Stadium run

The stadium run was one of the five disciplines of the Pentathlon , but was also carried out as an individual discipline. In ancient times, a stadium was a Greek measure of length (= 600 Olympic feet), which is the equivalent of 192 meters.

The runners had to cover the distance once in the stadium. However, the distance was different depending on the venue and ranged from 167 meters ( Delos ) to 192.24 meters ( Olympia ). According to Hippias von Elis , from 776 BC BC to 728 BC Chr. The stadium run the only competition at the Olympic Games , each Olympic Games were usually named after the stadium winners. The number of participants was correspondingly large, which is why preliminary runs were necessary even then.

The starting places were drawn beforehand. The athletes put their toes in a stone groove, stretched their arms horizontally in front of them at shoulder height and held their bodies slightly bent forward. On some systems there were even real starting machines, in which a crossbar was lowered in front of the runners by pulling a string, thus preventing false starts. From other places where there was no such facility, it is also reported that early starters were punished by the referee with slapping the rod.

The first stadium run was won in 776 BC. BC Koroibos , who is considered the first Olympic champion.