| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Ist Olympic Winter Games | |
|---|---|
| Host city | Chamonix, France |
| Nations | 16 |
| Athletes | 258 |
| Events | 16 in 9 sports |
| Opened | January 25 1924 |
| Closed | February 5 1924 |
| Opened by: | Gaston Vidal |
| Olympic Oath: | Camille Mandrillon |
Although Figure Skating has been an Olympic event in both London and Antwerp, and Ice Hockey has been an event in Antwerp, the wintersports have always been rather limited by the season. In 1921, on the convention of the IOC in Lausanne, there is a call for equallity for wintersports, and after much discussion it is decided to organise an "international week of winter sport" in 1924 in Chamonix.
The very first gold medal awarded in the Olympic Winter games was won by Charles Jewtraw , in the opening event, the 500 meter speedskating.
Though she will not reach higher than the 8th and last place, when the ladies' figureskating event begins a Norwegian female athlete gets a lot of sympathy from the public, since she's barely eleven years old. Her name is Sonja Henie, and for the next three games she'll win the gold in this event.
Finding himselves in a unique situation, the figure skater Gilles Grafström is the first one ever to succesfully defend his Summer Olympics title at the Winter Olympics.
The Canadian ice-hockey team finish their qualifying round with 4 wins, and in total score against Switzerland, Czechoslowakia, Sweden, and Great Britain of 104-2.
Finding themselves i the same situation as Gilles Grafström, the Canadian ice-hockeyers are the last ever to succesfully defend their Summer Olympics title at the winter Olympics.
At the closing of the games a prize was awarded for a sport that didn't lend itself very well for tournaments: Pierre de CoubertinBaron Pierre de Coubertin ( January 1, 1863- September 2, 1937), born as Pierre de Fredy was a French pedagogue and historian, but is best known as the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Born in Paris into an aristocratic family, De Coubertin was inspir presented a prize for alpinisme to Charles Bruce , the leader of the expedition that tried to climb Mount EverestEverest is the highest mountain on Earth (as measured from sea level). The summit ridge of the mountain marks the border between Nepal and Tibet. In Nepali the mountain is called Sagarmatha ( Sanskrit for "forehead of the sky") and in Tibetan Chomolangma in 1922Events January 7 Dali Eireann ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64-57 votes. January 10 Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dail Eireann January 11 First successful insulin treatment of diabetes. January 12 British government releases Irish prisoners.
In 1925Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 See also 1925 in aviation 1925 in film 1925 in literature 1925 in mu, the IOC decided to organize Olympic Wintergames every four years, independent of the Olympic Games proper, and recognized the International Winter Sports Week as the first Olympic Winter games in retrospect.
In 19741974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 4 Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped the final medal of Chamonix 1924 was presented. Anders Haugen, who until then had been concidered fourth in the Ski Jump, received a bronze medal. After fifty years an error had been discovered in the score of Thorleif Haug , winner of the bronze, which caused the two man to change places.