Biking For Balance

Archive for February, 2011

The Summer Olympics, 1956 happened at Melbourne in Australia. But equestrian events could not take place in Australia because of quarantine regulations. These events instead took place five months prior at Stockholm, Sweden. This was the first occasion when these Games were staged in Southern Hemisphere. This was also the first time when they were held outside North America and Europe.

These Olympics witnessed some amazing moments that stay forever in the memory of people. The United States athletes dominated the men’s track and field events. They won 15 out of the possible 24 events. Bobby Joe Morrow bagged the title in 100 meters and 200 meters events besides also winning the 4 x 100 meters relay.

Soviet Union’s Vladimir Kuts stole the limelight by winning 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters events. Ron Delaney of Ireland ran brilliantly particularly in the end of race and won the 1,500 meters event. The favorite to win this event Australia’s John Landy came third.

The 3,000 meters steeplechase event involved a controversy. Chris Brasher from Great Britain was little known earlier. He came well ahead in this race but judges disqualified him for interference with Norway’s athlete Ernst Larsen. Brasher made an appeal which got support from Larsen, Sandor Rozsnyoi as well as Heinz Laufer. There was reversal of the decision and Brasher won the gold.

Laszlo Papp from Hungary was exceptional in defeating Jose Torres and won the title in light-middleweight category of boxing. Murray Rose from Australia won three titles in swimming.

The Summer Olympics, 1928 were held at Amsterdam, Netherlands. This city had earlier bid for the 1920 as well as 1924 Olympics also but could not find success.

There were several remarkable moments at these Olympics. This was the first occasion when the Olympic Flame got lit at the Olympics. But the torch relay was started only in the Summer Olympics, 1936. Prince Hendrik, who was Queen Wilhelmina’s consort, officially opened these games. It was the first occasion when a head of state did not personally officiate at the opening ceremony of Olympics.

The athletics events took place on a track of 400 meters and this became a standard for the athletics tracks. For the first time a 16 days standard schedule was followed. Earlier the competition stretched over few months.

Johnny Weissmuller performed exceptionally in swimming winning two gold medals. He later featured in many Tarzan movies. Finland’s Paavo Nurmi bagged his final ninth gold medal in Olympics. He achieved this feat by winning the 10,000 meters race.

Percy Williams from Canada displayed his superb talent at these games. He won the 100 meters and 200 meters events to catch the attention of everybody. Uruguay showed their supremacy in football by retaining the title as they defeated Argentina.

India won their first gold ever in the field hockey. This began a winning streak of six gold medals in a row in this sport at Olympics. Germany came back to the Olympics after last appearing in 1912. It was banned for appearing in 1920 and 1924. This German contingent came second in the medal count at Amsterdam.

Edward Hamm of United States won the gold medal in the men’s long jump event. USA bagged gold medals in both the 4 × 100 meters as well as 4 × 400 meters men’s category relay events. Ray Barbuti also from USA won the title in 400 meters race. Paavo Yrjölä from Finland won the gold medal in decathlon. Douglas Lowe of Great Britain won the title in 800 meters race.