Spyros Louis and Edwin Flack are celebrated figures from the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Their legacy endures, with statues commemorating their achievements in the municipality of Berwick, Victoria, Australia.
Spyros Louis: The Greek hero
Spyros Louis, a 24-year-old Greek water carrier, became a national hero after winning the first modern Olympic Marathon. On April 10, 1896, he completed the 42.195-meter race in 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds, astonishing spectators with his endurance and lack of visible fatigue. Charilaos Vasilakos finished second, seven minutes later, after a close contest with Hungarian runner Gyula Kellner.
Louis’s victory was driven by his desire to impress his future wife, Eleni, and he famously declined the Olympic Committee’s monetary reward, stating that he ran for his country.
Over the years, Louis became a symbol of national pride and was the flag bearer for Greece at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
His name lives on in the Greek expression “έγινε Λούης,” meaning “he disappeared, ran very fast.”
Edwin Flack: The Australian champion
Edwin Flack, an Australian athlete born in England in 1873, moved to Australia at the age of four. At the 1896 Olympics, he won gold in both the 800 meters and 1500 meters races. Flack also competed in the Marathon but was bested by Louis. After his athletic career, he worked as an accountant in Melbourne and lived in Berwick, where he passed away in 1935 at the age of 61. In 1996, a statue was erected in Berwick to honour his contributions to Australian athletics.
Commemorating their legacy
In 2013, a statue of Spyros Louis was unveiled in Melbourne, funded by the State Government of Victoria and Greek-Australian businesses. Despite some local opposition, the statue stands near Edwin Flack’s, symbolising the friendship between Greece and Australia.
The Hellenic Organisation for the Support of the Olympic Spirit and Idea, led by Aristeidis Panagakis, spearheaded this initiative.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable figures, including the Greek Consul Eleni Lianidou, Casey Mayor Amanda Stapleton, Shadow Minister Jenny Mikakos, and Committee Chairman Mick Morland.
