Suomen Olympiakomitea

ANTWERP 1920

• 14–30 August 1920 (competitions in various sports from 23 April to 12 September)
• 159 official medal events.
• 2,667 competitors from 29 countries.
• Finnish team: 67 athletes (62 participated in official events).

In Antwerp 1920 Finland participated at the Olympic Games for the first time as an independent nation under her own national flag. The new blue-cross flag was hoisted and the Finnish national anthem played for the first time as early as April, when Mr. and Mrs. Walter and Ludowika Jakobsson won gold in pairs figure skating. Paavo Nurmi began his illustrious Olympic career in Antwerp with three gold medals, and Hannes Kolehmainen crowned his with gold in the marathon. Finnish athletes dominated the throwing events, winning gold and silver in both shot put and discus throw. In the javelin competition Finnish throwers swept the first four places, a unique feat in Finland’s Olympic history. In Greco-Roman wrestling nine out of the ten Finnish participants won a medal, and there were two gold medals in Freestyle wrestling as well, even if Finns participated in that discipline for the first time. Arvo Aaltonen’s two bronzes were the first Finnish Olympic medals in swimming – and would remain the only ones until 1992.

Medal Standings

Antwerp 1920, art competitions

FINNISH MEDALS