Great Britain) - summer international sports. Berlin, London, Rome and Milan initially claimed to host the Games of the IV Olympiad. However, by the time of selection Olympic capital at the last session of the International Olympic Committee There are only three candidates left. The German Olympic Committee failed to find the support and understanding of their government, and Berlin was forced to withdraw its candidacy, much to the chagrin of the German sports community. Among the remaining candidate cities, Rome was victorious.
The Romans were determined to receive guests and athletes with dignity and hold the Olympics. However, about a year before the Olympic Games, the National Olympic Committee of Italy announced its refusal to hold the Olympics in Rome. The reason for this was the active intervention of other major Italian cities, which could not allow the rise of Rome.
This decision of the Italians put the international Olympic Movement in an extremely difficult situation - after all, the very holding of the Games of the IV Olympiad was jeopardized. Fortunately, the burden of preparing and holding the Olympics for such a short time taken over by the British. And they coped with the most difficult task with brilliance! Just like the previous three Olympics, the 1908 Games were decided to coincide with the Franco-British Fair, which was to be held in the London suburb of Shepard Bush. Contrary to the concerns of sports functionaries that this exhibition would interfere with the Olympics, the competitions were held at the highest level.
Especially for the Games, in just a year, the grandiose White City Stadium was built, designed for 100,000 spectators. On the territory of the stadium there were swimming pool(100x25 m), an arena for wrestling competitions and a cycle track, the track of which passed next to the running track. All facilities for other sports were also put in order.
After the end of the London Olympics, tables with the results of the unofficial team standings first appeared in print, which later became widespread, despite the opposition of the International Olympic Committee. First place in the unofficial team standings was taken by the UK team with 303.5 points and 147 medals (57 gold, 50 silver and 40 bronze). In second place were the US athletes - 103.3 points, 47 medals (respectively, 23, 12, 12). Sportsmen of Sweden are in the third place - 46, 3 points, 25 medals (8, 6, 11).
Time spending: July 13 - 25, 1908
Number of disciplines: 26
Number of countries: 20
Number of athletes: 431
men: 431
women: 0
The youngest member: Victor Jacquemin (Belgium, age: 16, 130 days old)
Oldest member: John Flanagan (USA, age: 40, 170 days)
Medal-winning countries: USA (34)
Athletes with medals:
Mel Sheppard USA (3)
Martin Sheridan USA (3)
On the opening day of the Olympics, thick fog hung over London, it was raining, the cold was chilling to the bone. There were few spectators, but the box of honor was filled with crowned and high-ranking persons: the English King Edward VII with Queen Alexandra, the ruler of Nepal, the Greek princess, the ambassadors of France, Russia, and Italy.
For the first time, during the solemn parade, the teams marched under the national flags, and each in its own, unlike the others, suit. At previous Games, participants marched in sportswear.
When the Olympics ended, tables of counting medals won by teams from different countries appeared in print (which later became a common practice).
The London Games gave the world the "golden" Olympic formula: "The main thing is not victory, but participation!". It is often attributed to Coubertin. In fact, these words were uttered on July 19, 1908, by the Bishop of Pennsylvania during a service in St. Paul's Cathedral in honor of the participants in the Games.
Athletics competitions at the IV Summer Olympic Games were held from July 13 to 25. 431 athletes from 20 countries competed for 26 sets of medals.
13 records were set in athletics.
For the first time, competitions were held in walking (3500 m and 10 miles), javelin throwing (two different styles), the Greek style discus throw, the 5 mile run (later changed to the 10,000 m) and the medley relay. The distance in the hurdle race became 3200 m, and in the team run 3 miles. The 60m, 200m hurdles, all-around, standing triple jump and 56-pound throw were cancelled.
In athletics, competitions were held in 27 types (tug of war, which was part of the athletics program, is currently separate view sports). Distance running (5 miles) and race walking (3500 m and 10 miles) were added; the only time in the history of the Games was a mixed relay (200+200+400+800 m), competitions in discus throwing and javelin throwing in the Greek style.
Not a single representative of the United States managed to win in a smooth sprint: South African Reginald Walker won in the 100 m, Canadian Robert Kerr won in the 200 m. In the 400 m final, there was a scandal - American John Carpenter, who finished first, was disqualified for pushing Briton Wyndham Holswell. A rerun was scheduled, for which the other two Americans did not break out of solidarity, and Holswell, who ran the distance alone, became the champion. One of those who refused, John Taylor, won the relay as part of the national team and became the first African American Olympic champion.
In middle distance running - 800 and 1500 m - the American Melvin Shepperd became the best. The stayer distances were won by representatives of Great Britain: Emil Voight (5 miles), Arthur Russell (3200 m hurdles) and the national team (3 miles team run).
The distance of the marathon race was planned to be 25 miles (40.23 km). The start was given in Windsor, and at the request royal family he was moved to the balcony of Windsor Castle, which increased the distance to 42.195 km. Despite the fact that the length of the marathon was different at the 1912 and 1920 Olympics, starting from the 1924 Games, it was 42 km 195 m that became the classic marathon length.
During the race, an incident occurred that became one of the most high-profile events of the Olympics. The Italian Dorando Pietri, who took the lead a mile before the stadium, already at the stadium began to lose orientation in space, fell several times; with the help of a judge and a journalist (who some say was the writer Arthur Conan Doyle), he crossed the finish line but was disqualified for receiving outside help. As a result, the American John Hayes became the champion (his result was better than that of the winners of the previous Games, although the distance became longer), and Pietri received a special prize - a golden cup - from the hands of the queen.
In the hurdles, the Americans had an overwhelming advantage (Forrest Smithson in the 110m and Charles Bacon in the 400m became the champions), and in race walking- British (both distances were won by George Lerner).
Most jump events were won by representatives of the USA: Harry Porter - high jump, Francis Irons - long jump, Alfred Gilbert and Edward Cook shared the championship in pole vault; Britain's Timothy Ahearn won the triple jump. 35-year-old American Rei Yuuri, having won the high and long jumps from a place, became an 8-time Olympic champion.
In throwing, as in previous Games, Americans Martin Sheridan (disc throw freestyle and Greek style), John Flanagan (hammer throw) and Ralph Rose (shot put) won. Both methods in the javelin throw were won by the Swede Eric Lemming, and he showed his best result in the Greek style throw.
Countries
431 athletes from 20 countries participated in athletics competitions.
