The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad and commonly known as Rome 1960, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awarded the administration of the 1908 Summer Olympics, but following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906, the city had no choice but to decline and pass the honour to London. The Soviet Union won the most gold and overall medals at the 1960 Games.
Denmark competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 100 competitors, 88 men and 12 women, took part in 46 events in 15 sports. Cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen died during the team time trial.
Finland competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 117 competitors, 107 men and 10 women, took part in 92 events in 14 sports.
New Zealand at the 1960 Summer Olympics was represented by a team of 37 competitors, 33 men and four women, who took part in 28 events across nine sports. Selection of the team for the Games in Rome, Italy, was the responsibility of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association. New Zealand's flagbearer at the opening ceremony was Les Mills. Harold Austad was the team's Chef de Mission. The New Zealand team finished 14th on the medal table, winning a total of three medals, two of which were gold.
Australia competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 189 competitors, 160 men and 29 women, took part in 122 events in 17 sports. Australian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games.
Belgium competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 101 competitors, 93 men and 8 women, took part in 64 events in 16 sports.
Venezuela competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy. 36 competitors, 31 men and 5 women, were selected by the Comité Olímpico Venezolano to take part in 26 events in 9 sports. The Venezuelan representation was similar to that of the Helsinki Games that awarded the country first olympic medal but including for the first time a Venezuelan sailing and weightlifting representation. The sporting shooter Enrico Forcella won the nation's second ever Olympic medal and to date solely Olympic medallist in shooting. Women's return after being absent from the previous game, competing in fencing like before but also for the first time in swimming.
Knud Enemark Jensen was a Danish cyclist who died while participating in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. During his career, he was involved in an early doping scandal.
Austria competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 103 competitors, 82 men and 21 women, took part in 81 events in 15 sports.
Italy was the host nation for the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. It was the first time that the nation had hosted the Summer Games, and the second time overall. It also hosted the 1960 Summer Paralympics in Rome – the inaugural Paralympic Games.
Japan competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 162 competitors, 142 men and 20 women, took part in 96 events in 17 sports. As the country hosted the next Olympics in Tokyo, a Japanese segment was performed at the closing ceremony.
Mexico competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 69 competitors, 63 men and 6 women, took part in 54 events in 14 sports.
Brazil competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 72 competitors, 71 men and 1 woman, took part in 35 events in 14 sports. Brazilians obtained two bronze medals in Rome. The swimmer Manuel dos Santos was a bronze medalist in men's 100 metre freestyle. The men's basketball team also won the bronze medal. Flagbearer and defending two-time Olympic champion Adhemar Ferreira da Silva could not repeat his performance and placed fourteenth in the triple jump,
Colombia competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. 16 competitors, all men, took part in 13 events in 5 sports.
The men's 100 metre freestyle event at the 1960 Olympic Games took place between August 26 and 27. There were 51 competitors from 34 nations. Nations were limited to two swimmers each, down from three in previous Games. The event was won by John Devitt of Australia over Lance Larson of the United States in a controversial, disputed finish that resulted in a push for electronic timing. It was Australia's second consecutive victory in the event, third-most all-time behind the United States' 7 gold medals and Hungary's 3. Devitt, silver medalist four years earlier, was the fifth man to win multiple medals in the event. Manuel dos Santos earned Brazil's first medal in the men's 100 metre freestyle with his bronze.
The 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team competed in the Games of the XVII Olympiad, representing the United States of America. The USA team, coached by California Golden Bears head coach Pete Newell, dominated the competition, winning its games by an average of 42.4 points per game. The team is considered by many to be the best amateur level basketball team of all time, and was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a unit, in 2010.
The men's individual road race at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, was held on 30 August 1960. There were 142 participants from 42 nations. Each nation could enter up to four cyclists. Of the 142 starters 76 rode the distance to the end. The event was won by Viktor Kapitonov of the Soviet Union, the nation's first medal in the event. Livio Trapè of Italy took silver, putting that country on the podium for the second consecutive Games. Willy Vanden Berghen's bronze gave Belgium its fourth medal in four Games.
The men's track time trial at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, was held on 26 August 1960. There were 25 participants from 25 nations, with each nation limited to one competitor. The event was won by Sante Gaiardoni of Italy, the nation's second consecutive victory and third consecutive podium appearance in the men's track time trial. Dieter Gieseler won the United Team of Germany's first medal in the event in its first appearance with his silver; it was the first medal for a German athelte since 1936. Rostislav Vargashkin's bronze was the first medal for the Soviet Union in the event.
The men's team pursuit at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy was held from 27 to 29 August 1960. There were 76 participants from 19 nations.
Jørgen Jørgensen is a Danish former cyclist. He competed in the 100 km cycling team time trial at the 1960 Summer Olympics as a member of the four-man Danish team alongside Knud Enemark Jensen, Niels Baunsøe, and Vagn Bangsborg. The event was held on 26 August 1960 at the Viale Cristoforo Colombo in Rome, and the temperatures during the race reached 42 °C (108 °F). He dropped out of the race during the first lap due to heat stroke.
