Backgrounder: Olympic Games 1928 Amsterdam: Peace returns to Games after WW1

With Austria and Germany returning to the Olympics, the peaceful nature of the most important sporting event on the planet was confirmed. However, there could not be complete happiness as the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was absent from the Games due to an illness.

The Games of the IX Olympiad, which took place in Amsterdam between May 17 and August 12, 1928, were attended by 2,883 athletes (277 women) from 46 countries, who competed in 109 events.

During the Opening Ceremony, a symbolic fire was lit for the first time. The fire was lit in a cauldron that was placed at the top of the tower in the main stadium and was kept lit throughout the Games. The cauldron was designed by Dutch architect Jan Wils.

Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, headed the Parade of Nations while the Dutch team marched in last. From that day, the tradition of Greece-first, hosts-last has been Olympic protocol ever since.

Also in this edition, women were finally allowed to compete in athletics and gymnastics despite opposition from Pope Pius XI, who considered the women's 800 meters "inhumane."

The German Lina Radke-Batschauer was the first women to win a gold medal in this race. However, the International Olympics Committee (IOC), under the direction of its new president, the Belgian Count Henri de Baillet-Latour, went on to suspend this distance along with any other women's races longer than 200 meters until 1960. The main reason behind this was women's alleged lack of preparation and fragility for such a demanding event. The IOC used the example of women fainting during the 800 meters race to support their case.

Paavo Nurmi from Finland added three more medals to his collection, including his ninth and final gold medal which he won in the 10,000 meters.

U.S. swimmer Johnny Weismuller returned to the Games and once again won the 100 meters freestyle along with the 4x200 meters freestyle team event. These wins ended his Olympic career where he won a total of five gold medals and a bronze. He later went on to gain fame in Hollywood as Tarzan in 12 motion pictures.

Diversity was another thing that was highlighted in these Games. Athletes from 28 nations obtained Olympic titles, a record that was only beaten 40 years later.

The Asian continent won its first gold medals thanks to Japan's Mikio Oda, in triple jump, and Yoshiyuki Tsuruta, in the men's 200 meters breaststroke.

Also in these Games, the Indian men's field hockey team won the first of what would be their six consecutive gold medals at the Olympics.

Chile won their first Olympic medal thanks to Manuel Plaza Reyes, who came second place in the men's marathon. According to the media, the runner got lost on his way to the stadium, preventing him from taking home the gold. He came second to Algerian athlete Boughera EL Ouafi, who ran under the French flag since Algeria was a French territory at the time.

Royalty won a gold medal for the first time when the then Crown Prince Olav, who later became King of Norway, won a gold medal in sailing.

Egyptian Ibrahim Moustafa was the first non-European to win an event in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Luigina Giavotti from Italy became the youngest medallist in Olympic history when she won a silver medal in gymnastics at the age of 11.

South America proved its superiority in soccer as the final was plated between Argentina and Uruguay with the latter winning the gold.

OLYMPIC GAMES 1928 AMSTERDAM MEDAL

COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL

U.S. 22 18 16 56

Germany 10 7 14 31

Finland 8 8 9 25

Sweden 7 6 12 25

Italy 7 5 7 19

Switzerland 7 4 4 15

France 6 10 5 21

Netherlands 6 9 4 19

Hungary 4 5 0 9

Canada 4 4 7 15

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