The number of athletes is indicated in brackets:
Australasia (9) *
Austria (2)
Belgium (6)
Bohemia (3)
UK (126)
Hungary U19
Germany (20)
Greece (12)
Denmark (8)
Italy (12)
Canada (27)
Netherlands (19)
Norway (11)
Russia 1)
USA (84)
Finland (15)
France (19)
Switzerland (1)
Sweden (31)
South Africa (6)
* Due to the fact that the Olympic Association of New Zealand was formed only in 1911, at the 1908 Summer Olympics, New Zealand athletes competed as a single team with Australian athletes. This combined team competed as the Australasian team and won bronze in the 3500m race walk (Herry Kerr, New Zealand).
OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES, complex winter sports competitions held by the IOC 1 time in 4 years. The decision to hold independent Olympic Winter Games on a regular basis was made in 1925 at the IOC Session in Prague. This was facilitated by the success of world winter sports competitions - the International Sports Week on the occasion of the VIII Olympiad (1924, Chamonix, France), to which the IOC assigned the name "I Olympic winter Games»; the term "Olympics" is not accepted in connection with the Olympic Winter Games, but the name "White Olympics" is sometimes used in sports and popular literature. Until 1992, the Olympic Winter Games were held in the year of the Summer Olympic Games, since 1994 - in the middle of the Olympic cycle. In the program of 7 Olympic sports .
In 1924-2014, 22 Olympic Winter Games were held - in the USA (4), France (3), Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Japan, Italy, Canada (2 each), Germany, Yugoslavia, Russia (1 each). Most often, the capitals of the Olympic Winter Games were St. Moritz, Lake Placid and Innsbruck (2 times each). In 1968, at the Olympic Winter Games in Grenoble, he first appeared olympic mascot. The same ceremonies are held at the Olympic Winter Games as at the Summer Games. Olympic Games, ignition Olympic flame, raising the Olympic flag (with the same emblem), opening and closing parades, awarding Olympic champions and medalists, etc. Olympic records are recorded only in speed skating. The list of statesmen and crowned persons who officially opened them: Chamonix, 1924 - Gaston Vidal (Deputy Secretary of State of France); St. Moritz, 1928 - Edmund Schultes (President of Switzerland); Lake Placid, 1932 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Governor of New York, USA); Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936 - Adolf Hitler (Reich Chancellor of Germany); St. Moritz, 1948 - Enrico Celio (President of Switzerland); Oslo, 1952 - Princess Ragnhild (Her Royal Highness of Norway); Cortina d "Ampezzo, 1956 - Giovanni Gronchi (President of Italy); Squaw Valley, 1960 - Richard Nixon (Vice President of the United States); Innsbruck, 1964 - Adolf Scherf (Federal President of Austria); Grenoble, 1968 - Charles de Gaulle (President France); Sapporo, 1972 - Hirohito (Emperor of Japan); Innsbruck, 1976 - Rudolf Kirschhagler (Federal President of Austria); Lake Placid, 1980 - Walter Mondale (U.S. Vice President); Sarajevo, 1984 - Mika Shpilyak (President of Yugoslavia) ; Calgary, 1988 - Jeanne Matilde Sauve (Governor General of Canada); Albertville, 1992 - Francois Mitterrand (President of France); Lillehammer, 1994 - Harald V (King of Norway); Nagano, 1998 - Akihito (Emperor of Japan); Salt Lake City, 2002 - George W. Bush (US President), Turin, 2006 - Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (President of Italy), Vancouver, 2010 - Mikael Jean (Governor General of Canada), Sochi, 2014 - Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (President of Russia) In the entire history of the White Olympiads, women have opened them only twice (Oslo, 1952; Calgary, 1988).
The largest number of medals in the history of the Olympic Winter Games (as of January 1, 2018) was won by athletes of the national teams: Russia; Norway (22; 118, 111, 100); USA (22; 96, 102, 83); Germany; Sweden (22; 50, 40, 54); Finland (22; 42, 62, 57).
See Table 1 for dates and main totals for all Olympic Winter Games. Olympic awards at the Olympic Winter Games, see table 2. For athletes who have participated in 6 or more White Olympiads, see table 3.
Table 1. The main results of the Olympic Winter Games (Chamonix, 1924 - Sochi, 2014)
| Olympic Winter Games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name. Capital, dates. Main stadium. Games Mascots (since 1968) | Number of countries; athletes (including women); sets of medals played in sports | Most Successful Athletes (medals gold, silver, bronze) | Countries that have won the most medals (gold, silver, bronze) |
| I Olympic Winter Games. Chamonix, 25.1–5.2.1924. Olympic Stadium(45 thousand places) | 16; 258 (11); 16 to 9 | K. Thunberg (Finland; 3, 1, 1); T. Haug (Norway; 3, 0, 0); Y. Skutnab (Finland; 1, 1, 1) | Norway (4, 7, 6); Finland (4, 4, 3); Austria (2, 1, 0); Switzerland (2, 0, 1); USA (1, 2, 1) |
| II Olympic Winter Games. St. Moritz, February 11–February 19, 1928. Badrutts Park | 25; 464 (26); 14 to 6 | K. Thunberg (Finland; 2, 0, 0); J. Gröttumsbroten (2, 0, 0) and B. Evensen (1, 1, 1; both - Norway) | Norway (6, 4, 5); USA (2, 2, 2); Sweden (2, 2, 1); Finland (2, 1, 1); France and Canada (1, 0, 0 each) |
| III Olympic Winter Games. Lake Placid, 4.2–15.2.1932. Olympic Stadium (7.5 thousand seats) | 17; 252 (21); 14 to 4 | J. Shea and I. Jeffy (2, 0, 0 each; both - USA) | USA (6, 4, 2); Norway (3, 4, 3); Sweden (1, 2, 0); Canada (1, 1, 5); Finland (1, 1, 1) |
