Fun Trivia : 1948 London

Structure Sub-topic of: Summer Games Quizzes Interesting Questions, Facts and Information There are a total of 10 general entries.

Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

1948 London

An unlikely bald-headed figure, with his tongue stuck out and a permanent grimace on his face, became one of the undoubted stars of the London Games. Despite looking exhausted within a lap of the start, he destroyed the field to claim gold in the men's 10,000 metres. Who was this former army sergeant?

1948: London's Austerity Games


Emil Zatopek. Zatopek's style was unique and made him stand out in any field. His explanation for his odd facial expression was that he was "not talented enough to run and smile at the same time." He was, however, talented enough to also claim the silver medal in the men's 5000 metres behind Gaston Reiff of Belgium. His achievements in 1952 were even more remarkable. He retained his 10,000 metres title and added the 5,000 metres and marathon titles too, each in an Olympic record time.



It was unheard of for female athletes to compete successfully after becoming mothers, certainly not those in their thirties. However in 1948, this received wisdom was spectacularly overturned by one woman who claimed four gold medals on the track. Her achievements led to her being voted "Female Athlete of the Century" by the IAAF. Who was this woman, dubbed "the flying housewife"?

1948: London's Austerity Games


Fanny Blankers-Koen. Despite holding six world records and being reigning European champion in the 80m hurdles (won just six weeks after the birth of her second child), Dutchwoman Blankers-Koen was dismissed as being "too old" by British team captain, Jack Crumb. She had competed in Berlin in 1936 as an 18-year-old high jumper, finishing fifth in the final. Having married her team coach, Jan Blankers, in 1940 she had her first child in 1941. By 1943 she had returned to competition and had set her first world records in the 100m, long jump and high jump. Olympic rules stipulated that no athlete could compete in more than three individual track or field events so Blankers-Koen had to decide which of her two record-holding events she would not compete in. She decided to drop the high jump and long jump and concentrate on track events. Victory in the 100m was followed by a victory by photo finish in the 80m hurdles. Her third individual gold came in the 200m; an event she had only decided to run at the last minute after she had suffered from homesickness. She completed her quartet of golds as the anchor of the Dutch women's 4 x 100m relay team.



What did gymnast Marie Provaznikova, of newly-Communist Czechoslovakia, do at the London Olympics that had never been done by a competitor at an Olympic Games before?

1948: London's Austerity Games


She defected. Provaznikova was the captain of the Czechoslovakian women's gymnastics team that claimed gold in the team competition. Their victory was dedicated to the memory of one of their team, Eliska Misakova, who had died of the effects of polio in London on the eve of the competition. When the time came for the Czech team to return home, Provaznikova declared that she would be staying in London. Czechoslovakia's recent inclusion in the Soviet Bloc had seen many of the women's gymnastic clubs closed as they were seen as anti-Communist gatherings. Provaznikova stated that her reason for defecting was that there was "no freedom of speech, or the press of the parliament" back home.



The UK team failed to win any gold medals in the Olympic stadium. In fact, they didn't win a single gold in London at all. One victory was won in the sailing at Torquay, Devon. The two other gold medals that they claimed were both won in a sport that was held 25 miles to the west of the stadium, in the Berkshire town of Henley-on-Thames. What sport was it?

1948: London's Austerity Games


Rowing. Henley-on-Thames is the spiritual home of British rowing, holding an annual Royal Regatta in early July. As it is the home of a long straight section of the River Thames, it was considered an ideal place to host the 1948 rowing competition. Britain's two gold medals came in the coxless pairs, rowed by Ran Laurie and Jack Wilson, and in the double sculls through Dickie Burnell and Bert Bushnell. Laurie and Wilson had been stationed in Sudan for the previous ten years and had not rowed in that time. They took part in the Olympic trials when back in England on leave. Even though they showed distinct signs of being badly out of practice when they steered their boat into both banks of the river, they were still selected, as their pace was outstanding. The calculated gamble paid off as the pair claimed Britain's first gold medals of the Games.



As with most Olympic Games, the London Games of 1948 produced sporting stars who broke out to be successful in the entertainment world as well. Which American, silver medalist in the light heavyweight weightlifting competition, went on to star as a villain in the Bond movie, "Goldfinger"?

1948: London's Austerity Games


Harold Sakata. Harold Sakata, from Hawaii, was narrowly beaten by his compatriot, Stanley Stanczyk, known as "Smiling Stan". Following his weightlifting career, Sakata became a pro wrestler, during which time he was spotted by the producers of the Bond series of films and invited to take the part of "Oddjob" in the 1964 film, "Goldfinger". Aside from Sakata, 1948 was more notable for athletes who produced famous offspring. Gold medal rower Ran Laurie was the father of actor and comedian, Hugh; Iranian boxer Michael Aghassi (lost in the first round) was father to tennis legend Andre Agassi; and 1500m track finalist Bill Nankeville was the father of British TV actor, Bobby Davro.



The UK football team came in a respectable fourth place in the Games. Their unexpectedly strong showing in the tournament came, to no small degree, thanks to their manager. Who was the highly respected Scot who, despite his success in the professional game with Manchester United, considered his management of the 1948 Olympic side to be amongst his finest achievements?

1948: London's Austerity Games


Matt Busby. "Steering Manchester United to the championship of the Football League was child's play besides the problems of sorting out a winning team from spare-time footballers from four different countries", said Busby in an interview in 1957. It was especially difficult because Busby had no control over which players were in his squad. The British Olympic Committee chose the squad, although Busby was free to pick his own team from the players he was given. The British team won their opening match against The Netherlands, 4-3. France were defeated 1-0 in the second round, leading to a semi-final against a Yugoslavia side who had been together for nearly four years. Yugoslavia won 3-1 and Britain's attempts to claim a consolation bronze medal fell short with a 5-3 defeat against Denmark.