Where were the first Olympics held outside Europe?
Quick answer
The first modern Olympic Games held outside Europe took place in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, in 1904. They were held alongside the World’s Fair and became famous for being chaotic, including one of the strangest marathons in Olympic history.
Why the 1904 Games were unusual
- The Games stretched over about five months, mixed in with World’s Fair events.
- Travel to the US was long and expensive, so most competitors were American. Only about 12 countries took part.
- It was the first Olympics to award gold, silver and bronze medals for first, second and third place.
The strangest marathon
The 1904 marathon was run in intense heat on dusty roads:
- The first runner across the line, Fred Lorz, had actually ridden in a car for part of the race. He was disqualified.
- The official winner, Thomas Hicks, was given strychnine (a poison, then thought to be a stimulant) mixed with brandy by his trainers during the race, and nearly collapsed.
- Cuban runner Andarín Carvajal stopped to eat apples from an orchard, got stomach cramps, took a nap, and still finished fourth.
Olympic “firsts” by continent
| Continent | First Summer Olympics | Host city |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 1896 | Athens, Greece |
| North America | 1904 | St. Louis, USA |
| Oceania | 1956 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Asia | 1964 | Tokyo, Japan |
| South America | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Africa | Not yet hosted | — |
Upcoming Summer Olympics
The 2028 Summer Games are scheduled for Los Angeles, and 2032 for Brisbane, Australia.
For more sports records, see who won the World Series, whose host city St. Louis also became baseball-famous with the Cardinals.
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