Venues of the 1968 Summer Olympics
For the 1968 Summer Olympics, a total of twenty-five sports venues were used. Most of the venues were constructed after Mexico City was awarded the 1968 Games. Mexican efforts in determining wind measurement led to sixteen world records in athletics at the University Olympic Stadium. All four of the football venues used for these games would also be used for both of the occurrences that Mexico hosted the FIFA World Cup, in 1970 and 1986.
![](../I/m/Olympic_Summer_Games_1968_Closing.jpg)
Venues
Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Agustín Melgar Olympic Velodrome | Cycling (track) | 3,000 | [1] |
Arena México | Boxing | 16,236 | [2] |
Avándaro Golf Club | Equestrian (eventing) | Not listed. | [3] |
Campo Marte | Equestrian (dressage, jumping individual) | 7,885 (jumping) 4,990 (dressage) |
[3] |
Campo Militar 1 | Modern pentathlon (riding, running) | Not listed. | [4] |
Club de Yates de Acapulco | Sailing | Not listed. | [5] |
Estadio Azteca | Football (final) | 104,000 | [6] |
Estadio Cuauhtémoc (Puebla) | Football preliminaries | 35,563 | [7] |
Estadio Jalisco (Guadalajara) | Football preliminaries | 31,891 | [4] |
Estadio Nou Camp (León) | Football preliminaries | 23,609 | [4] |
Estadio Olímpico Universitario | Athletics (includes 20 km and 50 km walks), Ceremonies (opening/ closing), Equestrian (jumping team) | 83,700 | [5] |
Fernando Montes de Oca Fencing Hall | Fencing, Modern pentathlon (fencing) | 3,000 | [1] |
Francisco Márquez Olympic Pool | Diving, Modern pentathlon (swimming), Swimming, Water polo | 15,000 | [8] |
Arena Insurgentes | Wrestling | 3,386 | [2] |
Insurgentes Theater | Weightlifting | 1,100 | [2] |
Juan de la Barrera Olympic Gymnasium | Volleyball | 5,242 | [9] |
Juan Escutia Sports Palace | Basketball, Volleyball | 22,370 | [8] |
Municipal Stadium | Field hockey | 7,360 | [10] |
National Auditorium | Gymnastics | 12,450 | [3] |
Arena Revolución | Volleyball | 1,500 | [2] |
Satellite Circuit | Cycling (road) | Not listed | [11][12] |
University City Swimming Pool | Water polo | 4,993 | [4] |
Vicente Suárez Shooting Range | Modern pentathlon (shooting), Shooting | Not listed. | [13] |
Virgilio Uribe Rowing and Canoeing Course | Canoeing, Rowing | 17,600 | [14] |
Zócalo | Athletics (marathon start) | Not listed | [15] |
Before the Olympics
Mexico City hosted the Pan American Games in 1955.[16] The city submitted its bid for the 1968 Summer Games to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in December 1962 and was awarded the games ten months later at the IOC meeting in Baden-Baden, West Germany (Germany since October 1990).[17] Critical path method was used with the help of computers to guide through 88 separate projects related to the 1968 Games.[18] The Olympic Stadium was constructed in 1952 for the 1955 Pan American Games.[5] Most of the venues were constructed from the late 1950s to September 1968.[19]
During the Olympics
Wind measurement at the Olympic Stadium along with the 2,245 m (7,365 ft) altitude were factors in the number of world records set there. The International Association of Athletics Federations (then International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF)) has rules to where the maximum allowed wind speed is 2.0 m/s (4.5 mph).[20] World records were set in the men's 100 m, men's 200 m, men's 400 m, men's 800 m, men's 110 m hurdles, men's 400 m hurdles, men's 4 x 100 m relay, men's 4 x 400 m relay, men's long jump, men's triple jump, women's 100 m, women's 200 m, women's 800 m, women's 80 m hurdles, women's 4 x 100 m relay, and the women's long jump.[21] Mexico's methods of wind measurement had readings of the women's 200 m was exactly 2.0 m/s.[22] This same recording of exactly 2.0 m/s was registered in the men's long jump when American Bob Beamon made his famous 8.90 m (29 ft 2 in) jump.[22] It was also the same exact wind reading during the men's triple jump when Brazil's Nelson Prudencio and Viktor Saneyev of the Soviet Union set their world record jumps.[22]
After the Olympics
All four of the football venues would act as stadia for the FIFA World Cup when it came to Mexico in 1970.[23][24][25][26] Aztec Stadium would host the final between Brazil and Italy.[27]
The canoeing and rowing course would host the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in 1974 and 1994.[28]
When the Pan American Games returned to Mexico City in 1975, Aztec Stadium served as the ceremonies venue.[29]
In 1986, the FIFA World Cup returned to Mexico and the four football stadiums used for the 1968 Games and 1970 WC were used again as stadia along with the Olympic Stadium.[30][31][32][33][34] Aztec Stadium became the first (and as of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, only) venue to host the FIFA World Cup final twice when it hosted the final between Argentina and West Germany.[35]
Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara served as a football venue for the 2011 Pan American Games.[36]
References
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. Part 2. p. 74. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 78. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 77. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 79. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 76. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 78-9. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 75-6. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 72. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 72, 74. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 76-7. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- Sports-reference.com Mexico City Summer Olympics cycling 23 October 1968 men's individual road race results. Accessed 4 November 2010.
- Sports-reference.com Mexico City Summer Olympics cycling 15 October 1968 men's road team time trial results. Accessed 4 November 2010.
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 74-75. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 75. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- Sports-reference.com Mexico City Summer Olympics athletics 20 October 1968 men's marathon results. Accessed 4 November 2010.
- LA84foundation.org listing of the 1955 Pan American Games. Archived 2010-05-06 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 4 November 2010.
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 11, 13. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. p. 22. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. Part 1. pp. 71-80. Accessed 4 November 2010. (in English and French)
- IAAF.org 2010-1 Competition rules. Archived 2010-12-17 at the Wayback Machine pp. 142, 176. 1 November 2009 accessed 4 November 2010.
- 1968 Summer Olympics official report. Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine Volume 3. Part 2. pp. 521-5, 528, 534-5, 537. Accessed 5 November 2010. (in English and French)
- Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Women): 200 Meters". In The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 298.
- FIFA.com World Cup Mexico City Azteca 31 May 1970 MEX-URS match results. Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Puebla Cuauhtemoc 2 June 1970 URU-ISR match results. Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Guadalajara Jalisco 3 June 1970 BRA-TCH match results. Archived 17 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Leon Nou Camp 6 June 1970 PER-MAR match results. Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA World Cup Mexico City Azteca 21 June 1970 BRA-ITA final results. Archived 25 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- Sports123.com ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships men's K-1 1000 m results: 1938-2009. Archived 2011-05-18 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- LA84Foundation.org profile of the 1975 Pan American Games. Archived 2010-11-24 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Mexico City Azteca 31 May 1986 BUL-ITA match results. Archived 1 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Mexico City University Olympic Stadium 2 June 1986 ARG-KOR match results. Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Puebla Cuauhtemoc 5 June 1986 ITA-ARG match results. Archived 16 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Leon Nou Camp 9 June 1986 HUN-FRA match results. Archived 11 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Guadalajara Jalisco 6 June 1986 BRA-ALG match results. Archived 15 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- FIFA.com World Cup Mexico City Azteca 29 June 1986 ARG-FRG final match results. Archived 29 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 November 2010.
- 2011 Pan American Games profile of Jalisco Stadium. Accessed 5 November 2010. (in English and Spanish)