April 1st-3rd 1896: 8th, 9th and 10th day of the events.
April 1st 1896
Fierce winds resulted in thick dust clouds. Due to the weather most of the events that were scheduled were cancelled.
The programme included: a twelve-hour cycling race at the velodrome, a boat race and a rowing race in Phaliro,  a rowing contest of naval boats and in the night the lighting up of the Acropolis. Due to the bad weather only the cycling events took place.
Cycling races
The winner of the contest was the Austrian Adolf Schmal.
April 2nd, 1896
It was the worst day of the Games. It was cold, clouded, windy and rainy. According to the schedule, the proclamation and crowning with wreaths of the victors was due to take place in the Stadium in the afternoon.
April 3rd, 1896
The modest and excellent ceremony of this day was greatly appreciated by all those who attended it. From early in the morning, the stadium assumed the impressive appearance of the first days and it was extremely crowded.
After the arrival of the royal family, the crowd, waiting outside the Propylaia, was allowed to enter without a ticket and so the stadium was packed. On a table at the left of the king were the prizes, wild olive-tree wreaths from the Sacred Altis, laurel wreaths, diplomas within blue and white rolls and the medals, silver for the first winners and bronze for those that came second.
After the awards, the parade of the Olympic victors took place in the stadium. Led by Mr Manos, director of the games, the first and second Olympic winners, holding their wild olive tree and laurel wreaths, paraded around the track under the triumphant sounds of the bands.
In the end of the parade, the king exclaimed:
"I declare the end of the first International Olympic Games".
[Beck, Ch. (ed.), Oi Olympiakoi Agones, 776 BC - 1896 (The Olympic Games, 776 BC - 1896), Athens 1896, p. 54].
After the final cheers, the crowd started to depart. Then started a spontaneous demonstration. The crowd together with members from the Council of Twelve and Mr Philemon at the head, with the bands and the flags of the various states in front of them moved towards the Palace and requested to see the crown prince, who then appeared at the propylaea. Representatives of various organisations made speeches and then the crowd dispersed.
In the night the Acropolis was illuminated again with torches, while the ships in Piraeus used their spotlights in order to lighten the Attic sky, bringing the Games into a spectacular end.
|
