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When
this "Lunario" will be issued, the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games will be
over, with a full of victories and defeats, records and polemics. But
I think that a so out of common event deserves to be celebrated by retracing
its history.
As
for example, I wonder which revolt, which upsets planetary magnitude
would have happened if, caught by a sudden male chauvinist madness,
the Sidney Olympic Games organizing committee would have decided to
debar women from races and stadium stands.
As
centuries and centuries before Christ. Let's come closer to us and exactly
in 1896 when the first modern Olympic Games were disputed. On march
27th 1940 on newspapers it appeared worldwide this news: "Spirydion
Louis has been defeated by the disease he fought against so bravely,
as in that beautiful day he won the most sought-after victory.
Few
days ago he still attended a little cafeteria in his hometown Maroussi.
Few hours later the disease prevailed against him and the idol of the
Greek games fans dead peacefully". Louis had become very popular on
Sunday April 12th 1896. It was disputed the first distance marathon,
unchanged till today, of 42 kilometres and 195 metres.
Spyridion
was 23 years old. The marathon was decided after nearly thirty kilometres.
First Blake, American, dominated, then the Australian Flack and mainly
the French Lermustaux who was the last to give up Louis's pressing stretches.
Round 17 o'clock a gun shot advice spectators the marathon was to end.
On the track only Spyridion came in and it was the crowd's delirium.
King George of Greece and his relatives left the rostrum and reached
the finishing line. The crowd threw to the athlete presents as watches
and several necklaces.
Louis was accredited with the time of 2 hours 58', with a lead of 7'
over the second one, another Greek, Charilao Vasilakos.
Other episodes, other histories. Averse 1920. The Olympic games resumed
after the first world war break. A young Milanese printer apprentice,
Ugo Frigerio, won two walking races.
When
he mounts the podium and the flag flutters on the highest royal flagstaff,
the band that must play the national hymn, that by then was he "Royal
March ", plays "O sole mio".
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