1906 Olympics

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

Athens

After disappointing receptions in Paris and St. Louis, the Olympic movement returned to Athens for the Intercalated Games of 1906.

The mutual desire of Greece and Baron de Coubertin to recapture the spirit of the 1896 Games led to an understanding that the Greeks would host an interim games every four years between Olympics.

Nearly 900 athletes from 20 countries came to Athens, including, for the first time, an official American team picked by the USOC.

As usual, the U.S. dominated track and field, taking 11 of 21 events, including double wins by Martin Sheridan (shot put and freestyle discus), Ray Ewry (standing high and long jumps) and Paul Pilgrim (400 and 800 meters). The previously unknown Pilgrim had been an 11th-hour addition to the team.

Verner Järvinen, the first Finn to compete in the Olympics, won the Greek-style discus throw and placed second in the freestyle discus. He returned home a national hero and inspired Finland to become a future Olympic power.

The Intercalated Games were cancelled due to political unrest in 1910 and never reappeared. Medals won are considered unofficial by the IOC.

Top 10 Standings

National medal standings are not recognized by the IOC. The unofficial point totals are based on 3 points for a gold medal, 2 for a silver and 1 for a bronze.

  Gold Silver Bronze Total Pts
1 France 15 9 16 40 79
2 Greece 8 13 12 33 62
3 USA 12 6 6 24 54
4 Great Britain 8 11 5 24 51
5 Italy 7 6 3 16 36
6 Switzerland 5 6 4 15 31
7 Germany 4 6 5 15 29
8 Sweden 2 5 7 14 23
9 Hungary 2 5 3 10 19
10 Austria 3 3 2 8 17
 Norway 4 2 1 7 17

Leading Medal Winners

Number of individual medals won on the left; gold, silver and bronze breakdown to the right.

Men

No  Sport G-S-B
6 Louis Richardet, SWI Shooting 4-2-0
5 Martin Sheridan, USA Track/Field 2-3-0
5 Konrad Stäheli, SWI Shooting 2-2-1
5 Léon Moreaux, FRA Shooting 2-1-2
5 Jean Reich, SWI Shooting 1-1-3
4 Gudbrand Skatteboe, NOR Shooting 3-1-0
4 Gustav Casmir, GER Fencing 2-2-0
4 Eric Lemming, SWE Track/Field
& Tug of War
1-0-3
3 Francesco Verri, ITA Cycling 3-0-0
3 Enrico Bruna, ITA Rowing 3-0-0
3 Georgio Cesana, ITA Rowing 3-0-0
3 Max Decugis, FRA Tennis 3-0-0
3 Emilio Fontanella, ITA Rowing 3-0-0
3 Georges Dillon-Cavanaugh, FRA Fencing 2-1-0
3 Henry Taylor, GBR Swimming 1-1-1
3 Fernand Vast, FRA Cycling 1-0-2
3 Raoul de Boigne, FRA Shooting 0-1-2
3 John Jarvis, GBR Swimming 0-1-2

Women

No  Sport G-S-B
2 Sophia Marinou, GRE Tennis 0-2-0

Track & Field

Event  Time
 100m Archie Hahn, USA 11.2
 400m Paul Pilgrim, USA 53.2
 800m Paul Pilgrim, USA 2:01.5
1500m Jim Lightbody, USA 4:12.0
5 Miles Henry Hawtrey, GBR 26:11.8
Marathon Billy Sherring, CAN 2:51:23.6
110m H Robert Leavitt, USA 16.2
500m Walk George Bonhag, USA 7:12.6
3000m Walk György Sztantics, HUN 15:13.2
Event  Mark 
High Jump Con Leahy, GBR/IRE 5- 10 
Pole Vault Fernand Gonder, FRA 11- 53/4 
Long Jump Meyer Prinstein, USA 23- 71/2 
Triple Jump Peter O'Connor, GBR/IRE 46- 21/4 
Shot Put Martin Sheridan, USA 40- 51/4 
Stone Throw Nicolaos Georgantas, GRE 65- 41/2 
Discus Martin Sheridan, USA 136- 0 
Greek Discus Verner Järvinen, FIN 115- 41/2 
Freestyle
 Javelin
Eric Lemming, SWE 176-10 WR
Pentathlon Hjalmar Mellander, SWE 24 pts 
Notes: Weight in Stone Throw was 14.08 lbs; spinning not allowed in Greek-style Discus.
Standing  Mark
High Jump Ray Ewry, USA 5- 11/4
Long Jump Ray Ewry, USA 10-10

Swimming

Event  Time
 100m Free Charles Daniels, USA 1:13.4
 400m Free Otto Scheff, AUT 6:23.8
 Mile Free Henry Taylor, GBR 28:28.0
4x250m Free HUN (József Ónody, Henrik Hajós,
Geza Kiss, Zoltán Halmay)
16:52.4
Diving  Points
Platform Gottlob Walz, GER 156.0

Team Sports

Sport Champion
Soccer Denmark
Tug-of-War Germany

Also Contested

Canoeing, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Rowing, Shooting, Tennis, Weightlifting and Greco-Roman Wrestling.

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