The First World War prevented the Olympic Games from being staged in Berlin, 1916. The next stop was Belgium in 1920, and those held responsible for the war were excluded by the IOC, namely the "Central Powers" of Austria, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. That move, pressed by Pierre de Coubertin and Henri de Baillet-Latour, head of the Belgian organising committee, was fundamentally critical to the survival of the Games.
In memory of those who had lost their lives in the Great War, doves of peace were released at the opening ceremony for the first time since Athens 1896, a tradition that has been kept up ever since and will continue in Sydney. Antwerp also marked the start of another tradition, the Olympic Oath, which was taken for the first time by Belgian fencer and water-polo player Victor Boin, who pledged on behalf of athletes that they would take part "in the true spirit of sporsmanship", while the five Olympic rings became the official symbol of the IOC for the first time and flew on a flag over the stadium during the Games, as it does in the modern era.
Despite the war and its economic impact and the fact that some medal prospects were counted among the dead, the Games were bigger in Antwerp than they had ever been before, with 2,669 competitors, including 78 women, from 29 nations taking part in 154 events, a number that would not be surpassed until Tokyo in 1964. Among events that were staged in Antwerp for the last time at an Olympic Games were tug-of-war, weight throwing, the 3,000m walk, the 400m breaststroke and various sailing categories. In recognition of the popularity of winter sports ice-hockey made its debut.
Tore Holm's yachting victory alongside his Swedish crew in the 40 square metres was nothing out of the ordinary as far as Olympic triumphs are concerned. However, Holm would wait until 1948 to win another Olympic medal, a bronze in the 6-metres, his success representing the greatest lapse of time between the same person winning Olympic medals.
The biggest name of the Games was also one of the biggest names in Olympic history: Paavo Nurmi, the Finn who between 1920 and 1928 won nine gold and three silver medals. Only Ray Ewry of the US has won more, though his tally consisted entirely of individual efforts and included the 1906 intermediate Games. During his career, Nurmi set world records at 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, 6 miles, 1,500m, 2,000m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and 20,000m, and ran farther in one hour than anyone had before him - 11 miles, 1,648 yards.
In Antwerp, he won the 10,000m, the cross-country, played a part in victorious team cross-country relay and took a silver medal over 5,000m behind Joseph Guillemot of France. His efforts helped Finland rise to third on a medals table that, once again, was topped by the US, with 41 gold, 27 silver and 27 bronze medals. Sweden were runners-up with 19 victories, Finland third on 15 and Great Britain fourth with 14 wins.
CRAIG LORD
The Times