| IV Olympic Winter Games. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, February 6–February 16, 1936. "Olympia-skistadion" ("Olympia-Skistadion"; 35 thousand seats) | 28; 646 (80); 17 to 4 | I. Ballangrud (3, 1, 0) and O. Hagen (1, 2, 0; both Norway); B. Vasenius (Finland; 0, 2, 1) | Norway (7, 5, 3); Germany (3, 3, 0); Sweden (2, 2, 3); Finland (1, 2, 3); Switzerland (1, 2, 0) |
| V Olympic Winter Games. St. Moritz, 30.1–8.2.1948. "Badruts Park" | 28; 669 (77); 22 to 4 | A. Oreye (France; 2, 0, 1); M. Lundström (Sweden; 2, 0, 0) | Sweden (4, 3, 3); Norway (4, 3, 3); Switzerland (3, 4, 3); USA (3, 4, 2); France (2, 1, 2) |
| VI Olympic Winter Games. Oslo, 14.2–25.2.1952. "Bislett" ("Bislett"; St. 15 thousand seats) | 30; 694 (109); 22 at 6 | J. Andersen (Norway; 3, 0, 0); A. Mid-Laurence (USA; 2, 0, 0); L. Nieberl and A. Ostler (both - Germany; 2, 0, 0 each) | Norway (7, 3, 6); US (4, 6, 1); Finland (3, 4, 2); Germany (3, 2, 2); Austria (2, 4, 2) |
| VII Olympic Winter Games. Cortina d'Ampezzo, 26.1–5.2.1956. Olympic Stadium (12 thousand seats) | 32; 821 (134); 24 to 4 | A. Sailer (Austria; 3, 0, 0); E. R. Grishin (USSR; 2, 0, 0); S. Ernberg (Sweden; 1, 2, 1); V. Hakulinen (Finland; 1, 2, 0); P. K. Kolchin (USSR; 1, 0, 2) | USSR (7, 3, 6); Austria (4, 3, 4); Finland (3, 3, 1); Switzerland (3, 2, 1); Sweden (2, 4, 4) |
| VIII Olympic Winter Games. Squaw Valley, 18.2–28.2.1960. "Blyth Arena" ("Blyth Arena"; 8.5 thousand seats) | 30; 665 (144); 27 to 4 | L. P. Skoblikova and E. R. Grishin (both from the USSR; 2, 0, 0 each); V. Hakulinen (Finland; 1, 1, 1) | USSR (7, 5, 9); WGC* (4, 3, 1); USA (3, 4, 3); Norway (3, 3, 0); Sweden (3, 2, 2) |
| IX Olympic Winter Games. Innsbruck, 29.1–9.2.1964. "Bergisel" ("Bergisel"; up to 28 thousand seats) | 36; 1091 (199); 34 to 6 | L. P. Skoblikova (4, 0, 0) and K. S. Boyarskikh (3, 0, 0; both - USSR); E. Myanturanta (Finland; 2, 1, 0); S. Ernberg (Sweden; 2, 0, 1) | USSR (11, 8, 6); Austria (4, 5, 3); Norway (3, 6, 6); Finland (3, 4, 3); France (3, 4, 0) |
| X Olympic Winter Games. Grenoble, 6.2–18.2.1968. "Ledigier" ("Lesdiguie ̀ res"; approx. 12 thousand seats). Skier Schuss (unofficial) | 37; 1158 (211); 35 to 6 | J.C. Killy (France; 3, 0, 0); T. Gustafsson (Sweden; 2, 1.0) | Norway (6, 6, 2); USSR (5, 5, 3); France (4, 3, 2); Italy (4, 0, 0); Austria (3, 4, 4) |
| XI Olympic Winter Games. Sapporo, 3.2–13.2.1972. "Makomanai" (20 thousand seats) | 35; 1006 (205); 35 to 6 | G. A. Kulakova (USSR; 3, 0, 0); A. Schenk (Netherlands; 3, 0, 0); V. P. Vedenin (USSR; 2, 0, 1); M. T. Nadig (Switzerland; 2, 0, 0) | USSR (8, 5, 3); GDR (4, 3, 7); Switzerland (4, 3, 3); Netherlands (4, 3, 2); USA (3, 2, 3) |
| XII Olympic Winter Games. Innsbruck, 4.2–15.2.1976. Bergisel (up to 28 thousand seats). Snowman Olympiamandle | 37; 1123 (231); 37 at 6 | T. B. Averina (USSR; 2, 0, 2); R. Mittermeier (Germany; 2, 1, 0); N. K. Kruglov (USSR; 2, 0, 0); B. Germeshausen and M. Nemer (both - GDR; 2, 0, 0 each) | USSR (13, 6, 8); GDR (7, 5, 7); USA (3, 3, 4); Norway (3, 3, 1); Germany (2, 5, 3) |
| XIII Olympic Winter Games. Lake Placid, 13.2–24.2.1980. "Lake Placid Equestrian Stadium" ("Lake Placid Equestrian Stadium"; hippodrome; 30 thousand seats). Raccoon Roni | 37; 1072 (232); 38 to 6 | E. Hayden (USA; 5, 0, 0); N. S. Zimyatov (USSR; 3, 0, 0); H. Wenzel (Liechtenstein; 2, 1, 0); A. N. Alyabiev (USSR; 2, 0, 1) | USSR (10, 6, 6); GDR (9, 7, 7); USA (6, 4, 2); Austria (3, 2, 2); Sweden (3, 0, 1) |
| XIV Olympic Winter Games. Sarajevo, 8.2–19.2.1984. "Koševo" ("Koš evo"; 37.5 thousand seats). Wolf cub Vuchko | 49; 1272(274); 39 at 6 | M. L. Hämäläinen (Finland; 3, 0, 1); K. Enke (GDR; 2, 2, 0); G. Swan (Sweden; 2, 1, 1); G. Boucher (Canada; 2, 0, 1) | GDR (9, 9, 6); USSR (6, 10, 9); USA (4, 4, 0); Finland (4, 3, 6); Sweden (4, 2, 2) |
| XV Olympic Winter Games. Calgary, 13.2-28.2.1988. "McMahon" ("McMahon"; 35.6 thousand seats). White bear cubs Heidi and Howdy | 57; 1423 (301); 46 to 6 | I. van Gennip (Netherlands; 3, 0, 0); M. Nyukyanen (Finland; 3, 0, 0); T. I. Tikhonova (USSR; 2, 1, 0) | USSR (11, 9, 9); GDR (9, 10, 6); Switzerland (5, 5, 5); Finland (4, 1, 2); Sweden (4, 0, 2) |
| XVI Olympic Winter Games. Albertville, 8.2-23.2.1992. "Theatre de Seremonies" ("Thé atre des Cérémonies"; 35 thousand seats). Mountain Elf Magik | 64; 1801 (488); 57 at 7 | L. I. Egorova (OK**; 3, 2, 0); B. Delhi and V. Ulvang (both from Norway; 3, 1, 0 each); M. Kirchner and G. Niemann (both from Germany; 2, 1, 0 each) | Germany (10, 10, 6); OK** (9, 6, 8); Norway (9, 6, 5); Austria (6, 7, 8); USA (5, 4, 2) |
| XVII Olympic Winter Games. Lillehammer, 12.2–27.2.1994. "Lysgårdsbakken" ("Lysgå rdsbakken"; 40 thousand seats). Folk dolls Haakon and Kristin | 67; 1737 (522); 61 to 6 | L. I. Egorova (Russia; 3, 1, 0); J. O. Koss (Norway; 3, 0, 0); M. Di Centa (Italy; 2, 2, 1) | Russia (11, 8, 4); Norway (10, 11, 5); Germany (9, 7, 8); Italy (7, 5, 8); US (6, 5, 2) |
| XVIII Olympic Winter Games. Nagano, 7.2–22.2.1998. Olympic Stadium (30 thousand seats). Owls Sukki, Nokki, Lekke, Zukki | 72; 2176 (787); 68 to 7 | L. E. Lazutina (Russia; 3, 1, 1); B. Delhi (Norway; 3, 1, 0); O. V. Danilova (Russia; 2, 1, 0); K. Funaki (Japan; 2, 1, 0) | Germany (12, 9, 8); Norway (10, 10, 5); Russia (9, 6, 3); Canada (6, 5, 4); USA (6, 3, 4) |
