Helsinki, 1952 Olympic Games
The 1952 Olympic Games were held in Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki were scheduled to host the Olympics in 1940 after Tokyo pulled out, however the Games were canceled altogether after the outbreak of WW2. Helsinki had to wait until 1952 to host the Games. The USSR joined the Olympics with a bang, being edged out by the USA in the overall medal count - 76 to 71 (see the 1952 medal count).
Trivia
- The 1952 Helsinki Games began dramatically as Paavo Nurmi, now 55 years old, carried the torch into the stadium
- In Helsinki in 1952, the Soviet Union rejoined the Olympic Games having been absent since 1912. A cold-war atmosphere dominated these games as the Soviets set up a rival Olympic village for Eastern Bloc countries.
- The divers complained about being distracted by a photographer who was dressed up in a frogman outfit and taking photos of them from underwater.
Athlete Highlights
- In 1952, Emil Zatopek of Czechoslovakia became the only man to win gold medals in the 5000 meters, the 10,000 meters, and the marathon in the same Olympiad. He set Olympic records in all these events, and he had never run the marathon before.
- Soviet Maria Gorokhovskaya - unhindered by the limits set on female competitors at earlier Games - set a record for most medals won by a woman in one Olympics, with two golds and five silver medals.
- Back in 1924, Bill Havens had been chosen to represent the United States in coxed eights rowing, but declined in order to stay home with his wife, who was expecting their first child. Twenty-eight years later, that child, Frank Havens, won a gold medal in the Canadian singles 10,000m canoeing event.
- One of the first women allowed to compete against men in the equestrian dressage was Lis Hartel of Denmark. She won won a silver medal, a significant achievements as she was paralyzed below the knees and needed to be helped on and off her horse.
- Lars Hall, a carpenter from Sweden, became the first non-military winner of the modern pentathlon.
Related Pages
- list of sports at the 1952 Olympic Games
- Nutrition and food service at the Helsinki Olympics
- Finland at the Olympic Games.
- Olympics in 1940
- Complete list of Olympic host cities
- Videos from the 1952 Olympics
- 1952: The Year in Sport
- sport in Finland
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