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Edwin Flack

Edwin Harold Flack (1873–1935) was an Australian accountant and pioneering athlete, renowned as the first Australian to compete and win gold medals at the modern Olympic Games, securing victories in the 800 metres and 1500 metres at the 1896 Athens Olympics, where he was the nation's sole representative. Born on 5 November 1873 in Islington East, London, to accountant Joseph Henry Flack and Marian (née Smith), he migrated with his family to Melbourne in 1878 at age five. Educated at Melbourne Grammar School, Flack founded the Melbourne Hare and Hounds Club in 1892 and excelled in middle-distance running, claiming the Australasian one-mile championship in 1893 and 1894, along with several Victorian and New South Wales titles. In 1895, while studying accountancy in , Flack decided to participate in the inaugural modern Olympics, traveling to at his own expense. There, he dominated the track events, winning the in 2:11.0 and the in 4:33.2, marking Australia's breakthrough against American dominance in athletics. He also entered the marathon, leading for much of the race before collapsing from exhaustion around the 34-kilometre mark, and won a in doubles with Robertson. Upon returning to , Flack qualified as a in and worked for the firm Price Waterhouse & Co. before rejoining his father's practice in Melbourne in 1903. Flack built a successful business career, co-founding the accounting firm Flack & Flack with branches across Australia and New Zealand, and serving as a director for companies including Robert Harper & Co. and the Commercial Travellers' Association of Australia. He managed a stud farm near Berwick specializing in Friesian cattle and contributed to community causes, sitting on the committee of the Alfred Hospital from 1918 until his death. Unmarried, Flack remained active in sports circles as a member of the Melbourne, Australian, and Royal Melbourne Golf clubs. He died on 10 January 1935 in Melbourne following heart surgery, leaving an estate valued at £43,855; his ashes were interred at Berwick Cemetery, where a monument honors his legacy. Inducted into the Australian Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000, Flack's Olympic triumphs established him as a trailblazer in Australian sport.

Early Life

Birth and Migration

Edwin Harold Flack was on 5 1873 in , , to Flack, an , and his Marian, née . Known during his childhood as "," Flack was of the . In 1878, at the age of five, Flack's family migrated to Australia, arriving in Melbourne, where his father established an accountancy firm. The family settled in Melbourne. This relocation immersed young Flack in Australia's developing colonial environment.

Education and Family Business

Edwin Flack attended , also known as Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, from 1886 until 1890, where he pursued a well-rounded that included academics and extracurricular activities, notably developing an early interest in sports such as running and . Upon completing his schooling, Flack joined his father's accounting firm, Davey, Flack & Co., in , beginning his career as a within the . In these early years, he balanced his accountancy responsibilities with emerging athletic interests, including his involvement in founding the and around to promote cross-country running among amateurs. In March 1895, Flack traveled to to advance his professional development, gaining practical experience at the firm Price, Waterhouse & Co. while studying toward qualification, ultimately qualifying as a .

Athletic Career

Pre-Olympic Achievements

Edwin Flack joined the and athletic in the early 1890s, where he actively participated in both cross-country and , contributing to his as a middle-distance runner. The , which Flack helped found that same year, provided a platform for his early competitive successes in . Flack's came in 1893 when he won the Victorian one-mile championship, clocking a time of 4:44.0 during the Australasian Championships held at the Cricket Ground. This victory established him as a dominant force in colonial athletics. The following year, in 1894, he defended his one-mile title at the Victorian championships with a time of 4:49.4 and also claimed the 880 yards (half-mile) event, securing double gold in middle-distance disciplines. Additionally, he won the New South Wales two-mile championship that year, broadening his regional dominance. By 1895, Flack was widely recognized as the Australasian runner, having amassed multiple and regional titles in middle-distance through his consistent with the Hare and Hounds club. These achievements positioned him as Australia's premier amateur athlete, paving the way for his selection to represent at the inaugural .

1896 Summer Olympics

Edwin Flack served as Australia's sole representative at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, traveling from his accountancy position in London after taking leave to compete. As the Australasian mile champion, he self-funded his journey from London to Greece, entering the events through the London Athletic Club while representing the Old Melburnian Athletic Club. Flack claimed his first gold medal in the men's 1500 meters on April 7, 1896, finishing in 4:33.2 ahead of Arthur Blake (USA) and others, thus breaking the early pattern of U.S. dominance in track events. Two days later, on April 9, 1896, he secured a second gold in the 800 meters final with a personal best time of 2:11.0, defeating Hungary's Nándor Dáni by 10 meters after winning his heat convincingly the previous day. On April 10, 1896, Flack attempted the inaugural marathon despite lacking long-distance , starting strongly and leading after overtaking France's Albin Lermusiaux around the 32-kilometer . However, exhaustion overtook him shortly after, causing him to collapse at approximately 34 kilometers and fail to finish the . In addition to , Flack competed in , partnering with Englishman George Stuart Robertson in the men's doubles . They advanced to the semifinals via a but lost to the Greek pair of Konstantinos Paspatis and Evangelos Rallis; due to the tournament's structure and a favorable draw, the International Olympic Committee retroactively awarded them a bronze medal.

