21 Facts About Edwin Flack

Edwin Harold Flack was an Australian athlete and tennis player.

Edwin Flack died aged 61 following an operation, and was buried in his hometown of Berwick.

Edwin Flack is commemorated there by a bronze statue on High Street and a reserve which includes several sporting grounds.

Edwin Flack was inducted into the Sport Australia and Athletics Australia halls of fame in 1985 and 2000, respectively.

Edwin Flack competed in the 1893 event and won the mile championship in a time of 4:44.0, with a winning margin of two yards.

Edwin Flack competed in the 880 yards and three miles championship, but was unplaced in both events.

On 15 December 1894, Edwin Flack won both the 880 yards and mile Victorian 1894 championships and, earlier in the year, on 22 September 1894 was second in the 10-mile cross country championship.

Edwin Flack joined the London Athletic Club and was intent on attending the coming inaugural Olympics.

Edwin Flack attended the Olympics as a member of the London Athletic Club, but competed in his Melburnian Hare and Hounds colours.

Edwin Flack reached Athens after an uncomfortable six-day rail and sea trip, during which he was plagued with sea sickness.

Edwin Flack was removed from the course and transported to the stadium by a carriage, wherein he was tended to by Prince Nicholas.

Edwin Flack competed in the tennis singles and doubles at the Olympics.

Edwin Flack lost in the first round of the singles to Aristidis Akratopoulos of Greece.

Edwin Flack was a popular competitor at the 1896 games, and was commonly referred to as the "Lion of Athens".

Edwin Flack purchased a property near Berwick, where he stayed on weekends and bred Friesian cattle.

Edwin Flack never competed for Victoria again, but he joined the Australian Olympic Committee and was part of the first Australian delegation to attend an International Olympic Committee Congress.

Edwin Flack was cremated and his ashes were interred at Berwick Cemetery.

Edwin Flack is commemorated by a bronze statue on the median strip of High St, Berwick, which was unveiled in 1998 by former running great and later Governor of Victoria John Landy.

Edwin Flack was commemorated on a 45-cent Australian postage stamp in the Olympic centenary year of 1996.

In 1985, Edwin Flack was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2000.

Edwin Flack was portrayed by English actor Benedict Taylor in the 1984 television mini-series The First Olympics: Athens 1896.