Stories of illustrious athletes
Every leaf another story
Koroibos of Elis
8th c. BC, dromos (footrace)
According to tradition, in the very first Olympic Games held in 776 BC, he won the stadion footrace, the one and only event of the Games at that time. His place of origin was Elis, the host city of the Games, and he worked as a μάγειρος (mageiros), namely a slaughterer of sacrificial animals.
Orsippos of Megara
8th c. BC, dromos (footrace)
He was declared victor in the stadion footrace in 720 BC. Allegedly, he introduced nudity into the Games.
Onomastos of Smyrna
7th c. BC, boxing
He was the first winner in boxing, which was included in the Olympics in 688 BC. Moreover, he was responsible for the codification of the rules that governed boxing matches.
Chionis of Sparta
7th c. BC, dromos (footrace)
A seven-time Olympic victor having won at the stadion footrace in 668 BC, while in the three Olympiads that followed, he earned the kotinos in both running events held at the time (stadion, diaulos). He was also renowned for his performance at the long jump, in which the distance he purportedly jumped exceeded 7m.
Philombrotos of Sparta
7th c. BC, pentathlon
He emerged victorious 3 times in the pentathlon, from 676 BC to 668 BC, being possibly the first to win 3 consecutive times in this event.
Milo of Croton
6th c. BC, wrestling
One of the most famous athletes in antiquity. He won 6 times at the Olympics (in 540 BC, in the boys’ wrestling category, and men’s wrestling in the next 5 Olympiads), 7 times at the Pythian Games, 9 at the Nemean, 10 at the Isthmian and many more times in local games. He was a student of the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras; it is also said to have been a poet and a musician.
Phanas of Pellene (Achaea)
6th c. BC, dromos (footrace)
In 512 BC he won all three running events (stadion, diaulos, hoplitodromos) in one day.
Theagenes of Thasos
5th c. BC, boxing, pankration
He was announced as the winner in boxing in 480 BC and the pankration in 476 BC. He also gained 3 victories at the Pythian, 9 at the Nemean and 10 at the Isthmian Games. Legend has it that the total number of crowns he earned in a variety of competitions reached 1,400
Diagoras of Rhodes
5th c. BC, boxing
Famous athlete not only for his performances, but also for his personality and the “fair open” way in which he competed. In 464 BC he was proclaimed victor at Olympia. According to tradition, he passed away at Olympia in 448 BC while his two sons, who were also Olympic winners, carried him on their shoulders on a lap of honour —an admirable way to die and a sign of the gods’ favour.
Damagetos, Akousilaos and Dorieus, of Rhodes,
5th c. BC
The three sons of Diagoras, who were Olympic victors in boxing and the pankration. In addition, Diagoras’s two sons-in-law and two grandsons were also awarded the kotinos (olive wreath).
Astylos of Croton
5th c. BC, dromos (footrace)
Athlete of remarkable performances in three consecutive Olympiads (in 488, 484 and 480 BC). Ηowever, he became known in history because although he won his first Olympic wreath running for Croton, his hometown, he then competed for Syracuse, another city, a fact that caused the outrage of his fellow citizens.
Kyniska of Sparta
5th c. BC, four-horse chariot race / (tethrippon)
Kyniska, daughter of the king of Sparta Archidamos, is the first woman in history to earn the kotinos as the owner of a victorious tethrippon that, in fact, won twice, in 396 BC and 392 BC.
Leonidas of Rhodes
2nd c. BC, dromos (footrace)
He succeeded in winning all three footraces (stadion, diaulos, hoplitodromos) in four successive Olympiads, from 164 to 152 BC, gaining a total of 12 Olympic crowns.
Melancomas of Caria in Asia Minor
1st c. BC, boxing
Declared winner in 49 BC. Aside from his victories, he was admired for his special style that enabled him to maintain good health and remain physically unharmed like a runner.