| XIX Olympic Winter Games. Salt Lake City, 8.2–24.2.2002. "Rice-Eccles" ("Rice-Eccles"; 45 thousand seats). Powder Hare, Copper Coyote, Cole Bear | 78; 2399 (886); 75 to 7 | O. E. Bjoerndalen (Norway; 4, 0, 0); J. Kostelich (Croatia; 3, 1, 0); S. Lajunen (Finland; 3, 0, 0) | Norway (13, 5, 7); Germany (12, 16, 8); US (10, 13, 11); Canada (7, 3, 7); Russia (5, 4, 4) |
| XX Olympic Winter Games. Turin, February 10–February 26, 2006. Olympic Stadium (28 thousand seats). Neve Snowball and Plic Ice Cube | 80; 2508 (960); 84 to 7 | Ahn Hyun-soo (3, 0, 1) and Chin Sung Yoo (3, 0, 0; both Republic of Korea); M. Grice (Germany; 3, 0, 0); F. Gottwald (Austria; 2, 1, 0) | Germany (11, 12, 6); USA (9, 9, 7); Austria (9, 7, 7); Russia (8, 6, 8); Canada (7, 10, 7) |
| XXI Olympic Winter Games. Vancouver, February 12–February 28, 2010. "BC Place" ("BC Place"; approx. 60 thousand seats). Miga killer whale, Kuatchi sea bear, Sumi hawk | 82; 2566 (1044); 86 to 7 | M. Bjørgen (Norway; 3, 1, 1); Wang Meng (China; 3, 0, 0); P. Nortug (2, 1, 1) and E. H. Svendsen (2, 1, 0; both from Norway); M. Neuner (Germany; 2, 1.0) | Canada (14, 7, 5); Germany (10, 13, 7); US (9, 15, 13); Norway (9, 8, 6); Republic of Korea (6, 6, 2) |
| XXII Olympic Winter Games. Sochi, February 7–23, 2014. "Fisht" (40 thousand seats). White bear, Leopard, Bunny | 88; 2780 (1120); 98 at 7 | V. Ahn (Ahn Hyun-soo; Russia; 3, 0, 1); D. V. Domracheva (Belarus; 3, 0 , 0); M. Björgen (3, 0, 0); I. Wüst (Netherlands; 2, 3, 0); S. Kramer (Netherlands; 2, 1, 0); M. Fourcade (France; 2, 1, 0). | Russia (13, 11, 9); Norway (11, 5, 10); Canada (10, 10, 5); USA (9, 7, 12); Netherlands (8, 7, 9). |
* United German team.
** United team of the countries of the former USSR.
Table 2. Athletes with the most victories at the Olympic Winter Games (Chamonix, 1924 - Sochi, 2014).
| Athlete, the country | Kind of sport, years of participation | Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| golden | silver | bronze | ||
| O. E. Bjoerndalen, Norway | Biathlon, 1998–2014 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| B. Delhi, Norway | Ski race, 1992–1998 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| M. Björgen, Norway | Ski race, 2002–2014 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| L. I. Egorova, Russia | Ski race, 1992–1994 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| W. Ahn (Ahn Hyun-soo)*, Russia | short track, 2006, 2014 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| L. P. Skoblikova, the USSR | Skating, 1960–1964 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Pechstein, Germany | Skating, 1992–2006 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| L. E. Lazutina, Russia | Ski race, 1992–1998 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| K. Thunberg, Finland | Skating, 1924–1928 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| T. Alsgaard, Norway | Ski race, 1994–2002 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| B. Blair, USA | Skating, 1988–1994 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| E. Hayden, USA | Skating, 1980 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| R. P. Smetanina, the USSR | Ski race, 1976–1992 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| S. Ernberg, Sweden | Ski race, 1956–1964 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| R. Gross, Germany | Biathlon, 1992–2006 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| I. Wust, Netherlands | Skating, 2006–2014 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| G. A. Kulakova, the USSR | Ski race, 1972–1980 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Ch. A. Omodt, Norway | Skiing, 1992–2006 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| S. Fisher, Germany | Biathlon, 1994–2006 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| I. Ballangrud, Norway | Skating, 1928–1936 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| I. Kostelich, Croatia | Skiing, 2002–2006 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Wang Meng, China | short track, 2006–2010 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| G. Swann, Sweden | Ski race, 1984–1988 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| E. H. Svendsen, Norway | Biathlon, 2010–2014 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| E. R. Grishin, the USSR | Skating, 1956–1964 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| J. O. Koss, Norway | Skating, 1992–1994 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| K. Kuske, Germany | Bobsled, 2002–2010 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| A. Lange, Germany | Bobsled, 2002–2010 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| M. Nyukyanen, Finland | Ski jumping, 1984–1988 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| N. S. Zimyatov, the USSR | Ski race, 1980–1984 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| A. I. Tikhonov, the USSR | Biathlon, 1968–1980 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Jung Lee Kyung (Chung Lee Kyung) The Republic of Korea | short track, 1994–1998 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| S. Amman, Switzerland | Ski jumping, 2002–2010 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| T. Wassberg, Sweden | Ski race, 1980–1988 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
* In 2006 (Turin) he played for the national team of the Republic of Korea.
