LONDON 1948

Wembley stadium was pressed into service for a Games in which austerity was the keynote. Large sections of the city had been reduced to rubble by German bombers and rationing was in force.

Fanny Blankers-Koen had competed at the Berlin Games for the Netherlands. In 1948 she was 30 and a mother but she had still managed to train regularly during the German occupation and went to London as holder of seven world records.

In London she won gold medals in the 100 metres, 80 metres hurdles, 200 and 4x100 relay and would probably have finished first in the long jump as well if her husband had not advised her to withdraw.

French concert pianist Michelle Ostermeyer struck another blow for women athletes with gold medals in the discus and shot put, and bronze in the high jump. Seventeen-year-old American Bob Mathias won the decathlon only five months after taking up the multi-event.