So who am I and who are all these crazy people I work with doing Olympic stats? I do most of the posts on Olympstats, but you will see some posts from Hilary Evans and Jeroen Heijmans. Hilary, Jeroen, and I work in a group of 14 Olympic statistorians (my own term), who have been working on Olympic statistics for many years. We call ourselves the OlyMADMen, which reflects our crazy infatuation with collecting data about the Olympic Games.
I started collecting Olympic stats back in 1964 – yes, I am that old – when I was 12-years-old. This coalesced into real data in the early 1980s when I got my first PC. In the late 1990s I joined with two Norwegians Arild Gjerde and Magne Teigen to combine our work into databases of all Olympic results and all Olympic athletes. Also helping us was David Foster, a British Olympic expert. Jeroen Heijmans (aka Geronimo) joined us in about 2002 – this was important, for Jeroen is an IT specialist in his day job, and helped us convert our databases into an online web site. This became our private web site, www.olympedia.org, which we still use today as our private research site.
In about 2007-2008 we were joined by Hilary Evans, aka the Crazy Welsh Sheep Farmer, and Estonian Taavi Kalju. Both are dedicated genealogists who helped us find a plethora of new info on some of the older Olympians.
Over the next decade we were joined by three Germans – Wolf Reinhardt, Ralf Regnitter, and Ralph Schlüter; Austrian Martin Kellner, and two more Norwegians, Morten Aarlia Torp and Stein Opdahl. We then added Paul Tchir, an Arabic studies specialist, aka Canadian Paul. Paul is also the world’s expert on oldest living Olympians. In the last few years the OlyMADMen expanded to include Ian Morrison, from Britain but now living in Mallorca, Spain; and Canadian Michele Walker, our first female “OlyMADMan” a name for which we now apologize to Michele.
Our level of expertise, and the comprehensive nature of our data, is pretty high. Do we make mistakes? Sadly, yes, because we are 14 humans, but we have more data and stats and expertise on the Olympics than any similar group. We have far more than what can be found in Wikipedia, just for starters. You may know of the www.sports-reference.com/olympics site (SR/olympics), which is very good, but that is actually also our site – a bit more on that in a moment.
In addition to the current base group of 14, which sadly lost original member Magne Teigen by his passing last year, we have a collection of experts in various sports and nationalities that assist us a great deal to make specific corrections to those sports and nations. These include Fernando Arrechea in Spain, Paweł Wudarski of Poland, George Masin for fencing (a former fencing Olympian), Jørn Jensen in Denmark, and several others.
Why do we this? For most of us, it is purely a hobby, but its something we enjoy immensely. We’ve been collecting this data for so long and from so many dedicated experts on the topic, that we now estimate that we have about 185 person-years of work that have produced our databases and information.
In 2008 we produced our first public website, the above mentioned SR/olympics site. That is our data, which is downloaded periodically from the Olympedia.org research site, however, we do not control it as closely, as it is run by sports-reference. However, we get many complimentary comments about this site and this brings us to the true purpose of this post.
SR/olympics will be going away sometime in the not too distant future. The reason for that is within the last few months we have had some good news as we have completed discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have them use www.olympedia.org as part of their Olympic Statistical Database. Because of this, the SR/olympics site will eventually mostly close down, although it will still include Olympic data on baseball, basketball, and ice hockey, to complement the SR data (which is superb) on those sports.
So that’s a bit on who we are, and some information on why we do this. It also lets you know that things will change in the coming months, but eventually you should be able to see Olympedia as a public site managed by the IOC, although we will still provide the updates to the site. In addition, this blog, olympstats.com will remain in its current structure and we will continue to contribute to it.
As the Rio Olympics end, we have enjoyed providing the world with our statistical data and we hope you have found it useful, and perhaps fun to read and study. If we can make it better in anyway in the future, please let us know. You can reach me here or e-mail via [email protected].
Fantastic job Bill and all your colleagues
But will 1906 be officially recognised, that is the big question!
Hi
Your stats are awesome, very helpful indeed. Tried checking Olympidia out for future use, however asks one to login (and it doesn’t allow for sign up) Hopfefully this will be sorted so that the public will be able to access the stats?
Sorry SRC / Olympicsport has been permanently closed. Which website can we follow on the Olympics?
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
Hi, I´m from Argentina. I´ve been using SR/olympics as my number one guide to anything related to te Olympics. It’s heaven for me. Now, accidentally I found this article and I found out who are behind that unique information. I just want to thank everybody involved in this project for sharing all that precious information with us. Thank you very much!
As a frequent user of the Olympic website for Wikipedia (and exchanging informations aswell) I do thank you for your work in the last years. I hope the new site will be as helpful and easy to handle as it was in the past. Please, not too much “media” 🙂
Sorry to see SR/olympics close, but thrilled that hopefully its up and go in 2017 in a new site. I hope that you use much of the same links to the new site, so the sites using SR as source will be easy to change.
I wanted to login in Olympedia, but I forgot my password. Can you please give me the possibility to create a new one. I am a life time member of ISOH.
