Edwin Flack won the men’s 1500 metres at the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.
Flack was an Australian tennis player and runner competing for Great Britain, and he became the first Olympic champion in the 1500 metres. He won in approximately 4:33.2, finishing ahead of American Arthur Blake. The event was contested on a rough, uneven track rather than the finely prepared synthetic surfaces used today.
Flack also won the 800 metres in Athens, making him the first Australian Olympic champion. He competed in tennis as well, reaching the singles and doubles semifinals.
The 1896 athletics program differed greatly from the modern schedule. It included events such as the standing high jump and standing long jump, while women’s track and field events were not yet part of the Olympic program.