The 100-year Olympic dream, a long journey
From Olympic spectators to Olympic participants
When was the five-star red flag first raised at the Olympics?
What efforts have Chinese athletes made to achieve this?
This week, the body will continue to tell you about it
Olympic memories hidden in the Shanghai Sports Museum
Helsinki 1952 Olympic torch (replica)
In the second exhibition hall of the Shanghai Sports Museum, there is a replica of the 15th Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952. The head of the torch is conical and bears the inscription "XV Olympic Games Helsinki 1952" and the words "Helsinki" in English and Finnish. In the middle of the torch head, a decorative laurel branch is painted, while on the other side is the Olympic rings logo. The handle of the torch is partly made of wood and lacquered.
Many of the "bests" of history are created here
At the opening ceremony, Finnish athlete Paavo Rumi lit a fire in the center of the stadium
Torch: On 25 June 1952, the Helsinki Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, the first time that the flame was flown from Athens to Denmark by airplane. On 19 July, the flame was transported to Helsinki via Copenhagen and from Denmark to Finland via Sweden by running, horseback riding, bicycles and canoes. The torch relay lasted 25 days and was carried by 3,372 torchbearers, covering a distance of 7,870 kilometres.
At the opening ceremony, 55-year-old Finnish national treasure track and field athlete Paavo Rumi entered the stadium with the torch held high and lit the torch in the venue.
Medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
Medals: The obverse of the Helsinki 1952 medal features the traditional goddess of victory, holding a bouquet of palm branches in her left hand and a victory wreath in her right hand, with her arms held high in the air. The victory picture is accompanied by the inscription "XV OLYMPIA HELSINKI 1952". On the back of the medal is a picture of people holding up Olympic champions, with the Olympic Stadium in the background.
Poster of the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games
Poster: The 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki were a huge success, with competitions at a higher level than any previous Olympic Games, and Helsinki was widely acclaimed. Featured on the poster is a bronze statue of legendary Finnish athlete Paavo Rumi, who returned to the Games after 20 years and lit the fire in the centre of the stadium as the last torchbearer.
Emblem of the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games
Emblem: The emblem of the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games consists of the Olympic rings and a stadium tower. Dignitaries and dignitaries attending the Olympic Games are required to wear their emblems and badges on their bodies. The design of the emblem is simple and clear, mainly including the landmark buildings of the main Olympic venue, the "Olympic Tower" and the "Olympic Rings", which means that the glorious Olympic Games have come to Finland, the "land of a thousand lakes"; At the same time, the world can also feel the admiration and desire of the Finns for the Olympics.
In this Olympic Games, a number of history has been created, and 29 Olympic records have been broken or equaled, including 96 men and 30 women in track and field events. At the same time, this is the first time that the Olympics have been held in a non-Indo-European speaking country. Helsinki is the northernmost city (and the city with the lowest average temperature) that has ever hosted the Summer Olympics. The exciting event welcomed royalty from many European countries and more than 70,000 international tourists. The number of entrants, the number of visitors, and the level of attention it received are unprecedented.
The main venue of the Olympic Games: Helsinki Olympic Stadium
In order to cope with the high demand for tourists, Helsinki has carefully considered the construction of the city, making appropriate arrangements for the accommodation, transportation and food supply of athletes and tourists. Many of Helsinki's buildings were built for the Olympic Games: Helsinki Airport, which was dedicated to welcoming foreign tourists and athletes from all over the world, Nanharbon Pier, the Palace Hotel and the Wakuna Hotel, were used to welcome tourists and load sports equipment.
"Raising the five-star red flag at the Olympics is victory"
In July 1952, less than three years after the founding of the People's Republic of China. After demands and struggles, with the support of Finland and the Soviet Union, the IOC extended an invitation to China two days before the opening of the Olympic Games. Due to the very backward communication conditions at that time, it was not until the opening ceremony on July 19 that the All-China Sports Federation received an official invitation letter, and immediately made the decision to send a sports delegation to Helsinki, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of New China to participate in the Olympic Games.
In the early morning of July 25, the Chinese sports delegation rushed to the stadium by plane from the airport in the western suburbs of the capital. On the eve of his departure, late at night on July 24, Premier Zhou Enlai met with the leaders of the delegation in Zhongnanhai, inquired with concern about the state of preparations, and especially explained the significance of New China's participation in the Olympic Games. He pointed out that the important thing is not whether or not you win medals, but that planting the five-star red flag in the Olympics is a victory. If you can't catch up with the official competition, you can compete with Finnish athletes and actively participate in friendly activities.
At that time, transportation was not as convenient as it is today, and the Chinese delegation had to travel to Moscow to get to Helsinki by plane. At that time, it took three days just to fly to Moscow. It was not until 11 a.m. on July 29, the fourth day after departure, that the Chinese delegation finally arrived at its destination, a full 10 days after the opening of the Olympic Games. The delegation drove non-stop to the Olympic Village, the residence of Otani Mei Village. When they came to the Olympic Village, everyone didn't care about resting and quickly ran to the square to gather. The flag-raising ceremony officially began at 12:30 p.m., and the five-star red flag, representing New China and 500 million Chinese, was finally raised over the Olympic Village.
On July 29, 1952, the five-star red flag was raised for the first time at the Olympic venue
The New China Sports Delegation at the flag-raising ceremony
The first appearance of the new Chinese sports delegation at the Olympic Games has attracted the attention of the Finnish public, athletes from various countries, and international media such as the New York Times in the United States. The athletes of New China have made friendly contacts with athletes from various countries and the Finnish people on various occasions, expressing the sincere desire of the Chinese people to love peace, actively support participation in the Olympic Games, and be willing to have friendly exchanges with athletes and sports circles from various countries, thus enhancing the international community's understanding of New China.
From Olympic spectators to Olympic participants
Who is China's first Olympic medalist?
What other legendary moments are there in the 100-year Olympic journey?
In the next issue, the body will continue to tell you about it
The story of the Olympics is hidden in the Shanghai Sports Museum