Summer Olympics of the XIV Olympiad

After a 12-year hiatus caused by World War II, the Olympic Games returned in London in 1948. This was a sombre Games, coming at a time of massive re-building after the war. It was also the first Games since the death of the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, in 1937. As a reminder of the impact on the war, many athletes were housed in former military barracks.

The London Games attracted 59 nations, a record number for participation. Of these, 37 nations featured on the medal table. The United States was the most successful team with 38 gold, with Sweden a surprise second with 16.

If the world needed a distraction, the Olympics provided it. A number of outstanding athletes and heroes emerged at these Games. None shone brighter than Fanny Blankers-Koen. The Dutchwoman won four gold medals on the track – the 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles and 4x100m relay – and remains the only female to win four athletics gold medals at a Games. She had competed in high jump at the Berlin 1936 Olympics but was unplaced. Another athletics star who made his mark at these Games was Emil Zatopek. The Czech star won the 10,000m gold medal and was second in the 5000m, and would return to the Games in 1952 and 1956 to establish himself as one of the classic distance runners of history.