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A fanfare of trumpets played by the "Faithful Followers of Vitorchiano" announced the commencement of the parade of the athletes who marched to the accompaniment of military marches. The flagbearers of the teams saluted the Head of the Italian State and the other Government Authorities in accordance with the custom of each respective Country.

The Greek team led the parade by virtue of a privilege accorded to them in each Olympiad. The teams marched in ranks of four along the track of the Stadium and subsequently turned off to take up their positions in the centre of the grass field. After the Greeks, the other teams marched in parade order in accordance with Italian alphabetical order. The Italian cars closed the automobile parade. Each team took up its position in the space allotted to it, thus creating a final picture of brilliant but harmonious color.

At the end of the parade, all the teams made their way to the oval space at the center of the field and, maintaining their formation, took up their stand in the space behind a front line marked with the initials of each Nation. The name-board bearers and the flagbearers reached the marshalling points indicated in positions opposite their own teams.