The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was an international multi-sport event held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 26 January to 5 February 1956. A total of 821 athletes from 32 nations participated in 24 events in 4 sports across 8 disciplines.[1][2]
| 1956 Winter Olympics medals | |
|---|---|
 Toni Sailer of Austria won the gold medals at the 1956 Winter Olympics, winning all three gold medals in men's alpine skiing | |
| Location | Cortina d'Ampezzo,  Italy |
| Highlights | |
| Most gold medals |  Soviet Union (7) |
| Most total medals | Soviet Union (16) |
Legend:
represents countries that won at least one gold medal.
represents countries that won at least one silver medal but no gold medals.
represents countries that won at least one bronze medal but no gold or silver medals.
represents countries that did not win any medals.
represents entities that did not participate in the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Overall, athletes from 13 nations received one medal, and 9 of them won at least one gold medal.[3] At their debut, athletes from the Soviet Union won the most medals overall, with 16, and the most gold medals, with 7. Athletes from Austria came second in the medal table with 4 gold medals and 11 medals overall, while athletes from Finland came third with 3 gold medals and 7 medals overall. The Soviet Union's team won their nation's first Olympic gold medal and medal of any color at a Winter Games.[4] Meanwhile, teams from Poland[5] and Japan won their nations' first Olympic medals at a Winter Games.[6]
Alpine skiier Toni Sailer of Austria won the most gold medals for an individual at the Games. He won all three gold medals available in the men's alpine skiing events and became the first person to do so.[7] Cross-country skiier Sixten Jernberg of Sweden won the most overall medals for an individual at the Games, winning four medals with one gold, two silvers, and one bronze.[4]
Medal table
editThe medal table is based on information provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is consistent with IOC convention in its published medal tables. By default, the table is ordered by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation won, where a nation is an entity represented by a National Olympic Committee (NOC). The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze medals.[8]
In speed skating, two gold medals (and no silver) were awarded to Yevgeny Grishin and Yuri Mikhaylov for a first-place tie in the men's 1500 metres event.[9]
* Host nation (Italy)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soviet Union | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
| 2 |  Austria | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| 3 |  Finland | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 |  Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 |  Sweden | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 6 |  United States | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 |  Norway | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 8 | Italy* | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 |  United Team of Germany[a] | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 |  Canada | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 |  Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 |  Hungary | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Poland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (13 entries) | 25 | 23 | 24 | 72 | |
Notes
edit- ^ A unified team comprised of East Germany and West Germany competed from the 1952 Summer Olympics to the 1964 Winter Olympics. This decision was made due to the splitting of Germany after World War II and the hesitation by the International Olympic Committee to recognize both National Olympic Committees formed by each nation.[11][12]
References
edit- ^ "Factsheet: The Winter Olympic Games" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. 14 October 2021. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Opening Ceremony gets Games off to flying start". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "1956 Winter Olympics Overview". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ a b "1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy". CBC. 1 December 2009. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022.
- ^ "Franciszek Gasienica-Groń (1931–2014)". Polish Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Record medal haul in reach for Japan". The Japan News. 6 February 2018. ProQuest 1994039076. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Toni Sailer dies at 73; Austrian skier won all 3 Alpine golds at '56 Olympics". Los Angeles Times. 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ Sergeyev, Yaroslav. "The Olympic Medals Ranks, lexicographic ordering and numerical infinities" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021 – via CORE.
- ^ Ohlheiser, Abby (12 February 2014). "What Happens When Olympians Tie for a Medal?". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Olympic Medal Table". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Germany Overview". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Hughes, R. Gerald; Owens, Rachel (November 2009). "'The Continuation of Politics by Other Means': Britain, the Two Germanys and the Olympic Games, 1949-1972". Contemporary European History. 18 (4 ed.): 443–474. Retrieved 22 July 2024 – via JSTOR.