3 gold Olympic medals won at the Olympic Winter Games of St. 50 athletes (as of January 1, 2018), including representatives of Russia (including the USSR): K. S. Boyarskikh, E. V. Vyalbe, N. V. Gavrylyuk, V. S. Davydov, V. G. Kuzkin , A. P. Ragulin , A. A. Reztsova , I. K. Rodnina , V. A. Tretyak , A. V. Firsov , A. V. Khomutov , Yu. A. Chepalova
Table 3. Athletes who have competed at 6 or more Olympic Winter Games (as of 1.1.2018)
| Athlete (year of birth), the country | Quantity | Kind of sport | Participation years | Medals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| golden | silver | bronze | ||||
| A. M. Demchenko (b. 1971), Russia | 7 | luge | 1992–2014 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| N. Kasai (b. 1972), Japan | 7 | Ski jumping | 1992–2014 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| C. Coates (b. 1946), Australia | 6 | Skating | 1968–1988 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M. L. Kirvesniemi (b. 1955), Finland | 6 | Ski race | 1976–1994 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| A. Eder (b. 1953), Austria | 6 | Biathlon | 1976–1994 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M. Dixon (b. 1962), UK | 6 | Cross-country skiing and biathlon | 1984–2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I. Britsis (b. 1970), Latvia | 6 | Biathlon | 1992–2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M. Büchel (b. 1971), Liechtenstein | 6 | Skiing | 1992–2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A. Veerpalu (b. 1971), Estonia | 6 | Ski race | 1992–2010 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| A. Orlova (b. 1972), Latvia | 6 | luge | 1992–2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| E. Radanova* (b. 1977), Bulgaria | 6 | Short trek; cycling | 1994–2010; 2004 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| C. Hughes* (b. 1972), Canada | 6 | Cycling; skating | 1996, 2000, 2012; 2002–2010 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| H. von Hohenlohe (b. 1959), Mexico | 6 | Skiing | 1984–94, 2010, 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Pechstein (b. 1972), Germany | 6 | Skating | 1992–2006, 2014 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| T. Selanne (b. 1970), Finland | 6 | Hockey | 1992, 1998–2014 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| J. Ahonen (b. 1977), Finland | 6 | Ski jumping | 1994–2014 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| O. E. Bjoerndalen (b. 1974), Norway | 6 | Biathlon | 1994–2014 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| S. N. Dolidovich (b. 1973), Belarus | 6 | Ski race | 1994–2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T. Lodwick (b. 1976), USA | 6 | Nordic combined | 1994–2014 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lee Kyu Hyuk (b. 1978), Republic of Korea | 6 | Skating | 1994–2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A. Zöggeler (b. 1974), Italy | 6 | luge | 1994–2014 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| M. Stecher (b. 1977), Austria | 6 | Nordic combined | 1994–2014 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| H. Wickenheiser* (b. 1978), Canada | 6 | Hockey; softball | 1998–2014; 2000 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| R. Helminen (b. 1964), Finland | 6 | Hockey | 1984–2002 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| E. Hunyadi (b. 1966), Hungary (1), Austria (5) | 6 | Skating | 1984–2002 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| G. Weissensteiner (b. 1969) | 6 | Luge and bobsleigh | 1988–2006 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| G. Hackl (b. 1966), Germany (1), Germany (5) | 6 | luge | 1988–2006 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| W. Huber (b. 1970), Italy | 6 | luge | 1988–2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| S. V. Chepikov (b. 1967), Russia | 6 | Biathlon, cross-country skiing | 1988–2006 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| K. Neumanova* (b. 1973), Czechoslovakia, (1), Czech Republic (5) | 6 | Ski race; mountain bike | 1992–2006; 1996 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
* The athlete also competed at the Olympic Games.
Games of the IV Olympiad (Eng. Games of the IV Olympiad, French Jeux de la IVe Olympiade), often called 1908 Summer Olympics, were held in London (Great Britain) from April 27 to October 31, 1908. 110 sets of medals were played in 22 sports.
2008 athletes took part in these Games, which is more than in all previous Games combined. They represented 22 teams (athletes from New Zealand, which did not have its own NOC, competed with athletes from Australia under the name Australasia).
City selection
London had a chance to host the very first Summer Olympic Games in 1896. However, at the first session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Athens was preferred, since it was decided that the first Games should be held in Greece.
At the 6th session of the IOC, which was held in London from June 20 to 22, 1904 (during the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis), the question of holding the IV Olympic Games was decided. Three cities claimed to host the competition - Berlin (Germany), Milan and Rome (both - Italy), and the choice fell on the capital of Italy.
IOC President Pierre de Coubertin
IOC President, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, on the issue of holding the competition was supported by the Pope Pius X, King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III and the mayor of Rome, but opposed by the prime minister Giovanni Giolitti. Under pressure from Milan and Turin, he announced the need to solve many other state problems and the lack of funds for the preparation of the Games. In addition, in 1906, Mount Vesuvius erupted, from which the city of Naples was badly damaged, which caused even greater budgetary expenses. Eventually Giolitti announced the refusal to organize competitions.
British Olympic Council Chairman William Grenfell
In two years, the IOC had to urgently find a suitable city. Committee representatives met with William Grenfell, the first chairman of the British Olympic Council, and with the king Edward VII at the unofficial Olympic Games 1906 in Athens. They were invited to hold the competition in London, to which they agreed. Grenfell proposed this idea to the British Olympic Council, which accepted it, and on November 19, 1906, he sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee agreeing to host the Games.
Organization of the Games
Due to the small amount of time for the preparation of the Games (less than two years), the organizers, led by William Grenfell decided to hold the competition in parallel with the Franco-British Exhibition, despite the fact that they were against holding the Olympics at the same time as other international events.
The organizers urgently needed to build a stadium suitable for the Games. Organizing committee invited the Exhibition Directorate to take up construction in exchange for 75% of the proceeds from tickets, and the agreement was signed on November 14, 1907. The total cost to build the 66,000 seat White City Stadium was £220,000.
By June 1908, a new problem arose - in the weeks before the start of the main competition, the organizing committee was short of £10,000. He had to announce the need for donations. The prince answered the call Welsh George, owners of the Daily Mail newspaper, family of an American millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt and even the French government. As a result, 16,000 pounds sterling was collected in two weeks.
The organizers planned to attend about 2666 athletes, but only 2008 people arrived. Golf, equestrianism, cricket and bandy competitions were proposed, but they were not included in the program. Boxing was not originally intended as another Olympic sport, but tournaments for it nevertheless passed. The organizing committee also considered the idea of including competitions in the arts - architecture, painting, literature, sculpture and music, but this idea was embodied only at the next Olympics in Stockholm.
Sports objects
* Rowing - River Thames, Henley-on-Thames.
* Boxing - Northampton Institute, Clerkenville.
* Wrestling, cycling, water polo, gymnastics, Athletics, lacrosse, tug of war, swimming, diving, rugby, archery, fencing, football, field hockey - White City Stadium, Shefferd's Bush and adjacent swimming pool.
* Powerboating - Southampton
* Jeu de paumee, rackets, tennis (indoor courts) - King's Club, West Kensington.
* Tennis (outdoor courts) - Wimbledon
* Sailing - Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Isle of Wight; Royal Yacht Club, Glasgow.
* Harlingham Club polo courts
* bullet shooting— Beasley, Surrey
* Bench shooting - Aksendon
* Figure Skating - Knightsbridge Skating Club.
