1952 Summer Olympics Facts for Kids

Teams at the opening ceremonies of the 1952 qames

The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were held at Helsinki in Finland.

Helsinki was chosen as the host city over Amsterdam, Athens, Lausanne, and Stockholm and five American cities: Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. Helsinki had been given the 1940 Summer Olympics, but they were cancelled because of World War II.

Participating nations

A total of 69 nations sent athletes to compete at the Helsinki games.

Countries at the 1952 Olympics

Olympic Games

Summer Games: 1896, 1900, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1912, (1916), 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940), (1944), 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028
Winter Games: 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940), (1944), 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Athens 2004 — Turin 2006 — Beijing 2008 — Vancouver 2010 — London 2012 — Sochi 2014 — Rio 2016 — Pyeongchang 2018 — Tokyo 2020 Games in italics will be held in the future, and those in (brackets) were cancelled because of war. See also: Ancient Olympic Games

Youth Olympic Games

Summer Games: 2010, 2014, 2018
Winter Games: 2012, 2016, 2020
Singapore 2010 — Innsbruck 2012 — Nanjing 2014

Finnish postage stamp featuring the Helsinki Olympic Stadium issued in 1951
Olympic Stadium Tower
Olympic torch banner.
Forest Counselor Jarl Sundqvist tries to light an Olympic torch with a mirror from the midnight sun on Pallastunturi on 6 July 1952.
Paavo Nurmi enters the Olympic Stadium
Paavo Nurmi lighting Olympic flame.
Finland and Mexico initial basketball match.
5.5m class competition. The second boat left is the championship winning Complex II.
Emil Zátopek and Reinaldo Gorno after the marathon.
The Helsinki Velodrome was used to cycle the Olympic starts. Pictured are cyclists from the 2006 Bicycle Race.
Number of athletes per country
Just before the 2nd round of Prix des Nations