| Brooke Bond | PG Tips | Olympic Greats


	01 FANNY BLANKERS-KOEN Holland Athletics 26.4.1918 A 30-year-old Dutch housewife - Fanny Blankers-Koen - outshone everyone at the 1948 Olympics held in London. By winning the 100 metres - 200 metres and 80 metres hurdles - and running the last leg for Holland's victorious relay team - the 'Flying Dutchwoman' became the first and only female athlete ever to gain tour gold medals in the same Games. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1948-100 metres - 200 metres - 80 metres hurdles - 4 s 100 metres relay.
	02 EMIL ZAtopEK Czechoslovakia. Athletics 19.9.1922 Known affectionately as the 'Bouncing Czech' or the 'Human Locomotive' - Emil Zatopek was the superstar of the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. In the space of a week he easily won the 10.000 metres - captured the 5000 metres in a thrilling sprint finish - and finally romped away with the marathon in his first attempt at the distance. It remains an unique triple - and for good measure his wife Dana won the javelin. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1948 - 10000 metres; 1952 - 5000 metres - 10000 metres - marathon. Silver 1948 - 5000 metres.
	03 PAAVO NURMI Finland Athletics 13.6.1897 2.10.1973 Still regarded by many experts as the greatest athlete of all time - Psavo Nurmi won more Olympic gold medals than any other runner: nine between 1920 and 1928. His finest moments came in Paris in 1924 - winning the 1500 metres and 5000 metres on the same afternoon as well as the cross-country and 3000 metres team race. There is a statue of him outside Helsinki's Olympic Stadium. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1920 - 10000 metres - cross-country (individual &team); 1924 - l500 metres - 5000 metres - cross-country (individual & team) - 3000 metres (team); 1928 - 10000 metres. Silver 1920 - 5000 metres; 1928 - 5000 metres - 3000 metres steeplechase.
	04 JESSE OWENS USA Athletics 12.9.1913 More than 40 years after he retired - Jesse Owens continues to be acknowledged as the most brilliant sprinter ever-and that was only part of his exceptional talent. At the Berlin Olympics of 1936 - this most graceful of movers captured four golds (100 metres - 200 metres - long lump and sprint relay) - while one afternoon in 1935 he set via world records in the space of 45 minutes Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1936 - 100 metres - 200 metres - long lump - 4 v 100 metres relay.
	05 WILMA RUDOLPH USA Athletics 23.6.1940 At the agent tour her left leg was paralysed after a severe illness; not until she was seven could she walk normally. Yet Wilma Rudolph developed into one of the greatest sprinters ever. The winner of three gold medals at the Rome Olympics in 1960 - Wilma's dazzling speed - feminine grace and delightful personality made her the crowd's darling. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1960 -100 metres - 200 metres - 4x100 metres relay. Bronze 1956 - 4 100 metres relay.
	06 ANN PACKER Gt Britain & NI Athletics. 8.3.1942 Ann Packer was an international sprinter - hurdler and long jumper - but it was as an 800 metres runner that she achieved Olympic immortality in 1964. She had only raced the distance five times before travelling to Tokyo but talent and courage overcame inexperience as she scored a thrilling victory in the world record time of 2 min 0l.l sec. She is married to former European 400 metres champion Robbie Brightwell. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1964- 800 metres. Silver 1964 -400 metres.
	07 DAVID HEMERY Gt Britain & NI Athletics. 18.7.1944 Rarely has an athlete dominated an Olympic track final to such an extent as did David Hemery in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1968 Games. He simply demolished the opposition - which included the world record holder - to finish ahead by the unheard of margin of seven metres. The time - too - was sensational; at 48.l sec it smashed the previous world record by seven-tenths of a second. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968- 400 metres hurdles. Silver 1972 - 4x400 metres relay. Bronze 1972 - 400 metres hurdles.
	08 LASSE VIREN Finland Athletics 22.7.1949 If any runner could be described as an Olympic specialist it would be Lasse Viren. His achievements other than at Munich in 1972 and Montreal in 1976 have not been that notable but he has proved unbeatable in the Olympic arena. He won both the 5000 and 10000 metres classics in 1972 and made history when retaining the titles four years later. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972-5000 metres - 10.000 metres; 1976 -5000 metres - 10000 metres.
	09 ABEBE BIKILA Ethiopia Athletics 7.8.1932 25.10.1973 One of the most astonishing upsets in Olympic history was created by marathon runner Abebe Bikila in Rome in 1960. A complete unknown - and running barefoot - he won the gold medal in world record time. Four years later - in Tokyo - he triumphed again (wearing shoes this time!) setting another world record (2hr 12 min 11 .2sec) and leaving his nearest rival three-quarters of a mile behind. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1960 - marathon; 1964 -marathon.
	10 alBERTO JUANTORENA Cuba Athletics. 3.12.1951 Tall - muscular and possessed 01 a spectacularly long stride - Alberto Juantorena was the athletics sensation of the 1976 Games in Montreal. He triumphed in the 800 metres - an event in which he had only dabbled prior to that year - with a world record of 1 min 43.5 sec - and went on to complete an unprecedented double by winning the 400 metres. He will be defending those titles in Moscow. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1976 -400 metres - 800 metres.
