Background
Vasilakos was born in Piraeus, Greece.
Vasilakos was born in Piraeus, Greece.
On March 22, 1896 Greece held the first modern Panhellenic Games. The main purpose of the games was to help the country formulate the team that would compete in the first Modern Olympic Games later the same year. Vasilakos was raised in a mountainous village in the Mani peninsula and already had a reputation as a strong long-distance runner.
Vasilakos was one of seventeen athletes to start the Olympic race on April 10, 1896.
He finished in second place, behind Spiridon Louis, with a time of 3:06.03 as one of only nine finishers. Both races were on 40 kilometre courses rather than the now-standard 42.195 kilometres.
Vasilakos studied law and went on to become a customs director in the ministry of finance. He had a reputation for honesty and integrity.
He died in Athens in 1964.
All participants were members of Greek sports clubs.