Messico 1968
XIX edition of the Summer Olympics
12 October - 27 October 1968
Medal table
- 3
- 4
- 9
STATISTICS
- Nations 112
- Athletes 5555 (4771 men; 784 women)
- Italian Athletes 167 (152 men; 15 women)
The Olympics held at their highest altitude (2134 metres above sea level) were marked by serious political problems. First with the massacre of 250 students killed by police in the square of the Three Cultures during a demonstration, ten days before the opening ceremony; then the silent protest on the podium of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, in the name of the "Black Power" that called for American black athletes to boycott. The altitude, which created unexpected stamina problems, helped achieve some stunning world records such as the 8.90m in the long jump by Bob Beamon. For the very first time a woman, Norma Enriqueta Basilio de Sotela, lit the OIympic Flame. East and West Germany competed as two separate teams. There were only three gold medals for the Italians: it is necessary to go back to 1908 to find a worse haul.
Athlete | Medal | Sport |
---|---|---|
Pierfranco VIANELLI | GOLD | Cycling Road Race |
Klaus DIBIASI | GOLD | Diving 10m Platform |
Primo BARAN , Bruno CIPOLLA , Renzo SAMBO | GOLD | Rowing Coxed pair |
Giordano TURRINI | SILVER | Cycling Sprint |
Klaus DIBIASI | SILVER | Diving 3m Springboard |
Wladimiro CALARESE , Pierluigi CHICCA , Michele MAFFEI , Rolando RIGOLI , Cesare SALVADORI | SILVER | Fencing Team Sabre |
Romano GARAGNANI | SILVER | Shotgun Skeet |
Eddy OTTOZ | BRONZE | Athletics 110 m hurdles |
Giuseppe GENTILE | BRONZE | Athletics Triple Jump |
Giorgio BAMBINI | BRONZE | Boxing 81kg |
Giovanni BRAMUCCI , Vittorio MARCELLI , Mauro SIMONETTI , Pierfranco VIANELLI | BRONZE | Cycling Team Time Trial |
Lorenzo BOSISIO , Cipriano CHEMELLO , Giorgio MORBIATO , Luigi RONCAGLIA | BRONZE | Cycling Track Team Pursuit |
Gianluigi SACCARO | BRONZE | Fencing Individual Epée |
Abramo ALBINI , Tullio BARAGLIA , Renato BOSATTA , Pier Angelo CONTI MANZINI | BRONZE | Rowing Coxless Four (4-) |
Fabio ALBARELLI | BRONZE | Sailing Finn |
Franco CAVALLO , Camillo GARGANO | BRONZE | Sailing Star |