Summer Olympic Games 1906 Athens games were the first of an alternating series of games to be held in Athens, but the series failed to materialise. The games were more successful than the 1900 and 1904 games, with over 900 athletes competing, and contributed positively to the success of future games. The 1908 London Games saw numbers rise again, as well as the first running of the marathon over its now-standard distance of 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards). The first Olympic Marathon in 1896 (a male-only race) was raced at a distance of 40 km (24 miles 85 yards). The new marathon
Athletics at the 2015 European Games to the top three nations. Medals are not awarded for individual events. The top four nations also win promotion from the Third League of the European Team Championships to the Second League. As required by the European Team Championship format, both genders compete in the non-Olympic 3000m event, while Olympic events longer than 5000m, and combined events, are not held. Athletics at the European Games offers possible qualification standards for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. A second non-medal athletics competition was held as a series of demonstration events on the streets of Baku in a Great City Games format. Events