Spyros Louis wins the gold medal in the first Marathon race

With his victory, he becomes a national hero. He covers 40km in 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds. Charilaos Vasilakos, a Maniat from Piraeus, finishes second with 3 hours, 6 minutes, and 3 seconds. Spyros Louis dies at 67 (1860), on the day of the national anniversary of March 25. Poor and forgotten. He was remembered again when, at the age of 63, Hitler invited him to be the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Berlin Olympics, an invitation he declined.