Competing in the Olympics is a very huge achievement for an athlete and the 1908 London Olympics, which were held at the White City Stadium, was one of the most joyous and historic events. Let’s take a trip back to the time of 1908 when the Olympics were filled with unity and adventure. In this article, we will look at 54 heartwarming photos of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, where the athletes competed with joy and passion.
Dorando Pietri was Presented with a Special Gold Cup
In July 1908, Dorando Pietri of Italy was disqualified for being helped over the line after he collapsed just a few yards from the end, though he finished 1st in the Marathon at the 1908 London Olympics. The gold medal was given to America’s John Hayes, but here in the picture, we can see Dorando Pietri with a Gold Cup. He was given a Gold Cup as consolation prize by the Queen Alexandra at that time.
Martin Sheridan Preparing for Long Jump
A picture of Martin Sheridan was captured during a practice session of the 1908 London Olympics when he was preparing for the standing long jump. At the 1908 London Olympics, Martin Sheridan won a bronze medal and at the 1906 Athens Olympics, he was awarded a silver medal.
Ralph Rose Captured at the 1908 London Olympics
The American track and field athlete, as a shot put champion at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He competed in the tug of war but was eventually not successful. A picture of the athlete was captured during a practice session at the 1908 Olympics in London, in which he is holding a ball.
Raw Ewry in Action for the Standing High Jump
In July 1908, Raw Ewry was captured in a picture when he was practicing for the standing high jump at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Also, he won a gold medal for his performance in the standing long jump. Between 1900 and 1908, Raw Ewry won eight Olympic gold medals and also 2 more at the Intercalated Olympics of 1906.
Arthur Dearborn Captured at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London
In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, the American athlete Arthur Dearborn competed as a track and field athlete. He finished 4th in the Greek discuss throw event and 5th in the conventional discuss throw. During the Olympics, he was captured in a picture, wearing his costume and holding a ball.
Martin Sheridan Throwing the Discus at the London Olympics
Martin Sheridan was a gold medalist, who won the discus throw event and the Greek discus at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Previously, he has won the particular events in the 1904 and 1906 Olympics. A picture of the star athlete was captured in the 1908 Olympics when he threw the discus for winning the event at the Summer Olympics.
Andre Auffray and Maurice Schilles Won at the 1908 Olympics
Andre Auffray and Maurice Schilles were both French racing cyclists who won a gold medal in the tandem together and also a bronze in the 5000 m cycling event at the 1908 London Olympics. During the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, they were both captured in a picture riding a bicycle together.
USA’s Melvin Sheppard Crosses the Finishing Line
On 14th July 1908, the American athlete Melvin Sheppard was captured in a picture when he crossed the finishing line to win the final of the 1500-meter race at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He won the event by defeating Harold Wilson of Great Britain who had an Olympic record time of 4 minutes 3.4 seconds. A week later, Melvin Sheppard also won the 800-meter race, with his world record time being 1 minute and 52.8 seconds.
Woman Archers Participating in the National Round
On 15th July 1908, a picture of some woman archers was taken when they were participating in the National Round (60 yards-50 yards) at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The woman included archers from all around the world and was ultimately won by Sybil Queenie Newall of Great Britain.
Eric Lemming Captured Throwing the Javelin in the 1908 Olympics
The track and field athlete, Eric Lemming was an Olympian who participated in several Olympic events. In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Eric Lemming won 2 gold medals in two types of Javelin throw and finished at the 8th position in the hammer throw. During his game, a picture of the athlete was taken in which he is throwing the javelin in the air.
Raw Ewry Captured in a Picture at the 1908 Olympic Games
In July 1908, Raw Ewry was captured in a picture at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, in which he can be seen enjoying his Standing Long Jump. He was a practitioner of the now arcane standing jumps who became famous around the world by winning 10 Olympic gold medals in the Standing High Jump, Standing Long Jump, and Standing Triple Jump. Due to this record, he is considered one of the most successful Olympians of all time.
