新澳门开奖结果

From their first participation (at the Athens Olympics in 1896), American athletes imposed their supremacy, with 11 gold medals. In 1900, the very large proportion of French athletes propelled them to the top of the ranking, but in 1924, it was again the USA which had the greatest number of victories and an overwhelming majority of medals (99 out of a total of 378). Yet history will essentially remember one name, that of the Olympic champion whose film career earned him international recognition: Johnny Weissmuller, alias Tarzan!

Johnny Weissmuller

In 1900, one athlete particularly stood out: Alvin Kraezlein. Not only did he win four individual events in athletics (he is the only one to date to have obtained such results during a single Olympics) but he also revolutionized the technique of show jumping. Kraezlein is one of the many American athletes benefiting from the special status reserved for the practice of sport in American universities (from that time). A graduate in dentistry, he later became a coach, but in 1900, it was in the 60 meters, the long jump, the 110 m hurdles and the 200 m hurdles that he won. In these last two disciplines, his original way of overcoming obstacles saves him precious time. Instead of running between the hurdles and crossing them with his legs bent to the side, he adopted the unique technique of the 鈥渟tretched leading leg鈥濃�� still used today.

The second American athlete to make an impression in 1900 was Ray Ewry, nicknamed 鈥渢he rubber man鈥�. On the same day, he jumped 3.21 m in length, 1.65 m in height and 10.58 m in the standing triple jump. His systematic training following poliomyelitis which paralyzed him as a child undoubtedly had a lot to do with it. But at six feet tall, he also uses his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to improve his performance.

Margaret Abbott, finally, became the first American champion in history by winning the women’s golf tournament. This, entangled in the international physical exercise and sports competitions organized as part of the Universal Exhibition*, would only be recognized several years later by the IOC, and Margaret Abbott would die without ever knowing her golden destiny.

But it was the American firefighters who particularly distinguished themselves that year, in a 鈥渘on-Olympic鈥� competition*. The Kansas City volunteer firefighters emerged victorious in the Fire Pump Operations Competition which took place in the Bois de Vincennes. On the agenda: rescuing the residents of a burning six-story building, which they won hands down.

In 1924, the USA won all the medals in tennis and fielded exceptional athletes like Martha Norelius, a young 15-year-old swimmer who won the 400 meters or William De Hart-Hubbard, the first African-American winner individually* (in the jump length).

But the one that everyone remembers and that everyone cheered at the Tourelles swimming pool* was Johnny Weissmuller. Individual winner in the 100m and 400m, he won the team gold medal in the 200m 4x and a silver medal in water polo. His career was of course not to end there: before becoming a model and actor, he won 67 world records and did not owe it only to his plasticity to become a sort of (inter)national hero. But it was his interpretation of Tarzan that made the hearts of little girls beat faster and made him a legend.

Competitors from other nations, however, did not have the opportunity to see him outside the pools: the American delegation had declined the offer of accommodation in the Olympic village*, preferring the Rocquencourt castle, sheltered from the looks.