The 1948 London Games was the first Olympic Games in 12 years. The 1940 and 1944 Olympics were cancelled due to World War II. The 1948 games were almost given up by Britain and headed to the United States because of financial and rationing reasons  but King George VI felt that these games would help restore Great Britain after the devestation of World War II. Funding was limited due to London’s still rebuilding after World War II.

The 1948 London Games would start on July 29th and end on August 14th. 4064 athletes competed and 355 were women. Fifty-nine countries attended a new record. Germany and Japan were banned from these games due to their aggression in starting World War II. 136 events were held in a total of 17 sports.

The main stadium used was the famous Wembley Stadium in London. 85,000 people turned out to Wembley on a sunny afternoon for the Opening Ceremony. King George VI officially opened the games.

These were the first games to be televised but very few people had television sets in Great Britain then so very few actually saw it on tv.

Three of the big athletic heroes were 17 year old Bob Mathias who won the Decathlon. He is the youngest person to win a gold metal in track and field, Mathias was only 17 years old and had just taken up the sport 4 months before the games. [below Bob Mathias}

Fanny Blankers-Koen of The Netherlands won 4 gold medals. Emil Zatopek of Czechoslovakia won his first medals- a gold in the 10,000 meters and a silver in the 5000 meters. We would hear a lot more from Emil Zatopek in the 1952 Helsinki Games.

The final medal count- The United States dominated with 38 gold and 84 overall medals. Sweden came in second with 16 gold and 44 total. Third place was France with 10 gold and 29 total. 4th was Hungary with 10 gold and 27 total and coming in 5ifth was Italy with 8 gold and 29 total.