Did you know?

New technology

A well-organised edition of the Olympics, the Stockholm Games saw the first use of electronic timing equipment, the photo finish and a public address system.

Swimming open to Women

Women's swimming events made their entrance.

Japan took part

The first participation of Japan.

The first art and iterature competition

Under the nom de plume of Georges Hohrod and M. Eschbach, the Baron de Coubertin won a prize for his "Ode to sport" which "praises sport in both a literary and sporting way".

(Illustration: "Les sports d'hiver" of Carlo Pelligrini, winner of the painting competition of the Concours d'Art)

Long live the games!

The success of the 1912 allowed the Olympic Movement to survive the interruption caused by the first World War.

The storoy of Jim Thorpe

An Indian from Oklahoma, Jim Thorpe, described by King Gustav V of Sweden as "the greatest athlete in the world", won the pentathlon and decathlon. However, he was disqualified in January 1913 when it was discovered that he had accepted a very modest sum of money to play baseball before the Games. In 1982, the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee decided to reinstate Jim Thorpe and to give back to his daughter the medals that were rightfully his. His feat was immortalised in the film "The Bronze Man" by Michael Curtiz, with Burt Lancaster in the role of Thorpe.

Representation of the five continents

For the first time, competitors in the Games came from all five continents.

(Credit: IOC. Click here for further information.)