The Birth of Art Competitions in the Olympics

Did you know that poetry used to be an actual Olympic sport? At the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, Jim Thorpe easily won the decathlon in the first modern version of the event. These games also included art competitions, featuring architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and literature.

The Vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The inclusion of these artistic events was driven by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the creator of the modern Olympics. De Coubertin envisioned a union of spirit and flesh, aiming for the Olympics to celebrate both athletic and artistic excellence. His official report on the 1896 Games reflected his literary vision.

The Poetry Competition and Its Controversies

The Stockholm literature competition had fewer than ten entrants, one of which was Marcel Boulenger, a French novelist and bronze medalist in fencing. The gold medal was awarded to Georges Hohrod and Martin Eschbach for their literary piece “Ode to Sport,” a pseudonym for de Coubertin himself. This revelation puzzled historians and raised questions about the fairness and integrity of the competition.

The Legacy and Conclusion of Art Competitions in the Olympics

Despite the controversies, the artistic competitions continued until the 1948 London Olympics. The final games saw gold medalist Aale Tynni of Finland, the first woman to win, and Ernst van Heerden, a South African poet and the first openly gay Olympic medalist. These competitions were ultimately discontinued due to the clash between professional artists and the amateur ethos of the Olympics.