London Olympics 1948 – in pictures

The torch bearer enters Wembley stadium for the opening ceremony Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

The opening day of the Olympic Games Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

American swimmers Eugene Rogers and Bill Dudley at the Empire Pool in Wembley Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

The 100m women's semi-final, which was won by Dorothy Manley of Great Britain wearing vest 691, with Patricia Jones of Canada wearing vest 679 coming second, and Daphne Robb of South Africa wearing vest 905 third. Manley won a silver medal in the final Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Crowds watch the 1948 London Olympics in the summer heat Photograph: Picture Post/Getty Images

Great Britain pair Jack Wilson and Ran Laurie receive their gold medals in rowing Photograph: PPP

Cissie Davies of Great Britain on the balance beam at Empress Hall, Earl's Court, during the gymnastics events Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

The Danish competitor Major Mikkelsen fails to win the jumping test event as his horse, St Hans, demolishes a fence. The test was part of the three-day equestrian event Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

Irving Mondschein of the US, Enrique Kistenmacher of Argentina and Edward Adamczyk of Poland competing in a men's decathlon 1500m heat Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

Workmen use forks to help drain the track at Wembley stadium after a weekend of heavy rain Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

Great Britain's Reg Harris and Alan Bannister in action to win the silver medal in the men's 2000m tandem Photograph: PPP

The Dutch athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen leaving the track after winnng the gold in the 200m Photograph: Getty Images

Jamshid Fani of Iran, left, and Armand Savoie of Canada compete in the featherweight boxing competition. Savoie won the match Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Fencers competing in the second leg of the modern pentathlon event at Aldershot, Hampshire Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

The medal ceremony after the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final at the Empire Pool. The United States, Hungary and France took gold, silver and bronze respectively Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

American divers. Left to right: Vickie Draves, Juno Stover-Irwin, Zoe Olsen-Jensen and Patricia Elsener. Draves later won two gold medals at the Games, with Olsen-Jensen taking a silver, and Elsener a bronze Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

Radio commentators in the stands at Wembley stadium during the Games Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images