1928 Winter Olympics

1928 Winter Olympics
source
Name	II Olympic Winter Games
Host city	St. Moritz, Switzerland
Nations	25
Athletes	464
Events	14 in 6 sports (8 disciplines)
Opening	11 February 1928
Closing	19 February 1928
Opened by	President Edmund Schulthess
Stadium	Badrutts Park

1928 Winter Olympics. The II Olympic Winter Games, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, from 11 to 19 February 1928. These were the first standalone Winter Olympics organized by a different nation than the Summer Games of the same year, which were awarded to Amsterdam. The event featured 464 athletes from 25 nations competing in 14 events across six sports.

Background and bidding

Following the success of the International Winter Sports Week in Chamonix, which was later retroactively designated as the first Winter Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) formally established the Winter Games as a separate event. The decision to award the 1928 Winter Games was made during the 24th IOC Session in Prague. St. Moritz was selected as the host, with its bid championed by figures like Count Henri de Baillet-Latour and supported by the Swiss Olympic Association. The selection affirmed Switzerland's reputation as a premier winter sports destination, with rivals like Davos and Engelberg also considered. This bidding process solidified the Olympic movement's commitment to a regular winter sports festival independent of the Summer Olympic Games.

Venues and infrastructure

The competitions were centered around the natural and constructed facilities of the Engadin valley. The primary stadium was Badrutts Park, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and the speed skating events. The Olympia Bobrun St. Moritz–Celerina, a natural ice track, was the site for the bobsleigh competitions. Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and the ski jumping portion of Nordic combined were held on the hills surrounding St. Moritz. A specific ski jumping hill was constructed for the games. Figure skating events took place on a rink at the Badrutt's Palace Hotel. The organization relied heavily on the existing tourist infrastructure of the Graubünden region, with minimal permanent construction, a model influenced by the previous games in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

Participating nations

A total of 25 National Olympic Committees sent athletes, a significant increase from the 16 nations at the 1924 Winter Olympics. Notable first-time participants included Argentina, Estonia, Germany (returning after being banned from the 1924 Summer Olympics), Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Romania. Traditional winter sports powers like Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the host Switzerland fielded large teams. The United States and Canada also sent contingents. The United Kingdom and France were among the European nations with strong representation. The increased participation demonstrated the growing global appeal of the Winter Games under the auspices of the IOC.

Sports and calendar

The Games featured 14 events in 6 sports (8 disciplines). The sports program included bobsleigh, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined (which included ski jumping). A demonstration sport, military patrol, a precursor to biathlon, was also held. The compact nine-day schedule began with the opening ceremony on 11 February. Key competitions included the ice hockey tournament, won by Canada, and the figure skating events, where Sonja Henie of Norway won the women's singles gold medal. The speed skating events were controversially affected by thawing conditions at Badrutts Park. The games concluded on 19 February with the closing ceremony and the presentation of medals.

Medal summary

Norway topped the medal table, winning 6 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals, dominating the Nordic skiing events. The United States finished second with 2 gold medals, both in speed skating, thanks to athletes like Clas Thunberg. The host nation, Switzerland, won the bronze medal in the ice hockey tournament. Sweden and Finland also performed strongly, particularly in cross-country skiing and speed skating. Notable individual champions included Gillis Grafström of Sweden in men's figure skating and the Swiss two-man bobsleigh team. The full medal standings were published by the International Olympic Committee.

Legacy

The 1928 Winter Olympics successfully established the Winter Games as a permanent, independent fixture in the Olympic cycle. The experience of managing variable weather conditions in St. Moritz informed future host city planning. The games boosted the international profiles of athletes like Sonja Henie, who became a global star. They also reinforced the organizational model of using existing resort infrastructure, a template followed by subsequent hosts like Lake Placid and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The event's success led to the continued growth of the Winter Olympics, with the next edition awarded to Lake Placid for 1932. The St. Moritz games are remembered for their scenic setting and their role in solidifying the identity of the Winter Olympic movement. Category:1928 Winter Olympics Category:1928 in sports Category:Olympic Games in Switzerland