1952 Winter Olympics Medal Table - Highlights

Highlights

Oslo was the first Scandinavian city to host a Winter Olympics. Athletes from the host nation won more medals than any other nation. Truck driver Hjalmar Andersen won three out of the four speed skating events, and Simon Slåttvik and Sverre Stenersen won gold and bronze in nordic combined. Ski jumpers Arnfinn Bergmann and Torbjørn Falkanger placed first and second, and only Swedish jumper Karl Holmström prevented a Norwegian sweep.

After a 16-year hiatus from Olympic competition Germany made a triumphant return, winning seven medals and three golds. They won gold medals in both two- and four-man bobsleigh events. The results for both events were identical with the United States and Switzerland taking silver and bronze. The other gold medal for Germany went to the husband and wife figure skating pair of Paul and Ria Falk, who won the mixed pairs competition. Mirl Buchner of Germany was the only other triple medalist when she won three medals in alpine skiing, placing second in the downhill and third in the slalom and giant slalom.

Wim van der Voort from the Netherlands placed second in the 1,500 meters and his countryman Kees Broekman placed second in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races. These were the first-ever Dutch medals at the Winter Olympics. Great Britain's lone medal was won by Jeannette Altwegg, who became only the second British woman to win the ladies' figure skating competition. Dick Button and James Grogan of the United States won gold and bronze in the men's figure skating event. Button became the first figure skater to land a triple jump in competition when he performed the triple loop in the men's free skate program.

Finnish athletes won nine medals and three golds at the Games. They dominated the cross-country events, winning eight out of a possible twelve medals. A women's race was added to the cross-country program for the first time and Finnish skiers Lydia Wideman, Mirja Hietamies and Siiri Rantanen swept the event. Veikko Hakulinen won the 50-kilometer men's race to begin an Olympic career that would culminate in seven medals, three of them gold.

The ice hockey tournament was won by Canada even though the gold medal game against the United States ended in a tie. International rules at the time did not allow for overtime and instead the gold medal was awarded to Canada on goal differential. Canada had won all but one Olympic hockey tournament thus far, but in 1956 the Soviet team entered the competition and ended Canadian dominance.