 |
Action from the weightlifting competition
Did you know?
The Olympic Flame was first lit in Amsterdam
|
After three unsuccessful attempts to stage the Games in Amsterdam, the Dutch finally succeeded in 1928.
The Games also heralded the first appearance of the German team in an Olympiad for 16 years.
Amsterdam also saw the introduction of the now synonymous Olympic flame, which was kept alight throughout the duration of the Games.
But founder of the Games, Baron de Coubertin, missed his first Games in 20 years because of illness.
Women competed for the first time ever in track and field events, despite De Coubertin's objections, but were limited to only five events.
German Lina Radke-Batschauer became only the second athlete to win a gold medal for her nation in a track and field event, with victory in the 800m.
But the race was remembered for the state of her fellow competitors, some suffering completion exhaustion, forcing the IOC to suspend the 800m for women until 1960.
Two familiar names again dominated their respective fields. Paavo Nurmi picked up three more medals while Johnny Weissmuller swept up in the pool, despite the Americans facing stiff competition from the Japanese.
Prince Olav V, a Norwegian sailor, became the first member of royalty to secure a medal, whilst India won the first of six consecutive hockey titles in front of 50,000 people.
Egyptian Ibrahim Moustafa of Egypt was the first non-European to win a Greco-Roman wrestling event.
And Luigina Giavotti became the youngest ever medallist when she gained silver in gymnastics at 11 years and 302 days, an Olympic record which still stands today.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend
Printable version
The defining images