ROME (1960)

The eternal city staged a stylish Olympics against the classic backdrop of ancient Rome.

The eternal city staged a stylish Olympics against the classic backdrop of ancient Rome.

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The incomparably graceful American sprinter Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals. Australia's Herb Elliott set a world record in the 1,500 metres, winning by a record margin of 2.8 seconds.

Abebe Bikila padded barefoot along the Appian Way to win the marathon and become the first of the great Ethiopian Olympic champions. American Raefer Johnson narrowly won a tremendous decathlon competition ahead of university team mate Chuan-Kwang Yang of Taiwan.

Paul Elvstrom won a fourth consecutive individual gold in dinghy sailing and Greece's Crown Prince Constantine won the Dragon class yachting. An extrovert young American called Cassius Clay, later to win enduring fame under his adopted Muslim name of Muhammad Ali, won the light-heavyweight boxing title.

At the finish of a memorable Games, the Soviet Union trumpeted the superiority of their system after winning 103 medals to the United States's 71.