Winter Olympics Through the Years: 1948

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

St. Moritz

The Winter Games originally scheduled for Sapporo, Japan (1940) and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy (1944) were cancelled because of World War II. Untouched by the war, the Swiss resort town of St. Moritz was picked to host the 1948 Games and 28 countries sent 706 athletes to compete.

The United States sent two hockey teams, one sanctioned by the American Olympic Committee and one by the American Hockey Association. The IOC ruled that the AOC team could march in the opening parade and the AHA team could play in the tournament, but neither would be eligible for a medal. Canada and Czechoslovakia each finished with 7–0–1 records, but the Canadians won the gold medal by goal differential, 64–62. Czech team member Jaroslav Drobny later distinguished himself as a tennis player, winning the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1954.

Dick Button of Englewood, N.J., became the first American to win a figure skating gold medal, an achievement that also earned him the Sullivan Award as U.S. amateur athlete of the year.

Alpine skier Gretchen Fraser won a gold medal in the slalom and a silver in the combined for the Americans. French Alpine skier Henri Oreiller was the men's top individual performer with two golds and a bronze.

Top 10 Standings

National medal standings are not recognized by the IOC. The unofficial point totals are based on 3 points for a gold medal, 2 for a silver and 1 for a bronze. Total medals are in parentheses.

  GoldSilverBronzePts
1Norway (10)43321
 Sweden (10)43321
3Switzerland (10)34320
4USA (9)34219
5Austria (8)13413
6Finland (6)13211
7France (5)21210
8Canada (3)2017
9Belgium (2)1105
10Italy (1)1003

Leading Medal Winners

Number of individual medals won on the left; gold, silver and bronze breakdown to the right.

Men

No SportG-S-B
3Henri Oreiller, FRAAlpine2-0-1
2Martin Lundström, SWEX-country2-0-0
2Nils Östensson, SWEX-country1-1-0
2Åke Seyffarth, SWESp. Skate1-1-0
2Gunnar Eriksson, SWEX-country1-0-1
2Karl Molitor, SWIAlpine1-0-1
2James Couttet, FRAAlpine0-1-1
2Odd Lundberg, NORSp. Skate0-1-1

Women

No SportG-S-B
2Trude Beiser, AUTAlpine1-1-0
2Gretchen Fraser, USAAlpine1-1-0
2Erika Mahringer, AUTAlpine0-0-2

Alpine Skiing

Men

Event  Time
DownhillHenri Oreiller, FRA2:55.0
SlalomEdi Reinalter, SWI2:10.3
CombinedHenri Oreiller, FRA3.27 pts

Women

Event  Time
DownhillHedy Schlunegger, SWI2:28.3
SlalomGretchen Fraser, USA1:57.2
CombinedTrude Beiser, AUT6.58 pts

Bobsled

Event  Time
2-ManSWI (Felix Endrich & Friedrich Waller)5:29.2
4-ManUSA (Francis Tyler, Patrick Martin,
 Edward Rimkus, William D'Amico)5:20.1

Cresta (Toboggan)

Event  Time
1-ManNino Bibbia, ITA5:23.2

Figure Skating

Event  Points
MenDick Button, USA191.177
WomenBarbara Ann Scott, CAN163.077
PairsMicheline Lannoy & Pierre Baugniet, BEL11.227

Ice Hockey

  GmW-L-TPtsGFGA
1Canada87-0-115695
2Czechoslovakia87-0-1158018
3Switzerland86-2-0126721
4USA (AHA)85-3-0108633
5Sweden84-4-085528
6Great Britain83-5-063947
7Poland82-6-042097
8Austria81-7-023377
9Italy80-8-0024156
Note: Canada won championship on goal differential, 64–62.

Nordic Skiing

Cross Country

Event  Time
18kmMartin Lundstrom, SWE1:13:50.0
50kmNils Karlsson, SWE3:47:48.0
4x10kmSWE (Nils Östensson, Nils Täpp,  
 Gunnar Eriksson, Martin Lundström)2:32:08.0

Ski Jumping

Event  Points 
90mPeter Hugsted, NOR228.1 

Nordic Combined

Event Points
18km/JumpHeikki Hasu, FIN448.80

Speed Skating

Event  Time  
500mFinn Helgesen, NOR43.1OR
1500mSverre Farstad, NOR2:17.6OR
5000mReidar Liaklev, NOR8:29.4 
10,000mÅke Seyffarth, SWE17:26.3 
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