1920 Antwerp.

The 1920 Olympic Games followed closely the ending of World War I. The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the 7th Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.

The 1916 Summer Olympics, to be held in Berlin, capital of the German Empire, were canceled due to the war, so 1920 Games were awarded to Antwerp to honor the people of that city after the suffering they endured during World War.

These Olympics were the first in which the Olympic Oath was voiced, the first in which doves were released to symbolize peace, and the first in which the Olympic flag was flown.The USA won 41 Gold, 27 Silver, and 27 Bronze medals, the most won by any of the 29 nations attending. Sweden, Great Britain, Finland and Belgium rounded out the five most successful medal-winning nations.

The Games also featured a week of winter sports, with figure skating and ice hockey making their Olympic debut.Duke Hakanamoku retained the 100 m swimming title he won before the war.

More than 2,500 athletes competed, a total of 29 nations participated in the Antwerp Games, only one more than in 1912, as Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey weren’t invited, having lost World War I. From the newly created European states, only Estonia took part. Poland was busy with the Polish-Soviet War and therefore was unable to form an Olympic team. Argentina, Finland, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Brazil, Monaco competed as nations at the Olympic Games for the first time. New Zealand, which had competed as part of a combined team with Australia in 1908 and 1912, competed on its own for the first time.

Nedo Nadi. Medals.

Victor Boin.

South America claimed their first gold medal in 1920 when Guilherme Paraense of Brazil won the rapid-fire pistol event, whilst Willie Lee and Lloyd Spooner of America celebrated four and five golds respectively. Elsewhere, American diver Aileen Riggin became the youngest gold medal winner at just 14 years and 119 days.

Suzanne Lenglen (FRA-tennis), one of the greatest women tennis players of all time, won the Olympic title by losing only four games. Whe teamed up with Max Decugis to win another gold medal in mixed doubles and with Elisabeth d’Ayen to win a bronze in women’s doubles.

Stadium.

The End.