympics.

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