Stamata Revithi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stamata Revithi (Greek: Σταματα Ρευιθι) (born 1866, date of death unknown) was a Greek woman who attempted to compete at the 1896 Summer Olympics.

Revithi was born in Syros, but eventually resided in Piraeus. Revithi, a poor woman was traveling from Piraeus to Athens in search of employment was informed by a passing traveller of an upcoming race, as was passing through the city of Marathon, Greece, shortly before the beginning of the marathon race invented for the Olympic program by Michel Bréal. She was told by event organizers that, as a woman, she was not allowed to take part in the race, on 10 April 1896. As a gesture of protest, Revithi ran the course the next day. Her time over the course was about five and a half hours, part of which Revithi claimed was spent looking at ships along the way rather than running.

She was given the nickname Melpomene, after the Greek Muse of tragedy.

[edit] Sources