All Facts.

A unique opening ceremony in many ways.

First use at an Olympic Games of the Olympic flag with the five rings signifying the union of five continents, created by Baron de Coubertin; the first time a competitor took the Olympic oath and the first release of doves as a symbol of peace.

The role of the National Olympic Committees (NOC).

For the first time, only the National Olympic Committees could enrol participants.

Ceremonies.

Antwerp 1920. Opening Ceremony of the Games of the VII Olympiad. The Belgian delegation parades in the Stadium.
Official opening of the Games by: His Majesty The King Albert
Lighting the Olympic Flame by: A symbolic fire at an Olympic Summer Games was first lit in 1928 in Amsterdam.
Olympic Oath by: Victor Boin (water polo/fencing)
Official Oath by: The officials' oath at an Olympic Summer Games was first sworn in 1972 in Munich.

All Sports Events.

• Archery.
• Artistic Gymnastics.
• Athletics.
• Boxing.
• Cycling Road.
• Cycling Track.
• Diving.
• Equestrian / Dressage.
• Equestrian / Eventing.
• Equestrian / Jumping.
• Equestrian / Vaulting
• Fencing.
• Figure skating.
• Football.
• Hockey.
• Ice Hockey.
• Modern Pentathlon.
• Polo
• Rowing.
• Rugby.
• Sailing.
• Shooting.
• Swimming.
• Tennis.
• Water polo.
• Weightliftin.
• Wrestling Freestyle.
• Wrestling Greco-Roman.

More About.

Opening date	20 April 1920
Closing date	12 September 1920
Country of the host city:	Belgium.

NOCs                                 29
Athletes                             2,626 (65 women, 2,561 men)
Events                               154

Hard times

The 1916 Olympic Games were scheduled to be held in Berlin but were cancelled due to World War I. The 1920 Games were awarded to Antwerp to honour the suffering that had been inflicted on the Belgian people during the war.

Opening Ceremony

During the Opening Ceremony, the Olympic flag with the five rings signifying the universality of the Olympic Games was raised for the first time at an Olympic Games. The Olympic oath was taken for the first time by an athlete on behalf of all competitors, and for the first time doves were released as a symbol of peace.

Memorable champions

In a performance unequalled in Olympic history, Nedo Nadi of Italy earned gold medals in five of the six fencing events. Ethelda Bleibtrey of the US won gold medals in all three women’s swimming contests. Including preliminary heats, she swam in five races and broke the world record in every one.

Age no barrier

At age 72, Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn earned a silver medal in the team double-shot running deer event to become the oldest medallist ever.

Relevant Athletes.

Paavo Nurmi.

He was a Finnish Runner and he was known as one of the "Flying Finns". During the 1920s, Nurmi was the best middle  and long distance runner in the world, setting world records at distances between 1500 m and 20 km. Nurmi won a total of nine gold and three silver medals in the 12 events in which he competed at the Olympics Games from 1920 to 1928.

Nurmi debuted at the 1920 Summer Olympics by competing in four events. He won three gold medals: the 10,000 m, the cross country event, and the cross country team event; and he finished second in the 5000 m.

                                                              

Guilherme Paraense

South America claimed their first gold medal in 1920 when Guilherme Paraense of Brazil won the rapid-fire pistol event.

                          Aileen Riggin 

She was an American Swimmer and diver. She competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, in the women's springboard diving, and managed to win a gold medal, becoming America's youngest ever gold medallist at that time.

 

 Philip Noel-Baker

 


He was a British politician, diplomat, academic an outstanding amateur athlete, and renowned campaigner for disarmament who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959. In 1920 at Antwerp he won a silver medal in the 1500 metres.

 

Suzanne Lenglen

She was a French tennis player who won 31 Championship titles between 1914 and 1926. At the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Lenglen dominated the women's singles. On her path to the gold medal, she gave up only four games, three of them in the final against Dorothy Holman of Britain. She then teamed up with Max Décugis to win another gold medal in the mixed doubles. She was eliminated in a women's doubles semifinal (playing with Élisabeth d'Ayen) and won the bronze medal after their opponents withdrew.

1920 Antwerp Olympics.

 Antwerp saw the birth of the famous Olympic flag made by interlocking five circles. The idea was to represent the unity and friendship of the human race. This was the first games where one of the athletes took the Olympic oath-uttered, the honour in Antwerp fell to the Belgium fencer Victor Bion.

1920 also saw a repeat of the first Olympiad, when doves were released to symbolise peace between the nations.

Finland usurped the American dominance on the track thanks to Koiehmainen and the legendary Paavo Nurmi who won three medals, two gold and one silver, at the start of his illustrious Olympic career.

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.

Great Britain's Philip Noel-Baker won silver in the 1500m, and later went on to become an MP. In 1959, he became the only Olympian to ever be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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