Medal Standings   Gold Silver Bronze Total United States 40 19 17 76 USSR 22 30 19 71 Hungary 16 10 16 42 Sweden 12 13 10 35 Italy 8 9 4 21 Czechoslovakia 7 3 3 13 France 6 6 6 18 Finland 6 3 13 22 Australia 6 2 3 11 Norway 3 2 0 5   Canada 1 2 0 3 CANADIAN MEDAL WINNERS Medal Event Patrick Genereux Gold Shooting-Trap T.Hawgood / K.Lane Silver C-2 10,000 m Gerald Gratton Silver Weightlifting-Middleweight

Following an aborted attempt to stage the Olympics in Helsinki in 1940, the Finnish city finally plays host to the Games becoming only the second Scandanavian city to host the Olympics in 40 years. In fact, the 1952 Games were so well organized and run that some suggested the Olympics be permanently staged in Scandinavia.

The 15th modern Olympiad also marks the return of the Soviet Union to Olympic competition for the first time in 40-years. It was also considered the last time that the Soviets and Americans competed without the spectre of the Cold War in the background.

Despite sending its largest delegation to date to the Olympics, Canadian athletes can only manage to win a total of three medals. George Genereux, a 17-year-old high school student, captures gold in Shooting, becoming the first Canadian gold medalist since 1936. He defeated Sweden's Knut Holmqvist in a nerve-wracking final, 192-191. Gilmour Boa shot 399 out of 400 in small bore rifle - but that was only good for 4th place.

Canada's rowing shells were severely damaged in a ships storeroom on the way over to Finland. The Soviets offered Canada the use of some of their boats, but Canada politely declined. The Canadian team elected to try and repair their damaged boats but to no avail. Rowers eventually had to borrow boats from the Swedish delegation, but it was all for naught.

The 1952 Olympics also saw an American athlete by the name of Frank Havens win the gold medal in the 10,000 metre canoeing event. Twenty-eight years ago, his father Bill Havens was selected to the U.S. team in the coxed eights rowing event but declined the invitation in order to be with his wife, who was expecting their first child. That child was Frank.