About the Games
A total of 4955 athletes from 69 countries participated in Helsinki 1952 Summer Olympics and competed in 149 events.
Most medals won (from a total of 43 teams) by: 1. USA – 76 (40, 19, 17), 2. USSR – 71 (22, 30, 19), 3. Hungary – 42 (16, 10, 16).
Lithuania in the Games
Lithuanian athletes returned to the Olympic Games after a 24 year break, however, wearing the uniforms not of their at the time occupied country, but of the USSR.
Three of five Lithuanians – basketball players Stepas Butautas, Kazimieras Petkevičius and Justinas Lagunavičius – won silver medals. Stanislovas Stonkus also was in the USSR team, but he did not compete in Helsinki.
Algirdas Šocikas was considered the favorite, however, he lost in the quarterfinals.
Fencer Juozas Udras also competed in Helsinki, where he placed 73th in individual competition and 11th in team competition.
Interesting facts
The Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Thailand, and Saarland made their Olympic debuts.
Women were allowed to enter equestrian competitions. Women competed alongside men in mixed events, and Danish Lis Hartel won silver in the equestrian dressage.
Helsinki 1952 Summer Olympics website:
