Crown Prince Olav of Norway, later King Olav V, became the first member of a royal family to win an Olympic gold. The prince was part of the Norwegian 6m class yacht crew. Another member of aristocracy to win gold was Britain's Lord David Burghly, later the sixth Marquis of Exeter, and future chairman of the 1948 organizing committee. He won the 400m hurdles.
After 32 years on the sidelines, women competed for the first time in the show piece of the Games -- track and field. Opposition to the inclusion of women was great. Protestors included the founder of the Olympic movement, Baron de Coubertin and Pope Pius XI who issued a condemnation from the Vatican. After a successful start disaster struck: most of the 800 meter runners collapsed after the race, which had been he ld in scorchingly hot weather. Many male athletes also collapsed from the heat but nevertheless a special committee, headed by Olympic movement president, Count Henri Baillet-Latour decided that women did not have stamina for more than a 200 meter race. The ban was lifted only in 1960.
Uruguay made a repeat victory as the Olympic soccer champions thus establishing themselves as the top team in international soccer. Hector Castro, one of their top wingers, tackled a rare disability for a soccer player -- he had only one hand. Two years later he would score a goal towards his team's victory in the first World Cup final.

Women's Gymnastics made it's debut in 1928 but the
only competition was the team event. The story of the
victorious Dutch team ended in tragedy. Five team
members, Annie Polack, Helena Nordheim, Estella
Agsteribbe and Judikje Simons, as well as their coach,
Gerrit Kleerkoper, all Jewish, would later die in Nazi
concentration camps.