The first modern Summer Olympics were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Officially called the Games of the I Olympiad, they ran from 6 to 15 April and revived the Olympic tradition as an international sporting event.
French educator and sports reformer Pierre de Coubertin helped establish the modern Olympic movement. At a 1894 congress in Paris, representatives created the International Olympic Committee and selected Athens because Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.
The Athens Games featured 43 events across nine sports, with 14 nations and roughly 241 athletes according to commonly cited Olympic figures. Participation was limited compared with today, and women were not permitted to compete in the 1896 program.
The program included athletics, swimming, gymnastics, fencing, cycling, shooting, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. The marathon was introduced for these Games, inspired by the story of the ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides. Greek runner Spyridon Louis won it, becoming one of the event's earliest sporting heroes.