Olympic Memories

I used to love watching Steve Cramm run with his blond curls. Also Sally Gunnell and Colin Jackson going over the hurdles.

mick who were those cyclists you raced against?

Are you a mamil, mick?.

The cycling has been great, hasn't it? Bonkers, but great.

I finally understood what was going on in the Omnium and was so pleased for Cavendish when he won a silver.

Can't wait for the women's omnium now. Go Trott.

My Olympic memories are with cycling, having raced against some of them in Time Trials notably Mexico 68, and Munich 72.
And have been involved with a cycling organisation, where annual dinners many attended.
Mick

Have you noticed that modern athletes are generally taller and more muscular than they used to be? Apart from long distance runners who always seem to be skinny.I wouldn't have a chance at 5'3".
And I read that trainers search out swimmers who are fish-shaped - tall with powerful upper body, long arms, short legs.

not Ovett is living in Australia and working as a commentator.

Ovett was placed behind Alberto Juantorena. another one of my memorable athletes, in the 1976 Games. Jauntorena had legs up to his armpits, as I recall.

Must stop all this nostalgia,now and do something useful for a change.

Ovett is still around, I think. Coe was always the smoother one (which is why I preferred Ovett).

Anyone remember Flo-Jo Griffith-Joyner? All glammed up like Joan Collins on speed..

And the Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova who looked like a bloke? (no doubt pumped up on steroids and worse).

And the constant stream of Kenyan long distance runners with names beginning with K-Keino, Kiprotich, Kipyego,...all brilliant and somehow interchangeable.

Soon Bolt, Ennis, Ohurugu etc will be history...

I loved the Seb Coe/Steve Ovett rivalry and always wanted Ovett to win. He was definitely more sexy than Coe! We all know what happened to Coe but what happened to Ovett? I'll have to look him up on Wiki.

Let's not forget Mohammad Ali ,

annodomini, it was the same for Jesse Owens, four gold medals , when he returned to America a reception was given in his honour but he was not allowed even to enter the banquet floor unless via the freight elevator

I heard the radio commentary on Fanny Blankers-Coen in 1948. From that moment, I became fixated on Olympics and was thrilled when we got TV in the early 1950s. Remember Wilma Rudolph and the Tennessee Tigerbelles? They put African American women on the athletics map, but when the Rome Olympics ended, and they went home to USA, they were still treated as second class citizens.

I don't expect many of you remember Fanny Blankers-Coen? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Blankers-Koen
It was in 1948, the London Olympics, I must have listened on the radio.
She was an inspiration for me because I was a good runner (not as good as her though!)
Then later Olga Korbut, the Russian gymnast who was wonderful to watch.
I liked Steve Cram too, I think he's still around, commentating?

I think Mo's just taken over from Haile, ab

So many memories,difficult to choose , I think Haile Gerbsallassi , two golds and regarded the greatest long distance runner of all time

I don't quite remember Bob Beamon, but I DO remember Lyn Davies' attempts to beat that jump. It was incredible.

And yes, Derek Redmond. That was quite a moment.

Never liked ice skating, though. Wasted on me, that. And I can't get excited about the golf, either.

Derek Redman's dad jumping down onto the track to help him to finish after he pulled his hamstring and them both being cheered around the track. Wonderfully moving

Loved the Protopopovs although I think they were pairs skaters not dancers.

Remember Bob Beaman doing that incredible long jump? I remember poor Lilian Board because she was quite local to us.

Those wonderful French ice dancers a few years ago. He had long blonde hair and she had long red hair and they wore wonderful costumes.

How could I have forgotten to mention John Currie, lovely performer.
Gettingonabit, you`re right of course, Mary Decker, not Rand, Mary Rand was Bignall before marriage if I remember rightly this time.
And Alima, I remember Lillian Board, such a shame she died so young, at the peak of her career, wasn`t her horse called Psalm?

I loved watching the skaters, we used to have so many at the top. John Curry in the '76 Games and that wonderful routine, I can see it now.
Does anyone remember Lillian Board, a silver at the Mexico Games and so full of promise before she died so tragically young.

I remember the Protopopovs - they were ice dancers the best till Torville and Dean. My favourite summer olympic moment was Linford Christie's Gold.

It's great how the Paralympics have developed. Tanni GT is a fantastic ambassador.

No Oscar Pistorius this time.

Does anyone remember the South African runner who had to take a sex test because everyone thought she was a man?

Paralympics.
Tanni Grey-Thompson

Super Saturday - so exciting

Mary Rand I only just about remember.

But afaik Budd tripped Mary Decker.

They were both on the One Show the other night.

Mary Peters was lovely, wasn't she?

Well then...
Torvill & Dean
John Curry
Robin Cousins

Not forgetting
Eddie The Eagle