History

  • Sunday August 24

    0030 Athletics - Men's marathon
    0630 Boxing - Six finals
    0730 Basketball - Men's final
    1330 Closing ceremony
    All times BST
Medals Table
G S B Tot
1 CHN 51 21 28 100
2 USA 36 38 36 110
3 RUS 23 21 28 72
4 GBR 19 13 15 47
5 GER 16 10 15 41
6 AUS 14 15 17 46
Olympic History

History Timeline

It all started in Athens in 1896...

Team GB

Competitor List

Take a look at the British athletes heading for Beijing

1908 - London

  • John Hayes: Took gold after Pietri was aided.

    John Hayes: Took gold after Pietri was aided.

The 1908 Olympics, originally awarded to Rome, saw athletes march into the opening ceremony by nation for the first time.

British archers William and Charlotte Dod became the first brother and sister medalists when they took gold in the men's and women's individual events.

Oscar Swahn, aged 60, was the oldest-ever competitor to earn an Olympic gold medal winning the running deer shooting, single shot.

Ray Ewry won the standing high jump and the standing long jump for the third time and became the only person in Olympic history to win a career total of eight gold medals in individual events.

The marathon finished in dramatic fashion when a dazed Dorando Pietri, of Italy, entered the stadium first after 26 miles but first went the wrong way, then collapsed on the track five times and was disqualified when officials carried him across the finish line.

American John Hayes was eventually awarded the gold medal.

British gold medals: 67

More History Stories

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