Once again the Olympic competitions were spread out over
four and a half months and were lost in the chaos of a World's Fair.
They were the first games at which gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded
for first, second and third place, while boxing and freestyle wrestling made
their debuts.
Marathon runners Len Tau and Jan Mashiani, Tswana tribesmen who were in St
Louis as part of the Boer War exhibit at the World's Fair, became the first
Africans to compete in the Olympics.
American gymnast George Eyser won six medals even though his left leg was made
of wood.
Chicago runner James Lightbody won the steeplechase and the 800m and then set
a world record in the 1,500m while the Milwaukee Meteor Archie Hahn, champion in
the 60m and 100m, set a new Olympic record of 21.6 seconds in the 200m - a feat
that would not be broken for 28 years.
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