The Olympics in 1908 and 1948

1
The Olympics in 1908 and 1948

• Maria-Birgitta Hallaste
• 10A
• Viimsi Secondary School

2
The Olympic Games

• An international multi-sport event established
  for both summer and winter games.
• There have been two generations of the Olympic
  Games the Ancient Olympic Games and the Modern
  Olympic Games.

3
The Olympics in 1908

• Originally scheduled to be held in Rome, were
  instead held in 1908 in London, England.
• Took place between 27th April 1908 and 31st
  October 1908.
• The fifth modern Olympic Games.
• 22 nations participating in 110 events.
• 2,008 participating athletes.
• 22 sports, representing 24 sporting disciplines.

4
Points of interest

• 1908
• The only Olympics in which Great Britain won most
  medals, with fifty-six gold medals and 146 medals
  in total.
• The White City Stadium the Olympics took place
  there, built in a very short time, especially for
  the games, held 68,000 people.

5
Athletes

• 1908
• Archers William and Charlotte Dod (UK) - the
  first brother and sister medalists.
• Oscar Swahn (Sweden), aged 60 - the oldest ever
  competitor to earn an Olympic gold medal, winning
  the running deer shooting by winning with a
  single shot.
• Ray Ewry (USA) - won the standing high jump and
  the standing long jump for the third time, became
  the only person in Olympic history to win a
  career total of eight gold medals in individual
  events.
• Dorando Pietri (Italy) - the first man who
  entered the stadium after running 42 kilometres
  (26 miles) but was disqualified because the
  officials carried him across the finish line
  after collapsing on the track five times.

6
Complications

• 1908
• Finland was part of the Russian Empire - the
  Finnish team were expected to march under the
  Russian rather than Finnish flag, many chose to
  march without a flag at all.
• The Swedish flag had not been displayed above the
  stadium - members of the Swedish team decided not
  to take part in the ceremony.
• The flag of the United States had also not been
  displayed above the stadium before the opening,
  which is possibly the reason why the United
  States' flag bearer refused to dip the flag in
  the royal box.

7
The Olympics in 1948

• Was postponed many times because of World War II.
• Took place between 29th July 1948 and 14th August
  1948.
• 59 countries participating in 136 events.
• 4,468 competitors.
• 17 sports.

8
Points of interest

• 1948
• The USA came at the top of the medal standings by
  winning 84 medals.
• Wembley Stadium the place where the main
  athletics events were held.
• No Olympic village was built - the foreign
  athletes were accommodated in old wartime
  barracks and schools.
• Germany and Japan, aggressors of World War II
  were excluded from the Games and the Soviet Union
  decided to abstain.

9
Athletes

• 1948
• Fanny Blankers-Koen (Netherlands) - the only
  woman to win four gold medals in athletics and
  break six Olympic records.
• Bob Mathias (USA) a 17-year-old who won Gold in
  the Decathlon only four months after taking up
  the sport.
• British athlete, John Mark lit the flame to mark
  the official opening of the 1948 Olympic Games.

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Used literature

• http//www.indopedia.org/1908_Summer_Olympics.html
  
• http//www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?
  OLGT1OLGY1908
• http//www.bridges.eu/1908_summer_olympics_en.html
  
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908_Summer_Olympics
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Summer_Olympics
• http//olympics.ballparks.com/1948London/index.htm
  
• http//www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/server.php?sho
  wconInformationRecord.336
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games