Leonidas of Rhodes

Leonidas of Rhodes lēŏn´ĭdəs, rōdz [key], fl. 2d cent. BC, ancient Greek athlete. He won three different foot races—the stadion, about 200 m, the diaulos, about 400m, and the hoplitodromos, in which athletes ran the equivalent of a diaulos while wearing heavy battle gear and carrying a shield—in each of four consecutive Olympic games (164–152 BC). He won his final championships at the age of 36. His 12 individual wins in Olympic competition was unsurpassed until Michael Phelps won his 13th gold medal in 2016.

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