John Hayes Won the Marathon Race at the 1908 Olympics
The American athlete, John Hayes was captured in a picture during his marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He was the winner of the marathon race and his victory at the Olympics contributed to the growth of long-distance running and marathoning in the United States of America. In the 1908 London Olympics, John Hayes competed with Dorando Pietri but he was disqualified from the marathon, though he finished in the first place.
Mrs A Hill-Lowe Won a Bronze Medal in Archery
Another picture that was taken at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London was of Mrs. A Hill-Lowe. She was an Irish archer who represented Britain in the 1908 Olympics. In the Women’s National Round Archery event at the 1908 London Olympics, Mrs. A Hill-Lowe won a bronze medal and became the first Irishwoman to win an Olympic medal. In the picture, it can be seen that the woman archer is wearing her attire and holding the archer towards the target.
Mike Murphy Chats with Harry Hillman and Charles Bacon
At the London Olympics in July 1908, a heartwarming moment was captured by the photographers in a picture. Mike Murphy was captured in a picture chatting with Harry Hillman, an American 400-meter hurdler who won an Olympic gold medal in 1904, and Charles Bacon, a fellow 400-meter hurdler. They were having a talk during the training session at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The event was won by Charles Bacon who broke the world record with his time of 55.0 seconds.
The Course of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London
The marathon course of the 1908 Summer Olympics which were held in London was captured in a picture by a photographer. It was laid out over a 26-mile, 365-yard course that stretched from Windsor Castle to finish in front of the royal box at the stadium in Shepherds Bush. The course had a controversial race, in which Dorando Pietri was disqualified though he crossed the finishing line first and the medal was ultimately given to John Hayes.
Anastasios Metaxas Won a Bronze Medal at the 1908 London Olympics
In July 1908 at the Summer Olympics in London, a Greek shooter and architect, Anastasios Metaxas was captured in a picture while practicing for the shooting event. In the trap shooting event at the 1908 London Olympics, Anastasios Metaxas won a bronze while he was competing with a fellow shooter named Alexander Maunder. In the picture, the shooter can be seen holding his rifle aiming towards his targeted spot.
Dorando Pietri was Captured on his Way to the Olympic Stadium
On 24th July 1908, Dorando Pietri of Italy was captured in a picture while he was running towards the stadium during the Marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He was dehydrated at the time, took a wrong path, and collapsed on the course multiple times. He was picked up by the helpers and doctors several times. This made his marathon race with John Hayes end in a controversial manner.
Arvid Spångberg Competed in the 1908 London Olympics
The Swedish Olympic diver, Arvid Spångberg was captured in a picture in the diving event held at the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London. He competed in the competition and won a bronze medal in the 10-meter platform event. At the Olympics, he represented the SK Neptun, a Swedish swimming club.
John Flanagan Trains for the 1908 London Olympics
In July 1908, another heartwarming picture that was captured during the Summer Olympics held in London was of hammer thrower, John Flanagan. The Irish-American athlete was captured by a photographer while training in the field for the hammer-throwing event in the London Olympics in 1908. In the Olympics, John Flanagan won a gold medal and rose to prominence.
Queen Alexandra Presenting Special Gold Cup to Dorando Pietri
On 25th July 1908, a moment was captured on camera at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Queen Alexandra presented a special Gold Cup to Dorando Pierti of Italy the day after he was disqualified from the Marathon at the 1908 Olympics, despite finishing in first place. The gold medal was given to John Hayes of the United States of America because Pietri was disqualified from the race for being helped over.
Martin Sheridan at the Discus Event of the 1908 London Olympics
In July 1908, Martin Sheridan was captured multiple times by the photographers both during the actual events and practice sessions. During the Discus event, he was captured in a picture with a Discus in his hand and went on to win a gold medal for the same. Also, he had an Olympic Record of 40.89 meters, with gold medals in the 1904 and 1906 Olympics.
Matthew McGrath of USA Throws Hammer at the 1908 Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Matthew McGrath of the United States of America was captured in a picture when he was about to throw the hammer on the field. He was a World Record Holder at the time but in the 1908 London Olympics, he finished in second place to fellow hammer thrower, John Flanagan. However, at the 1912 Olympics which were held in Stockholm, he won a gold medal in Hammer Throw.