Thanks for sharing your data through Sports Reference and I very much hope it is maintained through the new website. In particular, the summaries on past Olympic events give insight not found elsewhere.
In terms of preserving the data, have you thought of donating it to the public via Wikidata?
Thanx for your kind words. I think it will be fine when the IOC takes over our data. We have our own private website, http://www.olympedia.org, which is the source for the sports-reference site. Olympedia is what the IOC is purchasing from us and we think Olympedia is even better than SR/olympics, although the styles are little different. I don’t think we can donate stuff to Wikidata because of contractural obligations with the IOC. However, I have been in contact with the Wikipedians who do Olympic stuff and talked to the IOC about this so that we can preserve links for them on Wikipedia so they don’t lose all their references. Hopefully we’ll be able to work that out.
Thanks for your great work with olympic statistics. I am one of those who contribute to Wikipedia about mainly winter olympic results (preferably speed skating) and such related biographies, and I just wonder in what type of time frame do you expect to see these statistics published publicly elsewhere for instance at IOCs websites ? Do you think it will be available in time for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, updated with the 2016 Olympic Summer Games results ? Best regards F. Skillinghaug
Frank – no timeline for when our private site, Olympedia, goes public as the IOC statistical site. We have signed our contracts with the IOC and are now in discussions with the IT people so things are moving along. Sports-reference will stay open until the IOC site becomes available. – Bill M
Good stuff! As long as your group’s work remains available that’s great. The biggest worry is when things disappear. 🙂
Hello,
please for information how to sign in olympmedia.org for the first time. I can’t find the possibilty on the home page.
Thanks in advance.
With very kind regards.
Ivan Poljanec
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
Fantastic job Bill and all your colleagues, Thanks for sharing your data through Sports Reference and I very much hope it is maintained through the new website. In particular, the summaries on past Olympic events give insight not found elsewhere. And also hope that in the future include summaries on the youth olympic games.
It was my number one destination for my work (CBC, 7 OG). What will I do now ??? Can I help ?
Fabtastic jon and greetings from Germany. I hope you come backl
Is it possible to get a password for olympmedia.org?
Best wishes from East Frisia in Germany
Carsten
I am using this olympic-sportsreference site already for years and i am always fascinated by the details and the correct information it provides compared to other web-sites. I am very sorry to read that the site is going to close in the near future and hope you can keep your plans to migrate to IOC-sites.
I just read that you have another site (olympedia.org). I tried to enter it, but without success. Is there a chance for me to get a log-on to this site?
Many thanks
FYI, the term “statistorian” (used in much the same way as you do) was coined in 1971 by Bob Davids. He was the founder of SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
See http://sabr.org/about/founders for additional information.
That said, I’m interested in Olympic statistics, particularly in athletics, so I’ll be back here in the future.
Thanx for letting me know that. I knew I had heard that somewhere. Interesting story about Bob Davids. About 20 years ago I was at the Library of Congress reading newspapers for Olympic research when I saw the guy next to me was also reading all sports pages stuff. It was Bob Davids and we got to meet each other. What a coincidence.
I am a stamp collector who specializes in Olympics and maintains a public website that contains a massive (more than 7500 stamps) checklist “Olympians on Stamps”:
http://hokkej.com/olympians-on-stamps-checklist.htm
I used to copy Olympic stats from Sports-Reference, but now they have discontinued their Olympic stats program, and I desperately need to get the Rio 2016 stats from somewhere. Is there any chance you guys can give me those stats? I’d be willing to pay.
Hi! I am an Olympic fan myself. I started monitoring Olympic results since 1972. I collect books about the Olympics and enjoy reading statistics and information about athletes and their stories. I would like to help out in anyway I can to compile sports information and statistics.
I hope all these statistics on the Olympics are preserved for future fans. Appreciate all the work you guys put into this magnificent data.
Bill,
I was contacted by Dick Fosbury, President of the USA Olympians/Paralympians Association (USOPA), and asked to touch base with you about your site and the future activity of Olympic data gathering. Dick was concerned that his favorite fact checking site might not be accessible in the in the near future and at the same time we thought you might be interested in our new internal activity. We have instituted a Historians Committee with the fundamental purpose locate and archive, when possible, the historical documents of the USOPA founded in 1946 and related materials from the collections of member Olympians and Paralympians. This is only an opening to what we hope will be a long and fruitful conversation. Jack Elder 1972 Luge Olympian Chair USOPA Historians Committee
Do you happen to know any exact dates when the old public site on SR will be shutdown and the IOC statistic site will become available? As long as the suffix behind http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ doesn’t change, the migration strategy of URLs used at Wikipedia should be straightforward. Does somebody take this into consideration? I really hope for a smooth shift…
All the best from a big fan of your work (and of your predecessors like Erich Kamper)!
Thanx for your kind comments. No timeline yet for when new IOC site goes live and SR shuts down
Do the involved parties have also in mind to keep SR up to date while the IOC is not accessible yet? E.g. not all information have been transferred to the public site so far. Take http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/57460 as an example for a death date that can’t be found at http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/petko-sirakov-1.html.
