Stadion (running race)

The victor (the first of whom was Coroebus of Elis) gave his name to the entire four-year Olympiad, allowing modern knowledge of nearly all of them.

The race also gave its name to the unit of length, the stadion.

At the Olympic Games, the stadion (building) was big enough for 20 competitors, and the race was a 200 yd (180 m) sprint,[2] but the original stadion track in Olympia measures approximately 210 yd (190 m).

Advancements in this stone starting block led to it having a set of double grooves (10–12 cm (3.9–4.7 in) apart) in which the runner placed his toes.

The design of these grooves were intended to give the runner leverage for his start.