Video: The Olympic Games of 1908 and 1948

In the June issue of History Today, we prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games by looking back at the two previous occasions where London played host city. In his article, David Runciman explores the changing relationship beween politics and sport over the last century.

Below are a few clips from the 1908 and 1948 Olympics.

Firstly, here's some footage from the controversial 1908 marathon (ignore the slightly cheesy modern performances, the archive clips are worth it):

A slideshow of images from 1908 can be seen in this video -- best viewed with the sound off:

Here's a clip from the official video of the 1948 Games:

Below is footage of Fanny Elsje Blankers'Koen, the 30-year old Dutch woman who was the most successful athlete at the 1948 games, winning four gold medals:

Read David Runciman's piece on London's Olympic history in the June issue of History Today.