1924 Winter Olympics facts for kids
Poster for the 1924 Winter Olympic Games
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| Host city | Chamonix, France | ||
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| Nations | 16 | ||
| Athletes | 258 | ||
| Events | 16 in 5 sports (9 disciplines) | ||
| Opening | 25 January 1924 | ||
| Closing | 5 February 1924 | ||
| Opened by |
Gaston Vidal
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| Stadium | Stade Olympique de Chamonix | ||
| Winter | |||
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| Summer | |||
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The 1924 Winter Olympics were the very first Winter Olympic Games! They took place in Chamonix, France, from January 25 to February 5, 1924. These games were originally called the "International Winter Sports Week." But they were so successful that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later decided to call them the "First Olympic Winter Games." This made history!
For many years, the Winter Olympics happened in the same year as the Summer Olympics. This changed after 1992. Now, the Winter Olympics take place two years after the Summer Olympics.
Before 1924, some winter sports like figure skating and ice hockey were part of the Summer Olympics. But winter sports needed their own special event. So, in 1921, the IOC decided to create an "international week of winter sport." This event became the first Winter Olympics!
At the closing ceremony, a special medal was given for "Alpinism" (mountaineering). This was for the brave members of the 1922 British Mount Everest expedition.
Contents
Exciting Moments from the Games
First Gold Medal Winner
On the second day, the first ever gold medal at the Winter Olympics was won! Charles Jewtraw from the United States won it in the 500-meter speed skate. He became the first Winter Olympic champion.
Youngest Figure Skater
On day four, Sonja Henie from Norway competed in ladies' figure skating. She was only eleven years old! She finished last, but she became very popular. Sonja went on to win gold medals at the next three Winter Olympics.
Defending a Summer Olympic Title
On day six, figure skater Gillis Grafström from Sweden made history. He was the first athlete to win a gold medal in the Summer Olympics (in 1920) and then defend his title at the Winter Olympics.
Canada's Ice Hockey Dominance
On day eight, the Canadian ice hockey team (Toronto Granites) showed how strong they were. They won their qualifying games easily. They beat Czechoslovakia (30–0), Sweden (22–0), and Switzerland (33–0). They scored 85 goals and let in none!
On day ten, the Canadian ice hockey team also successfully defended their Summer Olympics title. Canada was amazing at ice hockey in the early Olympics. They won six of the first seven gold medals given out.
A Special Athlete: Taffy Abel
Taffy Abel (1900–1964) was an Ojibwe ice hockey player. He was the first Native American to compete in the Winter Olympic Games. He won a silver medal in hockey in 1924. He was also the flag bearer for the United States in 1924. Later, he became the first Native American in the National Hockey League (1926). He also won the Stanley Cup twice (1929 and 1934).
Host Nation's Medals
For the first time in modern Olympic history, the host country did not win any gold medals. France won three bronze medals. This also happened at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. There, Switzerland won only one bronze medal. Other host nations also finished without gold medals later on.
A Medal Awarded 50 Years Later
The final individual medal from Chamonix 1924 was given out in 1974! The bronze medalist for ski jumping was not known for fifty years. Thorleif Haug of Norway was first given third place. But in 1974, a mistake was found in his score. A skiing historian discovered that Anders Haugen of the United States had actually scored more points. The IOC confirmed this. In September 1974, Haug's daughter gave the medal to the 86-year-old Haugen.
In 2006, the IOC confirmed that the medals for the 1924 curling teams were official. Curling was truly part of the games.
Sports and Events
Medals were given out in 16 events. These events were part of 5 sports with 9 different types of activities. Many sources used to say curling and military patrol were just "demonstration events." But this was not true in 1924. In 2006, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially said that curling was a full part of the Olympic program. Its medals are now part of the official count.
- Bobsleigh (1)
- Curling (1)
- Ice hockey (1)
- Skating
- Figure skating (3)
- Speed skating (5)
- Nordic skiing
- Military patrol (1)
- Cross-country skiing (2)
- Nordic combined (1)
- Ski jumping (1)
Where the Games Happened
The events took place at different venues in Chamonix:
- La Piste de Bobsleigh des Pellerins – This was for bobsleigh.
- Le Tremplin Olympique du Mont – This was for ski jumping and the ski jumping part of Nordic combined.
- Stade Olympique de Chamonix – This stadium hosted many events. These included cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, military patrol, the cross-country skiing part of Nordic combined, and speed skating.
Countries That Competed
Athletes from 16 nations came to compete in the first Winter Olympic Games. Germany was not allowed to compete in these games. Instead, they held their own games called Deutsche Kampfspiele.
| Participating National Olympic Committees |
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- A speed skater from Estonia, Christfried Burmeister, was listed to compete. However, the organizers were not told that he had withdrawn.
How Many Athletes from Each Country?
| Country Code | Country | Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| GBR |  Great Britain |
44 |
| FRA |  France |
43 |
| SWE |  Sweden |
31 |
| SUI |  Switzerland |
30 |
| TCH |  Czechoslovakia |
27 |
| USA |  United States |
24 |
| ITA |  Italy |
23 |
| BEL |  Belgium |
18 |
| FIN |  Finland |
17 |
| NOR |  Norway |
14 |
| CAN |  Canada |
12 |
| POL |  Poland |
7 |
| AUT |  Austria |
4 |
| HUN |  Hungary |
4 |
| YUG |  Yugoslavia |
4 |
| LAT |  Latvia |
2 |
| Total | 258 |
Medal Winners
* Host nation (France)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway |
4 | 7 | 6 | 17 |
| 2 | Finland |
4 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 3 | Austria |
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Switzerland |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | United States |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | Great Britain |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | Sweden |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Canada |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | France* |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | Belgium |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (10 entries) | 16 | 16 | 17 | 49 | |
Countries Winning All Three Medals
Sometimes, athletes from the same country win all three medals (gold, silver, and bronze) in one event. This is called a "podium sweep."
| Date | Sport | Event | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
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| 30 January | Cross-country skiing | Men's 50 kilometre | Norway |
Thorleif Haug | Thoralf Strømstad | Johan Grøttumsbråten |
| 4 February | Nordic combined | Normal hill | Norway |
Thorleif Haug | Thoralf Strømstad | Johan Grøttumsbråten |
