1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

evenness and precision, Sweden had 548 and 542 respectively; Denmark546 and 552 and Norway 492 and 492 points, out of 600possible, from which can be seen that Denmark, in the last-mentionedgroup, was considered to be first. In the heaving movements, marchingand running, lateral (alternate) trunk movements and vaulting,Sweden was given 484.75, 505.75, 460.25 and 471.80, or a total of1,922.55 points; Denmark 449.50, 453.95, 462 and 453.25, or a totalof 1,818.70 points, and Norway 427, 448, 451.50 and 424.90, or atotal of 1,751.40. These marks were of 2,100 possible. In theshoulder-blade movements and abdominal exercises, Sweden obtained403.50 and 409.50 respectively, or a total of 813 ; Denmark 385.50and 381, total 766.50, and Norway 375 and 384, total 759, of 900possible. For the introductory exercises, the figures for the threecountries were 338.75, 323,50 and 306.25, respectively, of 375 possible,and, finally, for the balance movements and the concluding exercises,the figures for the three countries were 252, 238, 247.4 and271, 262 and 248, of 375 possible in each case.It will be seen from this, not only that the judges had a very clearidea of the relative order of merit of these three countries, but alsothat the difference between the countries was not very great. If wemake an attempt to discover any special, characteristic features fromthe total impression given, it would be, that the carriage of the Danishteam was a little stiff — the result, perhaps, of the shoulders beingdrawn somewhat too much back — while in the case of the Norwegians,there was noticeable a certain disposition to back-swank (a swayingin of the back) a fault which, formerly, was quite noticeable in ourSwedish gymnasts but which, happily, in the younger generation inSweden, seems about to disappear. All three teams were well andevenly trained. It was apparent that much time and care had beendevoted to the vaulting, which went with life and confidence.In the displays, there were teams of women and of men; four teamsaltogether of women from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway,and a total of two teams of men from Sweden and Denmark.The work of the Swedish team of women was worth all possiblepraise. It displayed an evenness in the movements and an observance ofstyle which was seldom disturbed ; there was suppleness, combinedwith strength in the heaving exercises and the vaulting, and a dignityover the whole which gave an impression of perfect confidence andself-control on the part of the executants.The programme of the Danish women’s team was considerablyeasier than that of their Swedish sisters, both from a purely gymnasticpoint of view and also as regards the character of the movements.The impression given, however, was a sprightlier one thanthat afforded by the Swedish team, the reason probably being thatthe Danes were 148 strong ; the Swedes only 48.From the very instant of their entrance into the arena, the team ofFinnish women made a most sympathetic impression, the result, in agreat measure of a very attractive dress, but also of a well-composedprogramme and good execution of the movements — there being in36 Fifth Olympiad. 561