White City attendance and weather:
* July 13 - 30,000 - windy, cool
* July 14 - 18 000 - cold, rain
* July 15 - 15,000 - drizzle
* July 16 - 4000 - cold, rain
* July 17 - 15 000 - rain and wind during the day, cloudy with clearings in the evening
* July 18 - 45,000 - drizzle during the day, sunny in the evening
* July 19 - competitions did not take place
* July 20 - 30,000 - overcast
* July 21 - 50,000 - warm, sunny
* July 22 - 45,000 - hot, clear
* July 23 - 60,000 - warm, sunny
* July 24 - 80 000 - warm (26°C), sunny
* July 25 - 60,000 - warm, clear
Opening Games
The official opening ceremony of the Games was held at White City Stadium on July 13, although the first competition began on April 27 and by this time 25 sets of medals had been played.
The ceremony was attended by many noble people from all over the UK and the rest of Europe. At 15:49 the king arrived at the stadium Edward VII together with his wife Alexandra. After that, fanfares sounded and William Grenfell asked the king: “Will His Majesty the IV Olympiad be declared open?” To which the monarch said: “I declare the London Olympic Games open.” The band of grenadiers then played the British anthem and the 18 national teams gathered for the ceremony took part in the parade around the stadium, carrying their national flags for the first time. Teams of participants marched in alphabetical order of countries on English language. The Finnish flag bearer marched without a flag, since in Russia athletes were forbidden to perform under the flag of Finland, and they refused to march under the Russian one.
Passing near the royal box, the flag-bearers raised flags in honor of Edward VII. The only one who refused to do this was the US delegation, as the organizers mistakenly hung the banners of China and Japan instead of the American and Swedish flags, which did not take part in the Games.
Team Great Britain during the parade
Standard bearers:
* Australasia - Henry Murray
* Bohemia - Miroslav Shustera
* UK - John Studd
* Hungary - Istvan Mudin
* Germany - Wilhelm Kauftmann
* Denmark - Age Holm
* Norway - Oscar Byu
* USA - Ralph Rose
* Finland - Bruno Zilliacus (FIN)
* Sweden - Eric Granfelt
* South Africa - Douglas Stapert (RSA)
Argentina, Russia, Turkey and Switzerland did not participate in the parade. The standard-bearers of the rest of the countries are unknown.
Awarding of winners
Gold medals at the 1908 London Olympics
The awards ceremony for the winners of the Games was held on July 28. The medals were awarded to the winners of the July competitions. The king was supposed to give prizes Edward VII, but he, angered by the behavior of the American athletes at the opening ceremony, refused to participate.
Instead, his wife gave the gold medals to the winners Alexandra, silver awards - duchess Rutland Kathleen Tennart, bronze - Katherine Grosvernor, Duchess of Westminster. Wife William Grenfell Ethel Fane presented diplomas and certificates.
Diploma of the winner of the Olympic Games 1908
In addition, 12 cups were to be awarded to the winners of individual disciplines, but only nine were awarded that day - Henry Taylor for the victory in swimming at 1500 m; the UK water polo team that won the tournament; French team, which became the best in team competition on swords; Charles Bartlett for winning the 100 km bike race; Walter Ewing, the winner in clay shooting; John Hayes who ran a marathon with a new Olympic record; Alberto Braglia, the champion in the individual championship in gymnastics; Martin Sheridan who defended his discus title and Richard Weiss, a Greco-Roman style heavyweight wrestler who beat everyone in his weight class. Cups for the best crew of eights in rowing, the best football team and the best team in sailing were given away later.
Wyndham Holswell after the award
Additional prizes were awarded to the Italian Dorando Pietri, who did not finish the marathon by several meters, and to many officials for organizing the Games.
9 cups awarded
Closing of the Games
There was no closing ceremony as such. Instead, on the day of the end of the Franco-British Exhibition on October 31, after the final match in field hockey, a celebratory banquet was given in one of the restaurants in the center of London. It brought together officials and athletes remaining in the city, in total 450-500 people were present. They made speeches discussing the results of the Games.
Competitions
The following sports and disciplines were represented at the 1908 Olympic Games: rowing, boxing, wrestling, cycling, water polo, powerboating, gymnastics, jeu de paume, lacrosse, athletics, sailing, tug of war, swimming , polo, diving, rugby, rackets, shooting (bullet and trap), archery, tennis, fencing, figure skating, football and field hockey. Demonstration competitions were not held.
Compared to previous Games, there were no golf, rocky and weightlifting (it was again included in the program of the 1920 Olympics). Post-break status Olympic sports sports received sailing, polo, rugby and shooting. In the first and last time competitions were held in water-motor sports, jeu-de-pom and rackets; field hockey included in the program for the first time retained its status; figure skating also appeared for the first time, but since it is a winter sport, since 1924 it has received a permanent residence permit at the Winter Olympics.
Due to the fact that more and more athletes wanted to take part in the competition, the organizers for the first time began to limit the number of participants and introduced qualifying rounds.
Members
According to the IOC, 22 teams participated in these Games, of which for the first time - Turkey and Finland (which competed separately from the Russian team). Several teams that missed the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis re-entered after an eight-year hiatus: Argentina, Belgium, Bohemia, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. For the first time, New Zealand athletes who came to the Olympics competed with Australia under the name Australasia. For the first time, an athlete from Iceland took part in the Danish team (Iceland played as a separate team for the first time at the 1936 Games). The only country that participated before but didn't come this time was Cuba.
Starting from these Games, the practice of participation in certain disciplines of teams made up of representatives of different countries has ceased. (in modern IOC terminology - “mixed team”, English mixed team).
Participating countries: Australasia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Bohemia, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, USA, Turkey, Finland, France, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa.
Countries participating in the Games. Green shows countries that have already participated, blue shows those participating for the first time. Yellow dot - City of London
Scandals at the IV Olympic Games
Political scandal
During the opening ceremony of the Olympics at the White City stadium, the organizers, having decorated the stadium with the flags of the participating countries, did not display the national flags of the United States and Sweden. During the solemn passage of the Olympians in front of the podium of the English King Edward VII, the flag bearer of the US team Martin Sheridan in protest against the forgetfulness of the organizers, he did not bow the flag, as required by the rules, as a sign of respect for the head of the host state of the Olympics. Later Sheridan declared that "this flag will not bow to any king." Demarche caused outrage among the British and a scandal in the press. It is believed that the actions of the American delegation at the opening of the Olympics led to the bias of British judges towards American athletes. As a result, American athletes took home 47 awards, and the British, thanks to the favor of compatriot judges, won 145 out of 330 played. After this incident, the IOC changed the rules of refereeing at the Olympics: since then, the brigades of judges have been formed from representatives of the countries participating in the competition (previously, the host country nominated the judges).
