OLYMPIC GAMES |
 From
the 1936 Games |
It's not known when the first of the ancient Olympic Games were held, but the first written record mentions the champion (of the only event: running) in 776 B.C. The Olympics grew, included more sports and continued to be held every four years. They were abolished (as "pagan"!) in the year 393. The modern Olympic Games began in 1896. The IOC had been created two years earlier by Pierre de Coubertin. Gymnastics was included from the start, but women were not allowed to compete at the Olympics until 1928, when "Optional Team Drill" was part of the "Team - Combined Exercise" score in women's gymnastics. As of 1948, this section of the team score was called "Group exercise with hand apparatus" and it was given separate medal standing in the Olympics 1952 and 1956. The
event disappeared from the Olympics after 1956, to return in 1984, now
as an individuals only event. Team = group competitions re-appeared
in 1996. |
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 The Czechoslovak women's team during the team exercise of the artistic gymnastics competition at the Games of the XI Olympiad. They won silver. |
Two members of the Swedish Olympic gold team 1952, with their pianist, before touring the USA (after winning gold at the Games. |
 The silver medallists from the 1952 Olympics: Russia |
Listed
here are the winners and (within brackets) any Canadian participants. |
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| #1- 1896 - Athens | Gymnastics was one of the sports included. Men only. | |
| #2 - 1900 - Paris | " | |
| #3 - 1904 - St. Louis | " | |
| 1906 - Athens - "Unofficial" | ... since it was an "extra" event, held only to celebrate 10 years of modern Olympics. | |
| #4 - 1908 - London | Men only. | |
| #5 - 1912 - Stockholm | " | |
| #6 - 1916 - Not held. | - | |
| #7 - 1920 - Antwerp | Men only. | |
| #8 - 1924 - Paris | Men only. | |
| #9- 1928 - Amsterdam | "Team competition, women - Drill, Apparatus, and Jumps": 1) Netherlands, 2) Italy, 3) Great Britain (not known if hand apparatus were included). | |
| #10 - 1932 - Los Angeles | (11 events were contested, all for men only) | |
| #11 - 1936 - Berlin | "Team competition, women", included hand apparatus, e.g. ball: 1) Germany, 2) Czechoslovakia, 3) Hungary | |
| #12 - 1940 - Not held. | - | |
| #13 - 1944 - Not held. | - | |
| #14 - 1948 - London | "Women's Team Competition": 1) Czechoslovakia, 2) Hungary, 3) USA (not known if they used hand apparatus) | |
| #15 - 1952 - Helsinki | "Women's Team Exercise with portable apparatus": 1) Sweden, 2) Russia, 3) Hungary, 4) Finland | |
| #16 - 1956 - Melbourne | "Women's Team Exercise with portable apparatus": 1) Hungary, 2) Sweden, 3) Poland & Soviet Union | |
| #17 - #22 | There were "Women's Team Combined Exercises" at these Games but no mention of portable apparatus. | |
| #23 - 1984 - Los Angeles | Fung, CAN (and one more Canadian: Adrienne Dunnett - 17th) | |
| #24 - 1988 - Seoul | Lobach, USSR (Mary Fuzesi - 10th, Lise Gautreau - 32nd) | |
| #25 - 1992 - Barcelona | Timoshenko, CIS/EUN (Madonna Gimotea - 20th, Susan Cushman - 29th) | |
| #26 - 1996 - Atlanta | Serebrianskaya, Ukraine (Camille Martens - 33rd) | |
| #27 - 2000 - Sydney | Barsoukova, Russia (Emilie Livingston - 18th) | |
| #28 - 2004 - Athens | Kabaeva, Russia (no Canadian gymnast participated) | |
| #29 - 2008 - Beijing | Kanaeva, Russia (Alexandra Orlando - 18th) | |