Great Britain vs Denmark at the 1908 Summer Olympics
In October 1908, a moment of victory was captured at the White City Stadium, when the Football match between Great Britain and Denmark was happening. At the finals of the Football event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Great Britain beat up the team of Denmark and became victorious.
Opening Ceremony of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London
In April 1908, the opening ceremony of the 1908 London Olympics was captured in a heartfelt picture. In the photo, the Swedish athletes wearing white trousers, t-shirts, and caps are being led by ceremonial officials at the Inaugural Parade of the Nations at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Henry Taylor Captured After Winning a Gold Medal
British Swimmer, Henry Taylor was captured in a picture at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London after winning a gold medal in the 4×200 meters freestyle relay swimming competition at the White City Stadium. Also, he won gold medals in the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle swimming competitions.
King Edward VII Arrived at the Opening Ceremony of the 1908 Olympics
At the opening ceremony of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, King Edward VII’s arrival was captured in a picture at the newly-built Great Stadium in Shepherd’s Bush. In the photo, it can be clearly seen that the King arrives in his carriage with a large amount of horsemen surrounding him.
Queen Alexandra Presents Gold Medal to Walter W Winans
On 10th July 1908, American marksman Walter W Winans won a gold medal in the men’s double-shot running deer event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London held at the White City Stadium. When Queen Alexandra was awarding him the gold medal, the heartwarming moment was captured in a picture.
Athletes Raise their National Flags in the Opening Ceremony
During the opening ceremony of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, the athletes were captured in a picture raising their National Flags before the Royal Box at the White City Stadium in London. This is one of the heartwarming moments which was caught on camera during the London Olympics in 1908.
Finland’s Gymnastics Team Captured Practicing their Routine
In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, the Gymnastics team of Finland was captured in a picture while practicing their routine for the official event. The team were the bronze medal winners at the London Olympics.
Harry Porter’s Mid Jump during the High Jump Event
The American athlete, Harry Porter was captured in a picture in the position of mid-jump during his High Jump event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He won a gold medal in his category and set the Olympic record of 1.905 meters.
George Larner Captured While Receiving a Gold Medal
The American athlete, George Larner competed mainly in the 10-mile walk during the Olympics. In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London held at the White City Stadium, he won two gold medals, one for a 3500-metre mile walk and the other one for a 10-mile walk. While receiving one of the two gold medals, the athlete was captured in a heartwarming picture.
British Cycling Pursuit Team Captured in a Heartwarming Picture
The British Cycling Pursuit Team, who won the gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London over a distance of 1810.5 meters was captured in a picture. The team consisted of Charles Kingsbury, Leonard Meredith, Benjamin Jones, and Ernest Payne.
John Hayes Carried on a Table After the Marathon Victory
In July 1908, John Hayes of the United States and his teammates were captured in a picture, when they carried the marathon runner on a table after he won the marathon event against Dorando Pietri. Though Dorando Pietri finished the marathon first, but the gold medal was awarded to John Hayes because Pietri was disqualified.
Ben Jones Posed for a Picture at the 1908 London Olympics
The British track cycling racer, Ben Jones was captured in a picture at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, when he won a gold medal in the 5000-meter cycle race competition. Also, he won a silver medal in the 20-kilometer event at the London Olympics. In the picture, Ben Jones can be seen posing with his bicycle, wearing his cyclist uniform.
The Stadium at Shepherd’s Bush was Captured in 1908
In 1908, the stadium of Shepherd’s Bush where the Olympic Games were held in London was captured in a picture. The picture captured by a photographer shows the White City Stadium filled with crowds in the stands and athletes competing in their respective fields.
Armas Pesonen was Placed 5th in the Final Round
The Finnish track and field athlete, Armas Pesonen was captured in a picture during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The Javelin thrower was clicked during the preliminaries in the 1908 London Olympics, in which he came in fifth place in the final round of the event.
