page_title: 1928 Summer Olympics
section_title: Highlights
hierarchical_section_title: 1928 Summer Olympics / Highlights
context_page_description: The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from 28 July to 12 August 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam had previously bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but was obliged to give way to war-torn Antwerp in Belgium for the 1920 Games and Pierre de Coubertin's Paris for the 1924 Games. The United States won the most gold and overall medals.
  The only other candidate city for the 1928 Olympics was Los Angeles, which would eventually be selected to host the Olympics four years later. In preparation for the 1932 Summer Olympics, the United States Olympic Committee reviewed the costs and revenue of the 1928 Games. The committee reported a total cost of US$1.183 million with receipts of US$1.165 million, giving a negligible loss of US$18,000, which was a considerable improvement over the 1924 Games.
context_section_description: These were the first Olympics to be organized under the IOC presidency of Henri de Baillet-Latour.
  The Olympic Flame was lit for the first time for the duration of the Olympics, a tradition that continues to this day. The torch relay, however, would not take place until the 1936 Summer Olympics.
  For the first time, the parade of nations started with Greece, which holds the origins of the Olympics, and ended with the host country, a tradition which has also continued ever since.
  The Games were officially opened by Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina, who had authorized her husband to deputise for her. The Queen was unable to attend the opening ceremony as she was on holiday in Norway and did not want to disrupt her trip. This was the second time a head of state had not personally officiated at an Olympic opening ceremony (the first occasion being the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, which were officially opened by David R. Francis the Mayor of St. Louis). The Queen had initially refused to make an appearance at either the opening or closing ceremony; it is thought that she objected to the Netherlands hosting the 1928 Games as she considered the Olympics to be a demonstration of paganism. However, she returned from Norway before the conclusion of the Games, to be present at the closing ceremony, and she presented the first prizes at the prize distribution which was held immediately beforehand.
  Athletics events were held on a 400-meter track, later becoming the standard for athletics tracks.
  These Games were the first to feature a fixed schedule of sixteen days, which is still followed since 1984. In previous Olympics, competition had been stretched out over several months.
  Johnny Weissmuller, who later appeared in several Tarzan movies, won two gold medals in swimming: an individual gold in the men's 100 m freestyle, and a team gold in the men's 4  x 200 m freestyle relay.
  Paavo Nurmi of Finland won his ninth, and final, gold medal in the 10,000 m race.
  Canadian athlete Percy Williams exceeded expectations by winning both the 100 m and 200 m sprint events.
  South American football made a definite breakthrough, as Uruguay retained its title by defeating Argentina.
  India took its first ever gold medal in field hockey, beginning a streak of six consecutive gold medals in the sport.
  Mikio Oda of Japan won the triple jump event with a result of 15.21 m (49 ft 10.82 in), becoming the first gold medalist from an Asian country.
  Algerian-born marathon runner Boughera El Ouafi won a gold medal for France in the men's marathon.
  Among the participants was Crown Prince Olav, who would later become King of Norway; he won a gold medal in the 6 meter sailing event.
  Pat O'Callaghan won the first ever medal for a newly independent Ireland, taking gold in the hammer throw.
  The sponsor Coca-Cola made its first appearance at the Olympic Games.
  These Games were the first to bear the name "Summer Olympic Games", to distinguish them from the Winter Olympic Games.
  Germany returned to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1912, after being banned from the 1920 and 1924 Games. The German team finished second in the 1928 medal count.
  Many cars were expected for the Games, but Amsterdam had no more than 2,000 single car parking spaces. Consequently, a number of new parking sites were provided and a special parking symbol was launched to show foreign visitors where they could park. The white P on a blue background was to become the international traffic sign for parking, which is still used today.
caption: The international parking sign (white P on blue background) was first designed for the 1928 Games