By Chuck Kroll
ON this day, April 11, 1896, the swimming events were held in the Mediteranean Sea during the first modern Olympics.
Alfred Hajos rested during the 500-meter swim as it was held between his winning both the 100-meter event and the 1200-meter distance swim in from the sea. The Hungarian became the first Olympic swimming champion.
In 1966, Alfred Hajos was inducted into the second-ever class at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Thank you to swim parent of three, mostly ex-swimmer and knowledgable fan Keith Johnson from the Badger Swim Club in Larchmont, NY, of the Metropolitan Swimming LSC, for additional updated information. And for his correctly answering what the 'fourth' swimming event was in this first Olympiad…it was the 100-meter swim for Greek sailors!
For more information on Alfred Hajos see original April 6 entry on www.swimmingworldmagazine.com; www.ISHOF.org; www.hajosalfred.hu.