Austria at the Olympics
Austria is one of the most consistent participants of the modern Olympic Games. They have participated in the Summer Games since 1896. They were banned in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics because of their involvement in World War I. They did however participate in the next Summer Games held in Paris, France.
Austria is known as an Olympic powerhouse having won Olympic honors from their very first year of participation in the Summer Games and most of their Summer Olympic outings. They won a total of five Olympic medals in the 1896 Athens Olympics despite the fact that they only sent three athletes. Cyclist Adolf Schmal took the gold in the 12 hour race and the bronze for the time trial and 10 kilometer race. Swimmers Paul Neumann and Otto Herschmann took the top spot in the 500 meters freestyle and silver in the 100 meter freestyle respectively.
Austria is also a force to be reckoned with in the Winter Games Having won Olympic medals since their first outing in 1924. They won two golds and a silver medal in the 1924 Winter Olympics held in Charmonix, France. Skaters Herma Planck-Szabó took the gold in women's single figure skating. Helene Engelmann and Alfred Berger also took the top spot in pair's figure skating and Willy Böckl took the silver in the men's figure skating. Austria has also hosted the Winter Games twice (1964 and 1976). They have performed consistently strong in most Winter Games and they show no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Trivia
- Otto Herschmann, who won the silver in the team sabre fencing event in the 1912 Games, was at the time the president of the Austrian Olympic Committee. He is the only sitting national Olympic committee president to win a medal in the Olympics. Herschmann died in 1942 in a Nazi concentration camp.
- Arthur von Pongracz of Austria competed at age 72 in Dressage in 1936, becoming one of the oldest ever competitors at the Olympics.
- Austrian sailor Hubert Raudaschl made nine Olympic appearances from 1964 to 1996.
Related Pages
- Austria at the Winter Olympics
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Austria
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