Honolulu Record, August 19, 1948, vol. 1 no. 3, p. 6

Olympic Game Results Show US Leading In First Places

The 14th Olympic Games came to a close last Saturday, August 14, with the United States grabbing 38 first place medals. Sweden finished second with 17 firsts. The Games were held in the remodelled clog track in Wembley, England, starting on July 29.

Other championship winners were: Hungary, 10; France, 9; Italy, 8; Turkey, 6; Holland, 5; Czechoslovakia, 5; Finland; 4; Denmark, 4; Britain, 3; Argenti­na, 3; South Africa, 2; Australia, 2; Belgium, 2; Egypt, 2; and Peru, Jamaica, Austria, Norway and India, one each. The Games attracted six thou­sand, athletes from 58 nations, and drew more than 1,500,000 spectators despite uncertain weather. 

The U. S. made one of its poorest Olympic showings in boxing by failing to win a single title. Six of the eight world’s professional championships are currently held by Americans and the U. S. is considered to be the cradle of the game. South Africa won the team scoring in boxing with 29 points.

The U. S. made a clean sweep in the men's swimming and diving events. Hawaii's Bill Smith cracked Jack Medica's 400-meter freestyle with a 4:41.0 effort. The U. S. also dominated the track and field events. One of the highlights of the Olympics was the outstanding performance of Mrs. Fanny Blankers-Koen, the 30 year old Dutch housewife, who won the women's 100-meter, and 200-meter sprints and the 80-meter hurdles, in the track events. Her times for the latter two events were world and Olympic records.