The small European country of Luxembourg sent Josef Henri “Josy” Barthel to the XV Olympiad in Helsinki, Finland. Counting both winter and summer Olympics, Luxembourg has only one two gold medals, and the French Olympic team claimed one of those medals.

Olympic historians credit Michel Théatro, who competed for France in the 1900 Marathon, as the first gold medalist for Luxembourg. However, Josy Barthel still distinguishes himself as only citizen from Luxembourg, who competed for the country of Luxembourg, to win Olympic gold in any sport.

The Nazi’s executed Barthel’s coach in 1944.

Barthel represented his country in the 1948 London Olympics and placed ninth in the 1,500-meter final.

In 1952, Barthel ran a powerful race in the 1,500 meters and earned a gold medal. At the time, Barthel and the athletic world believed that Barthel had won the only gold medal that Luxembourg had ever earned in any Olympic event. Bob McMillen of the United States had the same time as Barthel and placed second while running the fastest 1,500 ever run by an American. McMillen shared the Olympic record with Barthel.

The Olympic band did not have sheet music for the Luxembourgish national anthem and played another song while Barthel cried and stood on the podium to receive his medal.

Olympedia, OlyMADMen, ed. s.v. “Michel Théatro,” accessed June 27, 2020, http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68519; Asa S. Bushnell, ed., United States 1952 Olympic Book, Quadrennial Report United States Olympic Committee: Games of the XVth Olympiad Helsinki, Finland July 19 to August 3, 1952, VI Olympic Winter Games Oslo, Norway February 14 to 25, 1952, 1^st Pan American Games Buenos Aires, Argentina February 25 to March 8, 1951, (New York: United States Olympic Association, 1953), 86-87. Pierre Gricius, “When Tears Write History: Josy Barthel, Luxembourg’s Only Olympic Champion, Was Born 90 Years Ago,” Journal of Olympic History 25, No. 2 (2017): 48, http://isoh.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/332.pdf; “The Olympic Gold Medal that Surprised Even the Organizers,” Olympics on the Record, Olympic Channel, YouTube video, 3:59, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW3NKCy3BMQ. Olympic Century: Josy Barthel – The One and Only, Part 1 (olympic-century.blogspot.com)