Marathon
One of the participants of the marathon race, Italian confectioner Dorando Pietri, decided to improve his performance with strychnine brandy, which in small doses has a stimulating effect. The Italian athlete surreptitiously drank halfway through, but apparently miscalculated the dose. Having run first to the White City stadium, where the finish was located, the athlete lost his bearings and ran not to the finish line, but in the opposite direction. He was pointed out right direction, but 70 m before the finish line Dorando Pietri fell, losing consciousness. Two spectators lifted the athlete, brought him to his senses and helped him get to the finish line. Rules prohibiting the use of doping did not yet exist at that time. But the athlete did not receive a medal, as he was disqualified for using outside help. The winner of the race was an American Johnny Hayes. Dorando Pietri spent several days in a hospital bed and even aroused the sympathy of the British Queen Alexandra, which, on its own initiative, presented the athlete with a "consolation prize" - a copy of the gold Olympic Cup, awarded to the winner of the marathon in addition to the medal.
Finish Dorando Pietri with the help of the judges
Briton was the favorite in the 400m race Wyndham Halswell, who set a world record in the semi-final start - 48.2 seconds. In the final, in addition to the Briton, three members of the US team ran: John Carpenter, John Taylor and William Robbins. Leading most of the race Robbins, followed him John Carpenter, however, 100 m before the finish line, the Briton began to take the lead. What happened next, American and British sources still tell differently. According to the British version John Carpenter spread his elbows wide and tried to push back Halswell sideways (at that time the running sector was not marked into separate lanes for each athlete). According to the American version Carpenter ran like he was supposed to and didn't bother anyone. Anyway, one of the British referees posted along the running circle shouted that he had noticed a violation, the judge at the finish line declared the race invalid and tore the finish tape. A scandal broke out with mutual insults, threats and attempts to physically influence opponents. British referees disqualified John Carpenter and suspended him from participation in the Olympic events. A new start was appointed, however Main coach Team USA James Sullivan banned to John Taylor and William Robbins participate in the run. British athlete ran 400 m in splendid isolation and received gold medal. After this incident, the IOC introduced mandatory marking of the running circle and penalties for stepping into someone else's lane.
Wyndham Halswell finishes the rerun
tug of war
IOC tug-of-war rules required competitors to wear "ordinary shoes not adapted for this type of competition", that is, that the soles should not be reinforced with spikes or other devices to help rest their feet on the ground. The British tug-of-war team consisted of a group of Liverpool police officers who came to the competition in uniform boots with reinforced soles and spikes reinforced with metal borders. The American competitors, who were considered the main rivals of the British, protested and demanded that their rivals change their shoes. The British panel of judges rejected the protest, citing the fact that the British team was wearing ordinary, everyday shoes. American athletes refused to participate in the competition, and the British received "gold".
London had a chance to host the very first Modern Olympic Games in 1896. However, at the first session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), it was decided that the first Games should be held in Greece, and therefore preference was given to Athens.The next time the British put forward their capital in 1904, when the issue of the venue for the IV Olympic Games was being decided. Along with London, Berlin, Milan and Rome also claimed to host the competition, which eventually won the vote.
The Italians zealously took up the preparations for the Olympics, but suddenly, a little more than a year before the Games, they abandoned them: the “northern capitals” of Milan and Turin could by no means come to terms with the fact that their southern neighbor got such prestigious competitions and did everything to customize public opinion against holding the Games in the capital.
As a result, the IV Olympic Games were in jeopardy and the British, having enlisted the support of King Edward VII, easily gained the right to host the Olympics.
Due to the short amount of time for preparation, the organizers of the Games, led by William Grenfell, decided to hold the competition in parallel with the Franco-British Exhibition organized in London. During the year, the grandiose White City Stadium was built, the stands of which could accommodate 100,000 spectators. The convenience of this stadium was that on its territory there was a swimming pool 100 meters long and 15 meters wide and an arena for wrestling competitions. Cycling competitions were also held at the same stadium, for which a cement track was laid around the cinder track, a third of a mile long.
In terms of the number of participants, the breadth of the program and the results achieved, the London Games surpassed all previous ones. More than 2,000 athletes (including 36 women) competed for the 109 gold medals, more than the previous three Olympics combined.
22 countries sent their representatives to the Games. Athletes from Iceland, New Zealand, Russia and Turkey took part in the Olympic Games for the first time. Finland, which was part of the Russian Empire, played as an independent team at the Games. The New Zealand Olympians competed on the same team as the Australians, and the team was called Australasia. Great Britain was represented by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland - 710 athletes - the largest Olympic team ever fielded by one country.
In comparison with the previous Games, the program of the Olympiad has also been significantly expanded. Along with classical sports, it included competitions that were very exotic by today's standards in the old French game of jeu-de-paume, rackets, lacrosse, powerboating and ... tug of war, which in those years was considered one of the disciplines athletics, as well as the tournament figure skating. The tennis tournament was held in two stages: in the hall and on outdoors- Champions and prize-winners of the Games were determined in each stage.
The official opening ceremony of the Games was held at White City Stadium on July 13, although the first competition began on April 27 and by this time 25 sets of medals had been played.
During the opening days of the Games of the IV Olympiad, as is often the case on the island, a thick gray fog hung over London, and it rained all day long. Despite bad weather, the ceremony was attended by King Edward VII, along with his wife Alexandra, the Sheikh of Nepal, a Greek princess and ambassadors from most European powers. 
After the British monarch, as host of the Games, declared them open, the grenadiers band played the British anthem and the 18 national teams gathered at the ceremony took part in the parade around the stadium, carrying national flags for the first time in the history of the Olympics. The only exception was the team of the Grand Duchy of Finland, since in Russia Finnish athletes were banned from performing under the flag of the principality, and they refused to march under the Russian flag. Passing near the royal box, the flag bearers raised flags in honor of Edward VII. The only one who refused to do so was the US delegation, as the organizers mistakenly hung the flags of China and Japan instead of the American and Swedish flags, which did not take part in the Games. The monarch was offended by the Americans and did not come to the award ceremony.
There was no closing ceremony as such. Instead, on the day of the end of the Franco-British Exhibition, October 31, after the final match in field hockey, a celebratory banquet was given in one of the restaurants in the center of London.
Olympic curiosities
Starting with embarrassment with flags, the IV Olympic Games for almost half a year delighted journalists with all sorts of curiosities and scandals, attracting public attention and raising interest in the Games to an unprecedented height. At the same time, the British team, having won 146 (of which 56 gold) Olympic awards, set the highest achievement in the history of the Games, which has not been surpassed so far.
This undeniably outstanding result does not look at all unexpected, given the specifics of Olympic competitions those years.