Later Life

Return and Professional Ventures

Upon returning to Melbourne in 1899 after completing his accountancy training in and competing in athletics there through 1897, Edwin Flack rejoined his father's firm, Davey, Flack & , where he had initially worked before departing overseas in 1895. He resumed his role in the family , contributing to its amid Victoria's expanding . By the early 1900s, Flack had risen to partner in the firm, which evolved into Flack & Flack, overseeing services for a of Victorian clients in trade, manufacturing, and finance sectors. Under his involvement, the practice managed audits, taxation, and advisory work, establishing a for reliability among Melbourne's ; it later expanded interstate to , , , and . In the and , Flack diversified beyond accountancy by taking directorships in several major companies, including (William) Howard Smith , a shipping and , & Co. , a chain, and Iron and , reflecting his strategic investments in , , and . By , he had become the at Flack & Flack, guiding its affiliation with international networks like Price Waterhouse & Co. while maintaining focus on Victorian operations. Throughout this , Flack balanced his intensifying commitments with a marked in athletic involvement following his competitive in 1897, shifting emphasis to and occasional administrative roles in Victorian organizations.

Agricultural Interests

After establishing his in accounting and business in Melbourne, Edwin Flack shifted his focus toward rural pursuits by acquiring the Burnbank property in Berwick, Victoria, in January 1917. This approximately 119-acre estate, dating back to circa 1854, served as his retreat and agricultural venture, where he developed a stud farm alongside partners Sir Sydney Sewell and William Gamble. Flack's primary agricultural interest centered on breeding and raising Friesian cattle, commencing shortly after the purchase of Burnbank. He built one of Victoria's premier Friesian herds, renowned for its quality and productivity, with the operation producing and cheese under the Burnbank brand. The herd, which grew to over pure-bred , achieved notable , including Australian for —such as the Friesian cow Iona setting a in October 1923—and champion titles at shows, exemplified by the bull Patch winning top honors in 1922. During the to , Flack actively participated in agricultural shows and farming initiatives across , exhibiting his and contributing to the region's sector. His entries frequently secured first prizes, such as at where Flack and Sewell's Friesians outperformed competitors from and other states, fostering advancements in dairying practices. Farming at Burnbank integrated seamlessly with Flack's , providing a serene, retirement-like pursuit that complemented his Melbourne-based professional commitments. This hands-on engagement with echoed the rural roots of his early childhood in Berwick, where his family had settled after migrating from in , allowing him to with countryside endeavors until his .

Death and Legacy

Death

In early January 1935, Edwin Flack underwent for an undisclosed illness at a in , following a period of long-term heart trouble. He had been residing in Berwick, , where he pursued agricultural interests in his later years. Flack died on , 1935, at the age of 61, in , . As an unmarried bachelor, he was survived by his brother, Henry Reginald Flack. His cortege departed from his brother's at 271 , , on , , proceeding to the in Fawkner for a short in the at 3:10 p.m., conducted by . L. Townsend, followed by . His ashes were subsequently interred at Berwick Cemetery in the section.

Honors and Memorials

Edwin Flack was inducted into the Sport Hall of Fame in 1985 as an Member, recognizing his foundational contributions to through his victories at the . In , he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, honoring his as a pioneering middle-distance runner who secured 's first Olympic successes in the and events. A statue depicting Flack in his running pose was erected in Berwick in by local citizens to commemorate the centenary of his triumphs. The former Berwick Recreational Reserve was renamed Edwin Flack Reserve in , serving as a multi- precinct that includes an athletics track and honors his legacy as Berwick's most notable and Australia's inaugural . Athletics Australia established the Edwin Flack Award in his name to recognize athletes who have rendered distinguished to the , with recipients including notable figures such as Max Binnington in and recent honorees like Short and Tayla Petrie in 2023. Additionally, the Edwin H. Flack , funded by a trust from his estate established in 1938, supports outstanding rural boarding students at —his alma mater—covering up to 75% of fees to foster and among young talents. Flack is consistently acknowledged in Australian historical accounts and Olympic retrospectives through 2025 as the nation's first Olympian and double gold medalist, symbolizing the dawn of Australia's international sporting prowess.

References

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    The Friends of the late ... JW3037); 140 Johnston-street, Collingwood. FLACK.— The Friends of the late EDWIN.
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