It is not well known, but in the early years of the Modern Olympic Games, from 1906-1920, a number of IOC Challenge Trophies were awarded. These were special trophies that were donated, usually by quite prominent persons, and the trophies were given to the winners of the various events on a temporary basis. The trophies were in addition to the gold medal awards, and had to be returned to the IOC prior to the next Olympic Games.
At the 1908 Olympic Games in London there were 12 challenges. Three more were donated at the 13th IOC Session (1910). When further challenges came to the IOC in 1911 it was then decided that no further Challenge Trophies would be accepted. Some of the challenge trophies were not awarded and strangely, a few of the challenges were for the same events. The last three challenge trophies that were donated were never awarded and the event for which they were to be given was also never announced.
At the 22nd IOC Session in Rome on 12 April 1923, the IOC discontinued the practice of awarding challenge trophies. Most of the trophies still reside in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. In 1946, the Baroness de Coubertin, widow of Pierre de Coubertin, donated a final challenge trophy that was never awarded. The other two trophies that were never awarded were donated by the Czechoslovakian President and the Italian Gymnastics Federation.
The most well-known challenge trophy was that won by Jim Thorpe in 1912 for the decathlon, given by the Russian Emperor. When Thorpe’s medals were returned by the IOC in 1982, the family questioned if they should also receive the challenge trophy, but as stated, these were to be temporary and returned to the IOC at the next Olympics, so after 1920, Thorpe’s family had no official claim to them.
Here are the lists of all the Challenge Trophies awarded, from 1906-1920:
Donor (Event) | 1906 |
---|---|
Unknown Donor (ancient pentathlon) | Hjalmar Mellander |
Donor (Event) | 1908 |
---|---|
Mme. de Montgomery (discus throw) | Martin Sheridan |
Gold & Silversmiths (heavyweight wrestling) | Richárd Weisz |
The Football Association (football) | Great Britain |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (coxed eights rowing) | Great Britain |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (1500 swimming) | Henry Taylor |
Lord Westbury (clay trap shooting) | Walter Ewing |
King of Greece (marathon footrace) | Johnny Hayes |
The English Fencers (épée team) | France |
City of Prague (individual gymnastics) | Alberto Braglia |
French Government (6 metre yachting) | Great Britain |
Prince of Wales (100 km cycling) | Charles Bartlett |
Hurlingham Club (polo) | Great Britain |
Donor (Event) | 1912 |
---|---|
Mme. de Montgomery (discus throw) | Armas Taipale |
Gold & Silversmiths (heavyweight wrestling) | Yrjö Saarela |
The Football Association (football) | Great Britain |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (coxed eights rowing) | Great Britain |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (1500 swimming) | George Hodgson |
Lord Westbury (clay trap shooting) | James Graham |
King of Greece (marathon footrace) | Kenneth McArthur |
The English Fencers (épée team) | Belgium |
City of Prague (individual gymnastics) | Alberto Braglia |
French Government (6 metre yachting) | France |
King of Sweden (pentathlon) | Jim Thorpe |
Swedish Calvary (overall equestrian) | Sweden |
Pierre de Coubertin (modern pentathlon) | Gösta Lilliehöök |
King of Italy (show jumping team) | Sweden |
Contessa Casa de Miranda (women’s platform) | Greta Johansson |
Russian Emperor (decathlon) | Jim Thorpe |
German Emperor (show jumping team) | Sweden |
Austrian Emperor (dressage individual) | Carl Bonde |
City of Budapest (sabre team) | Hungary |
Géza Andressy (show jumping individual) | Jean Cariou |
Donor (Event) | 1920 |
---|---|
Mme. de Montgomery (discus throw) | Elmer Niklander |
Gold & Silversmiths (heavyweight wrestling) | Adolf Lindfors |
The Football Association (football) | Belgium |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (coxed eights rowing) | United States |
Brunetta d’Usseaux (1500 swimming) | Norman Ross |
Lord Westbury (clay trap shooting) | Mark Arie |
King of Sweden (pentathlon) | Eero Lehtonen |
Swedish Calvary (overall equestrian) | Sweden |
Pierre de Coubertin (modern pentathlon) | Gustaf Dyrssen |
King of Italy (show jumping team) | Sweden |
Contessa Casa de Miranda (women’s platform) | Stefanie Clausen |