Wyndham Halswelle Crosses the Finishing Line
British Athlete, Wyndham Halswelle was captured in a heartwarming picture when he crossed the finishing line of the re-run Olympic 400 meters final at the White City Stadium. Wyndham Halswelle was the only participant in the racing event after John Carpenter was disqualified and the other American teammates refused to take part.
Dorando Pietri Departing After The 1908 Games in London
Another heartwarming picture that was taken in London during the 1908 Summer Olympics was of Dorando Pietri when he was leaving. The Italian marathon runner who won the hearts of millions after he was disqualified from the marathon event in the 1908 Summer Olympics, was captured in a picture when he was departing the Charing Cross Station in August.
The City Toastmaster was Captured Using a Megaphone
The city toastmaster, William Knightsmith was captured in a heartfelt picture during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He was captured on the field while using a megaphone.
John Taylor Captured During a Training Session
The American track and field athlete, John Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal. In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, he was a member of the gold-winning men’s medley relay team. During the Olympic Games, John Taylor was captured in a picture during a training session on the field.
Verner Weckman Won the Greco-Roman Wrestling Event
Verner Weckman, an athlete from Finland was captured in a picture when he won the Greco-Roman Wrestling Event during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. In the picture, the wrestler can be seen competing with a fellow wrestler on the field. In the light heavyweight category, he won the gold medal.
Robert Kerr on the Racing Field of the 1908 London Olympics
In July 1908, the Irish-Canadian athlete Robert Kerr won a gold medal in the 200-meter race at the White City Stadium during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The Athlete was captured in a picture while he was running on the racing field with fellow racers.
Captains of Tug Of War Teams Shake Hands
The captains of Swedish and English tug-of-war teams were captured in a picture while shaking hands with each other at the Crystal Palace during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Irish and German Teams Competing in Bicycle Polo
The national teams of Germany and Ireland competed in the Bicycle Polo final at the Shepherd’s Bush Stadium during the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Both the teams were captured by the photographers during their event, in which the Irish team beat up the German team by 3-1.
John Carpenter Crosses the Finishing Line
American athlete, John Carpenter was captured in a picture when he crossed the finishing line of the 400-meter final in the London Olympics. But the Stadium officials disqualified him because he prevented his competitor, Wyndham Halswelle from overtaking during the race. Later, the racing event was re-run by Wyndham Halswelle as the sole participant.
Charles Bacon Won the 400-meter Hurdles
Charles Bacon was an American athlete who was also a member of the Irish American Athletic Club. In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, he won a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles. During his game in the White City Stadium, the athlete was captured in a picture while crossing the hurdles on the field.
Phyllis Johnson and James H. Johnson During Figure Skating
The British Figure Skaters, James H. Johnson and Phyllis Johnson were pictured together in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The pair won a silver medal in the pairs event at the Olympics which were held at the White City Stadium.
Athletes Line Up for the Medal Ceremony
During the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, a picture was taken when all the athletes lined up together for the medal ceremony at the White City Stadium in London. John Hayes was one of the athletes who can be seen clearly in the picture.
Female Gymnasts Warm Up Before the Olympics Game
In July 1908, some female gymnasts from the Danish team were captured while they were exercising and warming up before their actual event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Frank Holmes Compete in the Men’s Standing High Jump
American athlete, Frank Holmes was captured in a picture while he was competing in the men’s Standing High Jump event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, held at the White City Stadium.
Emil Voigt Wins the Five-Mile Race
Great Britain’s Emil Voigt was pictured in a photograph while he was running at 6th place during the Five Mile Race at the 1908 London Olympics. Though he was running at the sixth spot, he ultimately won the event and earned a gold medal.
Reginald Walker Won the 100 Meters Race
In the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Reginald Walker won the 100-meter flat race final in a time of 10.8 seconds. While he was running on the track with other athletes, he was captured in a heartfelt picture.
Officials Measuring the Javelin Throw
During the event of the Javelin throw in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, some stadium officials were captured in a picture when they were measuring the Javelin throw on the White City Stadium’s field.
Swedish Official Congratulate Eric Lemming on his Win
During the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, a Swedish official was captured when he was congratulating athlete Eric Lemming, for winning the Javelin throw event at the White City Stadium in London.
