Olympics 1900

Olympics 1900 - Paris

In order to provide the greatest possible stage for the second Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had the inspired idea of holding them in Paris during the Universal Exposition (Paris World’s Fair). On 14 July 1900, the Games opened in the presence of Pierre de Coubertin and the French Minister of Trade. Overshadowed by the Universal Exposition, the Games went unnoticed. The word ‘Olympic’ was nowhere to be seen and the Games were referred to as the ‘Paris Championships’. The events were held between May and November, and many winners were unaware until many years later that they were Olympic champions. Only tiny handfuls of spectators attended, in an atmosphere of tedious formality, and there was additional controversy over Sunday competition, which further blighted the spirit of the Games.

1,225 athletes from 24 nations participated in 20 sports disciplines, of which 4 were open to women. There was no official opening and closing, lighting of the Olympic flame or taking of the Olympic oath. America’s Alvin Kraenzlien, of Austrian origin and born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was the king of the Games, and became the first athlete to win 4 Gold medals: one as sprinter, two as a hurdler and one as a jumper. The long jump final which should have seen Kraenzlien’s eagerly awaited duel with fellow American Meyer Prinstein, who had earlier robbed him of the world record by jumping 7.50 meters in a sport meet in Philadelphia, on 08 Apr 1899, did not happen. A dramatic turn of events marred the encounter, leaving American officials seething. Long before the Games, they had requested the French organizers to reschedule the finals planned for Sundays, in order to respect the religious beliefs of some athletes. Their request was denied and Meyer Prinstein, to the amazement of the French, carried out his threat after a jump of 7.17 meters in qualifying and not showing up for the final. Kraenzlien too had hinted that he also would refuse to compete on a Sunday but changed his mind. He jumped 7.18 meters. His decision infuriated the American officials but Kraenzlien became the Olympic long jump champion, a quadruple Gold medal winner and the phenomenon of the 1900 Games.

The Americans sent the cream of their universities, Great Britain an incomparable squad of distance runners and France although the host, none of its athletes was victorious. The athletes of other continental European nations also fared badly, with the exception of Hungarian discuss thrower Bauer, who triumphed in a competition enlivened by the setting. The landing area was a narrow lane lined by trees and inaccurate throws which struck the trees were discounted. Among the many reasons that explained the European’s defeat, the one which stood out prominently was that the Americans had a superior moral life and, from an athlete’s point of view, morals have a significant impact on the physique.

Women competed at the Games, in spite of the fact that Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the President of the IOC, did not want them to. The first woman Olympic champion was British tennis player Charlotte Cooper, winning the single’s title.

Alvin Kraenzlein’s Four Wins-:

a)      60 meters sprint         7.0 secs

b)      110 meters hurdles     15.4 secs 

c)      200 meters hurdles     25.4 secs

d)      Long jump                  7.18 m

In rowing, the Dutch coxed pairs team suddenly found themselves without a coxswain. A young French boy between the ages of 7 to 12 was drafted in to fill the position. After the Dutch team won, this young boy participated in the medals ceremony and had his photograph taken. However, in spite of years of research, the name and age of this young boy, who would have been the youngest champion in Olympic history is still unknown.

Sports Disciplines -: Athletics, Rowing, Cricket, Croquet, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Pelote Basque, Wrestling, Swimming, Tennis, Shooting and Water Polo.

Pierre de Coubertin confessed to a friend after the completion of the Games: “It’s a miracle the Olympic movement survived Paris”.

PS-: Matter researched from the Olympics museum in Lausanne

Brigadier (retd) S D Dangwal

+919410900051