Most Memorable Olympic Moments

[OrvilleAtkins]

This will be a good thread MoMoNoMo.
I just got back from Canada late last night and am returning on Aug 2nd so will be able to watch Canadian coverage also. I have seen very little TV coverage of the Olympic Track and Field and the other sports since I have been to 7 Olympics. I make a point of seeing all Track and Field Semi-finals and finals on those trips. I have so many memories. There is an active thread on here about Billy Mills and the first Olympic Final I saw live. I rate Tokyo as my most memorable Olympics. It was my first. Usually ones first Olympics is their most memorable. In 1968, I got to meet Bill Bowerman in the Olympic village for part of an afternoon since i was travelling with Peter Mundle who was one of Coach Bowerman's firt athletes. That year I also met Canadian Marathon runner Peter Buniak in the Athlete's Village. As Jerome Drayton he set the existing Canadian Marathon record in Fuluoka in 1975 .

[MoMoNoMo]

Thanks for that, Orville!

Here are some great photos from Olympics past -- including (No. 13), the iconic photo of Mary Decker's intense frustration after falling in the 3000m final in the L.A. Olympics.

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/0...-endurance/?hp

[wineturtle]

Two of the three American's fell in that race Joan Hansen went down a lap before Little Rude Mary did-got up to finish 8th- and one of my favorite runners Cindy Bremser was 4th ~half a second behind Williams


)1Maricica Puică ROU 8:35.96OR
2Wendy Sly GBR 8:39.47
3Lynn Williams CAN 8:42.14
4Cindy Bremser USA 8:42.78
5Cornelia Bürki SUI
6Aurora Cunha POR
7Zola Budd GBR
8Joan Hansen USA
9Dianne Rodger NZL
10Agnese Possamai ITA
ACBrigitte Kraus FRG
ACMary Decker USA
Olympedia.com race recap-

The heavy favorite in this event was America’s Mary Decker who had shocked the Europeans when she won the 1,500 and 3,000 at the inaugural World Championships in 1983. But Decker was not running as well in 1984, and she elected to drop out of the 1,500 after finishing second at the Olympic Trials, deciding to concentrate on the 3,000. Her biggest challenge was expected to come from Romania’s Maricica Puică, who had been the world best in this event in 1981. Much of the pre-race hype, however, focused on South African Zola Budd, an 18-year-old prodigy who had been ranked #1 in the world in 1983 in the 5,000 metres. Budd also ran barefooted, which added to her allure. The problem was that in 1984 South Africa was not affiliated with the IOC, having been banned in 1968 because of apartheid and the fact that South Africa would not allow blacks to compete equally in sports. But Budd had an out. Her father’s father was British so she could legally apply for citizenship there if she set up residence in Great Britain. A few months before the Olympics she and her parents moved to Britain and shortly thereafter, she was granted British citizenship.
The stage was set for a top race, and all three runners made the final easily. In the final, Decker led the field thru the first 1,000. At 1,700 metres, she and Budd collided and Decker fell to the track. She had injured her hip and was unable to continue, crying on the infield, as the field continued. Budd was shaken, as Decker had been her idol, and she was further shaken when the American crowd booed her mercilessly throughout the race. Puică and Wendy Sly (GBR) went to the fore just before the bell and Budd could not respond. Puică took the lead on the final backstretch and won quite comfortably, with Sly holding on for the silver medal. Budd would finish seventh. After the race, Budd tried to apologize to Decker, who was quite angry, and ungraciously refused her apology. Budd was initially disqualified for the incident but after review of race tapes, it was determined that she was not at fault and her place was allowed to stand.

[Ruth Wysocki]

3rd American was Joan Hansen.

[MoMoNoMo]

Here's a nice "Hangout" with Shalane Flanagan talking about her preparations and expectations for the marathon in London: https://plus.google.com/events/ctjsb...16333816995401

[wineturtle]

BETTING ODDS ON OGs




http://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/Ol...Men-t210002702


http://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/Ol...men-t210002703

[MoMoNoMo]

This is too good: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetorch/20...medium=twitter

[MoMoNoMo]

25 Athletes to Watch...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/27/sp...-watch.html?hp