PARIS 1900

Coubertin's pride was short-lived. The Paris Games, which served as a sideshow to the five-month International Exposition, were marked by chaos, inefficiency and squabbling. Some athletes were even unaware they were competing in an Olympics.

The track was a 500-metre oval on undulating grass at Pre Catalan, the marathon was run on twisting streets through the city and swimming was held in the murky waters of the Seine. With the competitors swimming downstream, the men's world record for the 200 metres freestyle was broken by 13 seconds.

In the marathon, a Parisian delivery boy Michel Theato took advantage of his local knowledge and, according to some disgruntled rivals a series of short cuts, to succeed Louis as Olympic champion.

Ray Ewry, devastated by polio as a child, won three of his record haul of 10 Olympic golds in the standing jumps.