AUTHOR’S NOTE
148 Words
AUTHOR’S NOTEHeracles founded the Olympic Games and fetched from the source of the Danube the wild olive tree whose leaves should crown the victor.
Mankind’s first means of transport was by foot and walking races were organised in the Olympic Games held in Athens.
In 1896 a ‘Marathon’ was run to commemorate the legendary feat of a Greek soldier, Philippedes, who, in 490 B.C. ran from Marathon to Athens, a distance of over twenty-two miles.
He did so to warn his countrymen that the Persians had landed a strong force of Cavalry, Infantry and archers in Marathon.
In this battle, due to the Greek soldiers, the Greeks were victorious.
Marathons have become a modern road race and thousands of people take part in them in aid of charity.
They are very popular in England and, when I was in India recently, the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was taking part in a Marathon in Delhi.
- Writer