How does one sign up to use Olympedia? I see the ability to ‘sign in’ but not the ability to ‘sign up’
I am happy to see that your data will still be online but I am disappointed it won’t still be tied in with sports reference site as it makes it so easy to have everything sports stats so easy to access. Just my humble opinion.
All the best from a big fan of your work
In getting to know the late legendary writer James Duplacey very well (who contributed to Hockey Reference), he would always praise the Olympic Reference website as the number one site for Olympic content. I have used this regularly the last few years and sad to see it go. Congrats to everyone who contributed to it for making it the elite information source of Olympic information on the web. It is almost like having the Wallechinsky x10 at the source of my finger tips!
I came across your web site after the passing of my father, who was an Olympic field hockey player whose information is featured on your site. I was very impressed with the details of the games he played (down to points won and lost in each match back in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics). I often visit this site to browse the data and imagine what it was like when my father played these matches. I am sad to see this site close down in the future. I sure hope the next site will host all of the same details that I treasure.
Olivia A. Da Silva
I believe it was in 1962 that the IAAF published a ‘new’ scoring table for the decathlon. Do you know where I can obtain a copy of those 1962 tables?
I believe the current tables were published in 1984, but I am looking for a copy of the 1962 tables.
As a local sports historian/researcher in British Columbia, I must commend you on the work you have done and will continue to do. Thanks for your update.
Hi,
I am using Sports Reference a lot, but I saw it’s closing down March 1st.
So is there any chance getting a login for the new website ?
I’ve been using this Olympic sports reference site for years, mainly everything related to swimming. It saddens me to know that the site will close shortly.
I would like to know how I can register on olympedia.org, since I cannot find a link to register.
Greetings.
I too have been using this most fantastic site for years. Surely not all the references are going to be lost, so can you tell me where I can continue to read and use the information?
This is a great site, and I cannot tell you how much I admire all/any contributors for their input, and the subsequent posting of such information.
Well done
How about cross-referencing my Dad’s story, now housed at the Yad Vashem Museum in Jerusalem, “Escape from the Netherlands,” about his escape to America during Nazi-occupied Holland? I am glad to find your brief reference to his hockey-career, but his story is far more important. Want a copy? Just email me!
I have a question with the reference of 1924 Art Olympics in Paris. Could you please e-mail me back? Cannot contact you.
Thanks in advance!
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
How can i register in https://www.olympedia.org/?
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
I regret to say that, unlike many of your other viewers, I have only just this month discovered your marvellous site, and belatedly thank you for your continuing efforts over the years. It would be a tragedy if all your data cannot be maintained into the future.
I am fortunate to be part of a family which includes four Olympians – all rowers – from my father Spencer Grace (London 1948), to his cousin Maurie Grace (Melbourne 1956) then Maurie’s son-in-law Tim Conrad (Montreal 1976) and finally, for now, Maurie’ grandson Sam Conrad (Beijing 2008).
Please don’t let this precious resource you have created be lost.
If it’s of any help I can add detail (that you may not have on file) to some of your bio’s.
Please, please keep up the good work, which continues to be of particular interest to sports-people and their families throughout the world.
Kind regards, stay safe…..Phil Grace (Sydney, Australia)
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
Also, send me info on Spencer Grace’s life and I’ll a bio to his page (https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/35424)
[email protected]
It seems to me a real shame that they had to close the page, I was just starting to do research with their data, I really appreciate all the information they contain and all their work, I absolutely wish that they continue with this great work and database of Olympic athletes, I Really hope to see you again for the Tokyo games
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
Hello,
Firstly, Congratulations for the incredible work you did!! I admire all of you!
I can’t believe It won’t be possible to use this awesome site anymore…I use it a lot because of my job. It’s part of my life! It’s a tragedy!
Please, can you tell me where can I continue to read and use the information? I’ll pay if it’s necessary.
Please don’t end this wonderful source of information.
Thank you
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
Hi guys! Keep us updated about a new website! A so wonderful work you’ve done in so many years can’t be lost!
Best regards
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
I will always miss this site. In looking at swimming and track, one could see preliminaries, semi-final and the final rounds. Splits were given for relays, the bios were terrific (with personal bests in several events). For a real sports fan, this site drilled in much deeper than any other.
Olympedia now open to the public – https://www.olympedia.org/
I told a lot of people it was written about these ugly things that some colleagues did to me at the 3 Olympics I qualified for: Tokyo, Mexico and Munich. During the break from the middle of the Olympic competition in Tokyo, we were in the first 3 athletes competing for a medal. Unbeknownst to me, the gun was taken from me by a colleague who broke its mechanism. It was a tragedy for me to take 6th place after the last competitions I had always won first place. In Mexico, a week before the Olympic competition, a colleague told me what he did with my future wife. In the next 2 days I lost 6 kg. I hardly managed to recover and win the silver medal. Before 2 weeks of the Munich Olympics when I was already qualified for the Munich Olympics with very good results, I was subjected to unimaginable treatments and removed for no reason from the team for the Olympics. I only got there in reserve. The colleague who was put in my place obtained a very poor result and for the first time Romania did not obtain a medal for pistol Speed at the Olympics.