Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated November 23, 1956: XVI Olympiad begins

The 16th Olympiad, the world's greatest amateur sports festival, swung into action in Melbourne on November 22, as the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the Games, welcoming more than 4,000 athletes from 69 nations. A capacity crowd of 110,000 heard the Duke say: "I declare open the Olympic Games of 1956, celebrating the 16th Olympiad of the modern era." A blazing sun shone, sending temperatures soaring into the 80s and bringing welcome relief to the athletes who, during the past few days, had been shivering in track suits and overcoats. Greece, home of the ancient Olympics, led the parade of athletes who marched round the track to take up their positions on the grassy centre field. The nations followed in alphabetical order, except for Australia which, as host nation, brought up the rear. The Indian delegation marched past, clad in turbans and emerald-green jackets. The delegation included a woman athlete wearing a sari.

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