London 1908 - Olympic Games Winners

Start:

27 Apr 1908

End:

31 Oct 1908

Countries:

Athletes:

2008

Sports:

Events:

110

City:

London, United Kingdom (Ryde - Sailing)

Rome and Milan - both Italy and Berlin, Germany were candidate cities, and the 1908 Olympics were awarded to Rome, as Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the IOC President, had wished.
However, the 1906 volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius canceled Italian plans to stage the Olympiad.
In the same year, 1906, London, Great Britain was named the new host city.

His Majesty King Edward VII officially opened the Games of the 4th Olympiad at the new Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 68 thousand people, built in the shortest time.
First in the Programme of competition of the Summer Olympic Games was included a winter event - figure skating.
Winners of competitions received gold medals, the prize diploma, and a bunch of oak leaves from Windsor Forest.
The American runner Melvin SHEPPARD won three gold medals.
The swimmer from Great Britain Henry TAYLOR won three gold medals as well.
At a service in St.Paul's Cathedral on July 19, Bishop Ethelbert Talbot of Philadelphia said the famous phrase: "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to participate..."