|
Performances at the 1968 Mexico City games were affected, to a greater or lesser extent by the altitude of the host city. No event was affected more than the long jump. In a previously tight competition US athlete Bob Beamon jumped 8.90m, destroying the world record and, in the words of fellow competitor and reigning champion Lynn Davies "making the rest of us look silly." Beamon's World Record would stand for 23 years. Also of note was the medal ceremonies of Tommie Smith and John Carlos who each gave the "Black Power" salute on the podium. Their protest brought rapid condemnation from the US Team and the International Olympic Committee, but generated much sympathy elsewhere. |
|
Performances at the 1968 Mexico City games were affected, to a greater or lesser extent by the altitude of the host city. No event was affected more than the long jump. In a previously tight competition US athlete Bob Beamon jumped 8.90m, destroying the world record and, in the words of fellow competitor and reigning champion Lynn Davies "making the rest of us look silly." Beamon's World Record would stand for 23 years. Also of note was the medal ceremonies of Tommie Smith and John Carlos who each gave the "Black Power" salute on the podium. Their protest brought rapid condemnation from the US Team and the International Olympic Committee, but generated much sympathy elsewhere. |
|
Politics again intervened at Munich in 1972, but with far more tragic consequences. An extreme Palestinian terrorist group named Black September invaded the Olympic village and held several members of the Israeli weightlifting team hostage, and killed two of them. The terrorists demanded that Israel release numerous Arab prisoners and when the Israelis refused to make concessions a tense stand off ensued while negotiations continued. Eventually the captors, still holding their hostages, were offered safe passage and taken to an airport, where they were ambushed by German security forces. In the firefight that followed 15 people, including the remaining 9 Israeli athletes and all but one of the terrorists were killed. After much debate, it was decided that the Games continue, but proceeding were obviously dominated by the earlier events. |
|
Politics again intervened at Munich in 1972, but with far more tragic consequences. An extreme Palestinian terrorist group named Black September invaded the Olympic village and held several members of the Israeli weightlifting team hostage, and killed two of them. The terrorists demanded that Israel release numerous Arab prisoners and when the Israelis refused to make concessions a tense stand off ensued while negotiations continued. Eventually the captors, still holding their hostages, were offered safe passage and taken to an airport, where they were ambushed by German security forces. In the firefight that followed 15 people, including the remaining 9 Israeli athletes and all but one of the terrorists were killed. After much debate, it was decided that the Games continue, but proceedings were obviously dominated by the earlier events. Some memorable athletic achievements did occur during these game, notably winning of a record seven gold medals by [Unitd States]? swimmer Mark Spitz, and the winning of three gold medals by 16-year-old Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut. |
|
There was, fortunately, no such tragedy in Montreal in 1976. However, bad planning led to the games cost far exceeding the budget and it looked for a time that the Olympics may no longer be a viable financial proposition. There was also a boycott by African nations protesting a recent tour of apartheid South Africa by a New Zealand rugby side. |
|
There was, fortunately, no such tragedy in Montreal in 1976. However, bad planning led to the games cost far exceeding the budget and it looked for a time that the Olympics may no longer be a viable financial proposition. There was also a boycott by African nations protesting a recent tour of apartheid South Africa by a New Zealand rugby side. The Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci |
|
*Athens 1896 *Paris 1900 *Saint-Louis? 1904 **Athens 1906 ("tenth birthday" games, which are not now considered amongst the Olympics proper) *London 1908 *Stockholm 1912 **Berlin 1916 (cancelled following the onset of World War I) *Antwerp 1920 *Paris 1924 *Amsterdam 1928 *Berlin 1936 *London 1948 *Helsinki 1952 *Melbourne 1956 *Tokyo 1964 *Mexico City 1968 *Munich 1972 *Montreal 1976 *Moscow 1980 *Los Angeles 1984 *Seoul 1988 *Barcelona 1992 *Atlanta? 1996 *Sydney 2000 *Athens 2004 *Beijing 2008 |
|
*Athens, Greece, 1896 *Paris, France, 1900 *Saint Louis, United States, 1904 **Athens, Greece, 1906 ("tenth birthday" games, which are not now considered amongst the Olympics proper) *London, United Kingdom, 1908 *Stockholm, Sweden, 1912 **Berlin, Germany, 1916 (cancelled following the onset of World War I) *Antwerp, Belgium, 1920 *Paris, France, 1924 *Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1928 *Berlin, Germany, 1936 *London, United Kingdom, 1948 *Helsinki, Finland, 1952 *Melbourne, Australia, 1956 *Tokyo, Japan, 1964 *Mexico City, Mexico, 1968 *Munich, Germany, 1972 *Montreal, Canada, 1976 *Moscow, Soviet Union, 1980 *Los Angeles, United States, 1984 *Seoul, South Korea, 1988 *Barcelona, Spain, 1992 *Atlanta?, United States, 1996 *Sydney, Australia, 2000 *Athens, Greece, 2004 *Beijing, China, 2008 /Talk? |
![[Home]](wikipedia.png)