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Previous London Olympiads
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Previous London Olympiads
Olympic Games of 1908 and 1948
Jul 1, 2009 © Emily J. Foster
As the world readies for the London Olympics of 2012, previous British Olympics hosted
in London are remembered.
London has hosted two previous Olympic Games. The first hosting was only the IVth Olympiad in 1908, the
second hosting was just after the second World War in 1948.
Fans of Olympic sport can refer to a list of
hosting cities
and get a feel of the timeline and contributions of different hosting countries in history.
A variety of sports websites with
Olympic facts and figures
are available to check on sports stars performances and records.
IVth Olympiad - London 1908
The 1908 Olympic Games were first awarded to Rome but, following the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Italy
needed to reallocate finances towards a rebuilding program. At short notice, London agreed to host the
1908 Games.
The London 1908 Olympic Games
were held as an event in their own right, unlike the previous two Olympics. They were well
attended and captured the imagination of the British public. The Games venue was the White City stadium in
Shepherd's Bush. It featured a running track, swimming pool and velodrome.
So London hosted its first Olympic Games. It was a world away from the modern-day Olympics - everything was
built and organised in less than two years, and at a fraction of today's costs.
At the opening ceremony, the athletes marched behind their national flags for the first time. Team officials
from the United States team accused British judges of bias.
Out of 22 countries participating, 10 countries won medals. There was a dramatic finish to the marathon
when officials assisted Italian runner Dorando Pietri as he collapsed several times. Unfortunately, this
act of kindness caused the runner to be disqualified.
XIVth Olympiad - London 1948
The Games of 1944 were due to be held in London but were canceled due to World War II. Instead, London
hosted the first games in 12 years, after the end of the war, in 1948. Both Germany and Japan were excluded.
In 1948, food was still being rationed in England; so many teams brought their own food to the Games.
Opening ceremony of the London 1948 Olympics
was held in Wembley stadium. The Royal family, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended.
For the first time, the events were shown on television in England and millions were listening-in on the radio
throughout the world. Starting blocks were introduced for
sprint events and for women, the 200 meters long jump and shot put were included in the program for the first time.
Out of 59 countries participating, 10 nations won medals. Female Dutch sprinter Fanny Blankers-Koen won
four gold medals on the track, emulating Owens' achievement
in Berlin. A 17 year old, Bob Mathlas of the United States became the youngest winner of a men's athletic event
in Olympic history.
References:
- "The McMillan Book of Olympic Facts", Garry Chapman, McMillan Education Australia. South Yarra. 2008.
- "The First London Olympics 1908", Rebecca Jenkins, Piatkus Books. Chatham, UK. 2008.
The copyright of the article Previous London Olympiads: Olympic Games of 1908 and 1948 is owned
by Emily J. Foster. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
smart-koala.com © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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