Curling at the 1924 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
The curling
event at the 1924 Winter Olympics
was contested only by men. It is the first curling event in Olympic history.
In February 2006, a few days before the start of the 2006 Winter Olympics
, the International Olympic Committee
ruled that the curling medals were part of the official Olympic programme in 1924, and not a demonstration event
as many authoritative sources had previously claimed (although the IOC itself had never done so). This official confirmation was the culmination of an investigative campaign begun by the Glasgow
-based newspaper The Herald
, on behalf of the families of the eight Scots
who won the first curling gold medals. The winning team was selected by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club
, Perth
, the mother club of curling.
A peculiarity of the competition is that Great Britain and Ireland's Major
D. G. Astley
played for Sweden when they overcame France in the play-off. The IOC records that he received a silver medal along with the Swedes, and also a gold medal, as part of the GB and I team. If the official IOC records are correct, then Astley is the only person to have received both a gold and a silver medal in the same Olympic event, and one of the few people to have won an Olympic medal for different nations.
Note: R. Cousin of Great Britain, is listed in the Official Report as a "Non-Participant" and it is not known if he received a medal; however, Skip William Jackson of Great Britain is also listed in the Official Report as a "Non-Participant" and it is known that he did play and did receive a medal.
, Great Britain
and Sweden
(2 teams) were the only countries to
participate in the curling competition, although a full Swiss
team is listed as attending as "a Non-Participating team".
All games were 18 ends in length.
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
event at the 1924 Winter Olympics
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
was contested only by men. It is the first curling event in Olympic history.
In February 2006, a few days before the start of the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
ruled that the curling medals were part of the official Olympic programme in 1924, and not a demonstration event
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
as many authoritative sources had previously claimed (although the IOC itself had never done so). This official confirmation was the culmination of an investigative campaign begun by the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-based newspaper The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
, on behalf of the families of the eight Scots
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
who won the first curling gold medals. The winning team was selected by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club
Royal Caledonian Curling Club
The Royal Caledonian Curling Club is the mother club of the sport of curling, and the governing body of curling in Scotland. The RCCC was founded on 25 July 1838 in Edinburgh, and granted its royal charter by Queen Victoria in 1843, after she had witnessed a demonstration of the sport played on...
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, the mother club of curling.
A peculiarity of the competition is that Great Britain and Ireland's Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
D. G. Astley
D. G. Astley
Major D. G. Astley is an Irish curler. He is generally believed to be the only person in an Olympic Games to win two medals in the same event for two different nations....
played for Sweden when they overcame France in the play-off. The IOC records that he received a silver medal along with the Swedes, and also a gold medal, as part of the GB and I team. If the official IOC records are correct, then Astley is the only person to have received both a gold and a silver medal in the same Olympic event, and one of the few people to have won an Olympic medal for different nations.
Medals
| Men's |
William K. Jackson Robin Welsh Robin Welsh Robin Welsh was a Scottish sportsman who represented Britain as a curler in the Winter Olympics, represented Scotland at tennis and played international rugby union for Scotland.... Thomas Murray Laurence Jackson Laurence Jackson Laurence Jackson was a Scottish curler. He was part of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club team that won the first Olympic Gold medal in curling at the inaugural Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924.... Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures... John T. S. Robertson-Aikman (captain) (alt.) John McLeod (alt.) William Brown (alt.) Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... D. G. Astley D. G. Astley Major D. G. Astley is an Irish curler. He is generally believed to be the only person in an Olympic Games to win two medals in the same event for two different nations.... (alt.) |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... I: Johan Petter Åhlén (skip) Carl-Axel Pettersson Karl-Erik Wahlberg D. G. Astley D. G. Astley Major D. G. Astley is an Irish curler. He is generally believed to be the only person in an Olympic Games to win two medals in the same event for two different nations.... (in playoffs) Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... II: Carl Wilhelm Petersén (skip) Ture Ödlund Victor Wetterström Erik O. Severin Carl Axel V. Kronlund (alt.) C. W. Petersen (alt.) |
F. Cournollet P. Canivet A. Bénédic Georges André Georges André Géo André was a French sportsman who is notable as an Olympic athlete who competed mainly in the high jump and as an international rugby union player.-Personal history:... H. Aldebert (alt.) R. Planque (alt.) |
Note: R. Cousin of Great Britain, is listed in the Official Report as a "Non-Participant" and it is not known if he received a medal; however, Skip William Jackson of Great Britain is also listed in the Official Report as a "Non-Participant" and it is known that he did play and did receive a medal.
Round Robin Results
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(2 teams) were the only countries to
participate in the curling competition, although a full Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
team is listed as attending as "a Non-Participating team".
All games were 18 ends in length.
Standings
| Place | Team | Wins | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |
| 2 | I | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | II | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Draw 1
Monday, January 28, 1924; 10:00 AMDraw 2
Tuesday, January 29, 1924; 10:00 AMDraw 3
Wednesday, January 30, 1924; 10:00 AMSilver Medal Playoff
External links
- The Herald - "Scotland Wins an Olympic Gold... 82 Years Later"
- "The Herald sweeps Britain to curling gold medal"
- BBC Sport - GB curlers awarded belated gold
- 1924 Olympic Curling Medals Count: CBC News Feb 8, 2006
- Results copied from Official Report
- http://www.olympic.org/en/content/All-Olympic-results-since-1896/?Games=1333962&AthleteName=Enter+a+name&Category=343486&Sport=1313827&Event=&MenGender=false&WomenGender=false&MixedGender=false&TeamClassification=false&IndividualClassification=false&Continent=&Country=&GoldMedal=false&SilverMedal=false&BronzeMedal=false&TargetResults=true&WorldRecord=false&OlympicRecord=false&resultsPageIPP=30Query for Medalists from the Official Site]
- Sports Reference record of curling in the 1924 Games
- Team UK press release from 2006
- The Winter Olympics: An Insider's Guide to the Legends, Lore and The Games by Ron C. Judd
- Curling, Etcetera: A Whole Bunch of Stuff About the Roaring Game by Bob Weeks