﻿About 2,600 years ago two Greek athletes set records at the Olympic Games that no one managed 
to break until the 20th century! 

The record – makers were a discus thrower named Protesilaus and a long jumper called Chionis. 
Both of these athletes set their records in the same Olympiad, in 656 BC. 

Protesilaus’s throw was so amazing that he would have won the gold medal at all the modern 
Olympic Games until 1928! And Chionis’ long jump record was broken in 1900. Now that may seem 
like a very long time ago to you, but just think… their records lasted for more than 2,000 
years! And what would happen if we could transport these athletes in a time-machine to a modern 
Olympic Stadium? Protesilaus could easily break his own record by using a modern discus. 
The discus he used was probably also heavier than the discus used by Olympic athletes today.

And when he amazed the ancient Greeks with his performance, he would have made his throw while 
standing still. By using the modern style of throw, he would certainly break the record he set 
all those centuries ago. The same is probably true for Chionis, too.

These were two phenomenal athletes that could have competed against any modern day contender.
