The Olympic Games of 1968 were held with Mexico City with the Mexico. The plays were immediately preceded by the Massacre by Tlatelolco, at the court of which students were killed by the police force and the Mexican army. The towns of Strait, Buenos Aires and Lyon had also presented to them candidature to organize the Olympic Games in 1968. The Mexican president, Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, opened the Plays the October 12th. The Plays were closed the October 27th.

112 countries and 5516 athletes (4735 men and 781 women) took part in 172 sporting events in 12 different disciplines.

The altitude of Mexico City, located at 2200 meters, posed problems of breathing to many athletes.

Table of the medals

Striking facts

  • For the first time, of the athletes of GDR and the FRG takes part in teams separated, after having trained only one team until 1964.
  • the American Discobole Al Oerter gains its 4th consecutive gold medal in this test. He is the second athlete to reach this record.
  • Bob Beamon makes a Long jump of 8,90 m, it beats of 55 cm the world records of the time. Its record will remain valid until in 1991.
  • American Jim Hines and Lee Evans establishes world records the proof 100 and 400 m, respectively into 9 S 95 and 43 S 86, times which will remain a long time without being improved.
  • With the triple jump, the world records is beaten 5 times by 3 different athletes.
  • Dick Fosbury gains the gold medal of the High jump by using its technique called Fosbury failure , which became the most used the then reference.
  • the Czechoslovakian gymnaste Věra Čáslavská gains the heart of Mexican crowd and 4 gold medals.
  • the swimmer Debbie Meyer became the first to carry 3 individual medals to the 200 m, 400 m and 800 m of freestyle.
  • the introduction of tests anti doping gives like result the first disqualification for use of doping: the pentathlète Swedish Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall is disqualified for use of alcohol.
  • John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania became internationally celebrates after having finished the marathon in the last place in spite of its uncoupled knee. It is wounded seriously but finished despite everything the test while boitillant, it could cross the finishing line more than one hour after all the other marathonians. On arrival, when it is asked him why it had continued to run, Akhwari answers: " My country did not send to me to 10.000 km at home to take the departure of a race, but for the finir."

Exclusion of South Africa

Because of its policy of Apartheid, the South Africa is excluded from the Olympic Games of Mexico City by decision of the International Olympic committee the April 23rd 1968, which understands by this decision to mark its opposition to the policy followed by this country.

The raised fist of the sympathizers Black Panthers

The October 17th 1968, the American runners Tommie Smith and John made Carlos first and third of the 200 meters protest against the racial segregation with the the United States by lowering the head and while raising their fist ganté of black, at the time of the American anthem, on the podium with the handing-over of the medals. This symbolic gesture is the mark of their support for the political movement black-American of the Black Panthers. The champions will pay this gesture by a suspension and an expulsion with life of the Plays by the Olympic committee.

Sports and disciplines

Simple: 1968 Summer Olympics

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