1. LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES 1948
Karoliina Grentsmann
C. R. Jakobson Gymnasium
Form 9c
Supervisor: Tiia Pukk
2012
2. FACTS ABOUT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Were held in London, England, the United Kingdom
A record 59 nations were represented
4,104 athletes, 3,714 men, 390 women
The host nation won 23 medals
Officially opened by King George VI
Opening ceremony 29 July, 1948
Closing ceremony 14 August,1948
Were held in Wembley Stadium
3. ELECTION AS HOST CITY
IOC awarded the 1944 Olympic Summer Games to
London
World War II stopped the plans
London again stood as a candidate for 1948
Britain almost handed the 1948 games to the USA
London became the second city to host the
Olympics twice
4. ORGANIZATION
Lord Burghley was named Chairman of the
Organising and Executive Committees
Olympic pictograms were introduced for the first
time
Three separate pictograms for the arts competition,
the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony
Athletes were given increased rations
They ate 5,467 calories a day, instead of the normal
2,600
5. ORGANIZATION
Male competitors stayed in Uxbridge, West
Drayton and Richmond
Female competitors stayed in London colleges
The first games to be held following the death
of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of IOC
The last to feature an arts competition
6. OPENING CEREMONY
Army bands began playing in Wembley Stadium
The Royal Family arrived
The competitors entered the stadium
At 4 pm the King declared the Games open
2,500 pigeons were set free
Olympic Flag raised to its 35 ft flagpole at the end
of the stadium
The National Anthem was sung, the athletes
marched out of the stadium
7. MOST POPULAR SPORTS
Athletics
Basketball
Cycling
Football
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
Shooting
Swimming
Wrestling
Weightlifting
8. VENUES
No new venues were built for the Games
Swimming events were held undercover
In 2010 the last remaining venue from the Games
was saved when a new 15-year lease was agreed
Campaigners and users of the track had feared that
it would be forced to close
9. PARTICIPATING NATIONS
A total of 59 nations sent athletes
The first time that the Philippines, India and
Pakistan competed as independent nations
Germany and Japan were not allowed to send
athletes to the games
Italy was allowed to send athletes
The Soviet Union was invited but they chose not to
send any athletes
10. MEDALS
US won 84 medals
Sweden won 44 medals
France won 29 medals
The host nation was 12th, with 23 medals, including
three golds
11. LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES
Take place in London, England, the United
Kingdom
From 27 July to 12 August, 2012
The first city to host Olympic Games three times
10,500 athletes participating
302 events in 26 sports
