Ethnikos (1896)

Bronze Medal, April 9, 1896, Ethnikos Athletic Club, Team Parallel Bars. Athens 1896

In the specific event Greece finished second and third, however there is a great mystery about the athletes who participated. In total, three teams participated, one German and two Greek, the one composed mainly of athletes from the Panhellenic AC (Panellinios) and the other of athletes and youngsters from the National AC (Ethnikos).
The German team was clearly better than the two Greek teams and was idolised by the fans in recognition of its value.
The Panhellenic AC finished second and the National AC third.
The mystery of the composition of the two Greek teams has not yet been solved, despite the investigations of various Greek writers and sports historians. All agree on only a few names, although sources report that the Panhellenic listed a total of 35 gymnasts and the National 18.

From the team of the Panhellenic AC we know (according to the author David Walesinski) that Nikos Andriakopoulos, Petros Persakis, Sotiris Athanasopoulos participated, while from the team of the National Yiannis Chrysafis, Thomas Xenakis Yiannis Mitropoulos, Filippos Karvelas and Dimitris Loundras.
The latter was only 10 years old at the time and still holds the record as the youngest athlete in the history of the Olympic Games to win an Olympic medal.
The National GC team started its efforts first, followed by the German team and last to participate was the Panhellenic AC team.
Final Ranking: Germany, Greece (Panhellenic AC), Greece (National AC).