Canada competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. 52 competitors, all men, took part in 38 events in 9 sports.[1] These games marked the introduction of winter sports to the Olympic program (competed in April 1920); Canada won its first gold medal for ice hockey.
A single diver represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. Flint competed in all three of the men's events, but did not reach the final in any.
Three swimmers, all male, represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. Hodgson was unable to successfully defend his 1912 championships in the 400 and 1500 metre freestyle events, not even reaching the final in either; Vernot took a bronze and a silver in those events.
14 athletes represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's fifth appearance in the sport, having competed in athletics every time the country competed at the Olympics. The best result for the team was Thomson's gold medal in the high hurdles, as Canada took a gold medal in athletics for the fifth straight Games.
The Canadian Olympic Committee named W. A. Hewitt to its sub-committee for boxing to select who represented Canada at the Olympics,[2] and had been credited with officiating hundreds of bouts as a boxing referee in Toronto.[3] He oversaw travel arrangements for the national team to the remainder of the 1920 Summer Olympics which began in August.[4] The boxers which he helped select won one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals for Canada.[5]
Five cyclists represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. Macdonald's fifth-place finish in the 50 kilometres was the best result of the Games for the Canadian cyclists.
Hewitt introduced the CAHA rules of play to the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG) at the Olympics.[12] Writer Andrew Podnieks described Hewitt's interpretation of the rules as "competitive yet gentlemanly", and that the rules of play were accepted for Olympic hockey.[13] Hewitt refereed the first Olympic hockey game played, an 8–0 win by the Sweden men's national team versus the Belgium men's national team, on April 23, 1920.[14] The Falcons and the Hewitts returned home aboard SS Grampian from Le Havre to Quebec City.[15] The Falcons honoured Hewitt and his wife at a private dinner and presented them with a silver cup inscribed with the number 13, for the number of people who made the trip to the Olympics and the team's lucky number.[7][16]
Five rowers represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's fourth straight appearance in the sport. Canada sent one boat, in the coxed fours. It was unable to advance past the semifinals, taking third place in the three-boat heat.
Seven shooters represented Canada in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. For the second straight Games, the Canadian shooters were unable to earn any medals.
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