Athens 1896, Games of the I Olympiad. James CONNOLLY of the United States who won gold in the triple jump, silver in the high jump and bronze in the long jump. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections/MEYER Albert

Other names: CONNOLLY, James Brendan

Born: 28 November 1865

Deceased: 20 January 1957

Birthplace: Not available

Nationality: United States

Sport: Athletics

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Athens 1896

Paris 1900

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 2

Bronze: 1

The First Champion of the Modern Olympics

On 6 April 1896, James Connolly won the triple jump (then two hops and a jump), and thus became the first Olympic champion in 1527 years. He also placed second in the high jump and third in the long jump. A 27-year-old undergraduate student, Connolly dropped out of Harvard University and traveled to Athens by freighter and train, arriving the day before the Olympics began. Connolly later became a well-known journalist and novelist and was offered an honorary doctorate by Harvard, which he turned down.