The first Olympic champion on record was a cook.

776 BC

Coroebus of Elis, a cook and baker, won the only event held in 776 BC: a single sprint of one stadion.

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The event

• First Olympic Games776 BC · Olympia. The first recorded Olympic Games were held at the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia; Coroebus of Elis won the stadion footrace. Held every four years, the Games gave the Greeks a common system for counting years.

8th century BC

More amazing facts

• 782 BC · 753 BC Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome.
• 776 BC · 753 BC The Olympic Games are older than Rome: the first were held in 776 BC, and by tradition the city was founded only 23 years later.
• 776 BC · 771 BC The first Olympic Games and the fall of China's Western Zhou are five years apart: the games traditionally date to 776 BC, and in 771 BC nomads sacked the Zhou capital, opening the Spring and Autumn period.
• 776 BC · 393 · 1896 The break in the Olympics lasted longer than the ancient Games themselves: they ran for about 1,170 years, traditionally from 776 BC to AD 393, and the next Games came only in 1896 — 1,503 years later.
• 776 BC · 100 BC The ancient Greek 'computer' had a dial for the Olympics.
• 753 BC · 248 · 476 In 248 Rome celebrated its 1,000th birthday.

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