2. Helsinki was chosen as the site for the Olympic Games
in 1940, but because of World War II these were
canceled. Instead, Helsinki was the site of the Olympic Games
in 1952 (between 19 July and 3 August). The Helsinki Olympic
Games symbolized for recovery after the Winter War.
3. The opening ceremony
was a tribute to the
Finnish Paavo Nurmi.
When the best runner
in the history of that
country coming to the
stadium
as penultimate carrier
of the Olympic torch,
all the
audience exploded of
happiness. Then
Nurmi gave the torch
to his fellow Hannes
Kölehmainen, now 62,
who lit the cauldron.
4. In this Olympics games all the Olympic family were met again,
including Japan and Germany. The Soviet union after 40 years of
absence, return . It does so under a halo of mystery created by the
famous Cold War. The athletes of the URSS, there were stayed in
Otaniemi (is a site different of the others athletes that came from to
others countries). Their trainings were so insolated, for example
they take them to use one lane lap pool just for them.
5. In Helsinki already was noted the world economic recovery,
because they were built sports facilities
and infrastructure for the occasion. The Olympic village was
built on, Kappy, two kilometers from the Olympic
stadium and swimming pool.
To accommodate tourists and volunteers set up camp with a
capacity of 6000 people on the island of Lauttarasi.
This was the first final Olympic of basketball between
Americans and Russians first victory.
6. In this olympic games were participated:
- 69 Countries.
- 4407 Males.
- 518 Females.
There were:
- 149 events and 17 sports.
7. Lis Hartel
She was one of the first women allowed to
compete against men in the equestrian
dressage of Denmark. Despite being
paralyzed below the knees after an attack
of polio, Hartel, who had to be helped on
and off her horse, won a silver medal.
8. Lars Hall
Lars Hall, a carpenter from Sweden,
became the first non-military winner
of the modern pentathlon.
Bob Mathias
Bob Mathias (USA-athletics) was the first person to win two
successive Olympic decathlon titles. After a first gold medal
in 1948 when, as a 17-year-old, he became the youngest-
ever winner of an Olympic track and field event, he set the
world record defending his title.
9. Frank Havens.
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.
10. Emil Zatopek
Emil Zatopek of Czechoslovakia, the 10,000-
meter champion in London, not only repeated
at 10,000 meters, but also won at 5,000 and in
the marathon-an event he had never run
before. He also set Olympic records in each
race
Harrison Dillard
Harrison Dillard of the U.S. won the
110-meter hurdles. In 1948, Dillard, the
world's best hurdler, failed to qualify for
the hurdles and won the 100-meter
dash instead.
