The 1924 Olympic Cross-Country Event

Saturday, July 12, 1924: the team and individual cross-country competition in Paris. The final athletics event on the calendar, the weather was over 40°C (104°F). 15 competitors finished out of 38 starters. Paavo Nurmi successfully defended his title over 10-kilometers for this event.
Individual Results: www.sports-ref...
Team Results: www.sports-ref...
New York Times Write-Up: www.nytimes.com...

[@johnnightingale4078]

Paavo Nurmi, an absolutely phenomenal runner. Am I right in saying that he won 4 gold medals in those Olympics? A huge thank you for this.

[@wvu05]

Actually, he won five: 1500m, 5000m, 3000m team race, cross-country individual, and cross-country team.

[@APBCTechnique]

CC should make a come back in the Olympics 12KM hard grass hilly courses

[@joedrumer9029]

Nurmi was the absolute favorite those times, thanks for the beautiful video, 📷😊,it was a super race 🏃👌🏼

[@leomurillo2478]

This is just superb! I want to thank TheRealX for posting this vintage historic film. I do not quite remember exactly what happened with keeping cross country in the Olympics, but I do recall in some of my readings about it the problem was that it would interfere with other events in the Olympic schedule especially with many athletes (distance runners) were competing in the 5000, 10000 and the marathon. Cross country is a specialty in itself, and it was to much for athletes to make it in the track events, plus the marathon and now cross country. At the present time (2024) actually since 2012, Sebastian Coe who is the head of the Track and Field Olympic Committe (IOC) has been trying to include cross country in the winter Olympics. He has been arguing for years that the African nations do not have access to Winter Olympic sports due to the weather and terrain-so they are in a disadvantage in comparison to European nations and the America's. So far, he has been unable to get the votes by other nations. In many nations, cross country running and racing is done during the fall and winter (with snow and everything)

[@wvu05]

A lot of the problem was that so many dropped out due to the heat that the IOC decided not to continue the event. Cross country won't be included in the Winter Olympics for the time being because the bylaws state that any winter sports must be played on ice or snow. That's why basketball and volleyball (typically played in the winter) are part of the summer games.

[@keirbateman267]

​@@wvu05If you have run or spectated at any cross country running events you will realise that they are often held on icy ground or snow. At least in northern Europe.

[@wvu05]

@@keirbateman267 Being cold and it happens to be snowing is not the same as an event specifically designed to use the ice or snow in the event.

[@nikotuominen2354]

In the halfway results shown at 1:24, Edvin Wide of Sweden is mistakenly made a Briton. In fact he was born in Finland, as was one of the silver medalists, August Fager (born Fagerström) of the US.

[@Philobiblion]

The African-American on the squad is Earle Johnson who won the individual bronze medal.

[@JoolsBurke]

Wonder why they didn't mention him in the intertitles...

[@gamesandsports1894]

Evento muito interessante deveria voltar para as Olimpíadas

[@brianoidperson]

Cross country is the most original and natural and oldest sport.

[@asd36f]

The 23 retirements failed to finish the race due to the extreme heat and poisonous fumes from a nearby energy plant. Subsequently, cross-country running was dropped from the Games and has never returned.

[@calebbrunson7120]

Get rid of Olympic Breakdancing and bring back XC!

[@J.OlímpicosRiodeJaneiro-2016]

Cross Country Pablo Nurmi o fera

[@kettuli1234]

Pablo?

[@joedrumer9029]

Paavo 😅