So, for example, in competitions in singles and doubles only seven athletes participated in rackets. All are from Britain. 
Three teams from Great Britain participated in the polo tournament. One of them became the champion, and the other two received silver medals, since there was no match for second and third places.
Only four teams participated in water polo, which played three matches. The British team, which went straight to the final, defeated the Belgians, became the champion, having played only one match at the tournament.
In the competition for sailing Athletes from 20 countries were supposed to participate, but as a result, yachts from only 5 countries arrived. The start of the regatta was postponed several times: a yacht belonging to the Duchess of Westminster was announced in the 8 meters class, and the organizers decided to wait for the Duchess, who was late from her trip to America. In the 7m class, there was only one yacht (from Great Britain), which, having covered the distance three times, was declared the winner. In the 12 meters class, 2 British yachts applied, and the organizers credited them with the result of the regatta in Glasgow on the River Clyde.
In powerboating, three sets of awards were played - in the open class, in the class of 6.5-8 m and up to 18 m. In all races, only one crew was able to finish in the final, and therefore silver and bronze medals were not played. After the London Games, this type of competition was excluded from the Olympics program due to fears for the lives of athletes, since boats developed a speed that was terrible for those times - 32 knots per hour.
The British athletes were also helped by the judges who took the most active part in the Cold War of the US and British teams, which began with embarrassment at the opening ceremony and continued during all the competitions
The most famous US-British scandal took place during the 400m final. Three American runners reached the final - Carpenter, Taylor and Robbins, and the Scot Holswell, who plays for the Great Britain team and set a new Olympic record in the preliminary race - 48.4 seconds.
The panel of judges annulled all the results, and the race was decided to be held two days later and along the marked track. The Americans did not like this decision, and they refused to go to the start again. Wyndham Holswell ran alone and naturally became champion.
By the way, since then, 400-meter races have been held on marked treadmills, and one of those who refused the final, John Taylor, having won the relay race as part of the US team, became the first black Olympic champion.
The next round of tension between the teams happened in the final of the tug-of-war competition, in which the UK was represented by a team of Liverpool firefighters who came to the match against the Americans in special boots with metal crampons on the soles.
Their rivals protested, drawing the attention of the judges to the rule clause, which ordered the participants to pull the rope in "casual shoes". The protest was dismissed with the wording "cat shoes are everyday for Liverpool firefighters". The Americans were offended, threw the rope and left, and the Liverpool team went to put out fires in the rank of Olympic champions. The place of the Americans who left the competition was taken on the podium by two other teams representing Britain, but not making it to the final. Needless to say, there were four participants in this type of program.
“The main thing is not winning. The main thing is participation!
And yet, the 1908 Olympic Games were remembered by the world not only for scandals, but also as examples of boundless courage, the will to win and skill.
The outstanding British athlete Henry Taylor became the three-time Olympic champion in swimming; tennis courts Sir Arthur Gore and the Doherty brothers, excelled in archery and became the oldest Olympic champion Queenie Newall ...
The Swedish shooter Oskar Svan was especially impressive, winning two gold and one bronze medals. During the Games, the bearded Swede was already 60 years old - he became the oldest Olympian in history and remains so to this day. Shoulder to shoulder with his father, on the shooting track "fought" for the honor of the country and the son of Swann, who also won the championship in the national team. This case - the simultaneous championship of father and son - was the first and last in the history of competitions of this level.
The most dramatic and significant event of the IV Olympiad was the marathon race. It was after him that the Bishop of Pennsylvania, who told the flock about the heroism of one of the participants in the marathon, uttered the catchphrase that became catchphrase: "The main thing is not victory, but participation."
The distance of the marathon race was planned at 25 miles (40.230 km), but immediately before the start, the route was adjusted so that members of the royal family could follow the athletes from the balcony of Windsor Castle. This adjustment increased the distance by more than 2 km.
But this circumstance could not serve as an obstacle, and on a hot July morning, 56 athletes from 16 countries moved from Windsor to London.
Among them is a little-known confectioner from Italy, Dorando Pietri. Literally a few weeks before the Olympics, Pietri brilliantly won the 30 km race in Paris, but this victory did not bring him much fame: there was not a single athlete in Paris who started the marathon in London.
The press and the audience convinced by it considered the main favorite of the South African Charles Hefferson. And he conscientiously tried not to deceive their hopes, invariably leading for 35 kilometers. It seemed that this time the predictions would come true. The leader's time limit is forty minutes. But six kilometers before the finish line, Hefferson, unable to withstand the enormous stress, fell right onto the road. The doctor who ran up stated a breakdown. Hefferson still got up and tried to keep running.
At this time, Pietri was already running second, but lagged behind the leader by a whole kilometer. The Italian, warned that Hefferson was exhausted and barely moving his legs, sharply increased the pace. Quite quickly, he caught up with the African and overtook him at the forty-first kilometer of the distance.
Henry Taylor, British three-time swimming champion Queenie Newall, the oldest Olympic champion Dorando Pietri, carries the award presented by Queen Alexandra
But the last push was given to Pietri too expensive. With great difficulty, he approached the gates of the stadium and, having stepped onto the track of the White City stadium in a nearly unconscious state, instead of running to the left, he turned right.
The judges had to work hard to direct the Italian, who had lost his orientation in space, along the right path. The last straight became a real "crossroad" for Pietri. Seventy meters from the finish line, the Italian fell flat on the cinder path, but found the strength to get up and continue running in complete prostration. Twenty meters later he fell again - and got up again.
The whole stadium watched with bated breath this inhuman struggle of Pietri with himself and with the last meters of the distance. Only 15 meters left to the finish line! It was at this moment that the whole stadium rose to greet the second athlete who appeared on the track - the American Johnny Hayes.
Pietri, overwhelmed by this noise, could not stand it and collapsed to the ground. Two people ran up to him - a judge and a journalist (chroniclers of the time claim that it was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). They bent over the Italian, slapped him on the cheeks, trying to bring him to his senses, then lifted him up and put him on his legs, which were moving apart like on ice, and, under his arms, escorted him to the finish line. Dorando Pietri crossed it victorious and... defeated. After a very long debate, the panel of judges nevertheless disqualified the Italian marathon runner for being inused outside help. Olympic champion Johnny Hayes was announced.After the award, Queen Alexandra invited Dorando Pietri to the podium and presented him with a golden goblet, similar to the one received by the winner. With his amazing courage, firmness and perseverance, the little Italian deserved to win, becoming a worldwide celebrity thanks to the press - photographs and filming captured his dramatic "road of the cross" to victory. And a few months later, Pietri beat Hayes during a specially organized race at Madison Square Garden in New York, confirming the title of the strongest superstayer of the early 20th century.