	11 MARY PETERS Gt Britain & NI. Athletics 6.7.1939 The pride of Northern Ireland (although actually she was born in Lancashire) - Mary Peters proved at the Munich Olympics of 1972 that the old maxim 'if at first you don't succeed - try try again' does work. Aged 33 and a pentathlon competitor for 17 years - Mary finally won the gold medal - and broke the world record into the bargain with a score of 4801 points. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 -pentathlon
	12 al OERTER USA Athletics 19.9.1936 Al Oerter is the supreme Olympic competitor. Four times running - from 1956 to 1968 - he won the discus title - an incredible and unequalled record of consistency. His enthusiasm and courage were such that for his third victory he had to withstand intense pain from a rib cage injury. The story may not be over yet; he's 43 now but hopes to be competing in Moscow Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1956 - discus; 1960- discus; 1964- discus; 1968 - discus.
	13 LYNN DAVIES Gt. Britain & NI. Athletics. 20.5.1942 Lynn Davies - who has achieved new fame recently for his Superstars exploits on television - holds the distinction of being the only Welshman to min an Olympic athletics title - 'Lynn the leap' as he was dubbed. overthrew the American and Russian favourites for the long jump at Tokyo in 1964 - and went on to make history by winning also the Commonwealth and European titles two years later. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1964 - long jump.
	14 MARY RAND Gt Britain & NI athletics. 10.2.1940 Mary Bignal - as she was then - flopped in the 1960 Olympic long jump. Her run-up went to pieces and she was placed only 9th. As Mary Rand four years later it was all so different: not only did she take the gold medal but in the process she set a magnificent world record of 6.76 metres (22' 2 1/4"). She is now married to Bill Toomey (usa) - the 1968 Olympic decathlon champion. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1964- long jump. Silver 1964 - pentathlon. Bronze 1964 -4x100 metres relay.
	15 BOB BEAMON USA Athletics 29.8.1946 World records are made to be broken - and the rate of progress is such that few last longer than a year or two. However - when lanky Bob Beamon long jumped an incredible 8:90 metres (29'2 1/2") at the 1968 Games in Mexico City it was clear that here was a record which could well survive into the 21st century. Ten years later no one else had leapt beyond 8.45 metres (27' 8 3/4"). Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 - long jump.
	16 VERA CASLAVSKA Czech-oslovakia Gymnastics 3.5.1942 No woman - in any sport - has won as many Olympic gold medals in individual events as that most graceful and vivacious of gymnasts - Vera Caslavska. She collected three at the 1964 Games and four in 1968. Vera had further cause for celebration in Mexico City in 1968 - for it was there that she married athlete Josef Odlozil. silver medallist in the 1500 metres at the previous Games. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1964 - combined exercises (individual) - beam. horse vault. 1968 -combined exercises (individual) asymmetrical bars - horse vault - floor exercises. Silver 1960 - combined exercises (team); 1964 - combined exercises (team); 1968 - combined exercises (team). beam.
	17 LARISSA LATYNINA USSR Gymnastics 27.12.1934 The present generation of star gymnasts have a long way to go to match the achievements of Larissa Latynina. A physical perfectionist who between 1956 and 1964 gathered no fewer than 18 medals - the most by anyone in any sport. They included nine golds. Her strongest speciality was the floor exercises - for which she was crowded Olympic champion three times. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1956 - combined exercises (individual & team) - horse vault - floor exercises; 1960- combined exercises (individual & team). floor exercises; 1964 - combined exercises (team) - floor exercises. Silver; 5 medals. Bronze; 4 medals.
	18 OLGA KORBUT USSR. gymnastics 18.S.1955 Thanks to television - elfin-like Olga Korbut - all 4'11" and 6 stone of her - was probably the most popular of all the champions of the 1972 Games in Munich. The 17-year-old Russian won the hearts of millions throughout the world with her captivating displays - particularly her dazzling and cheeky floor exercise routine - It was Olga who was largely responsible for the sport's boom following the Games. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 -combined exercises (team) - beam - floor exercises. Silver 1972 - asymmetrical bars; 1976 - beam.
	19 NADIA COMANECI Rumania Gymnastics 12.11.1961 A mark of 10.00 points represents perfection in the eyes of the judges - and had never been awarded to a gymnast in Olympic competition prior to the 1976 Games. in Montreal. however - the tiny unemotional 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci (pronounced Comanetch) displayed such brilliant form that she earned the maximum score no fewer than seven times on the asymmetrical bars and the beam Olympic Medal laity: Gold 1976 - combined exercises (individual). asymmetrical bars - beam. Silver 1976 - combined exercises (team). Bronze 1976 - floor exercises.
	20 NIKOLAY ANDRIANOV USSR Gymnastics 14.10.1952 Gymnastics is a sport where the female competitors tend to draw the limelight away from their male col-leagues - which has resulted in strong - agile Nikolay Andrianov attracting less attention than is his due. In Montreal - his second Olympics he won four gold medals - one more than Nadia Comaneci - plus two silver and a bronze - and he will be the man to beat on home ground in Moscow. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 - floor exercises; 1976 - combined exercises (individual) - floor exercises - rings - vault - Silver 1972 - combined exercises (team); 1976 - combined exercises (team). parallel bars - Bronze l972 - long horse vault; 1976 - pommelled horse.
	21 MUHAMMAD alI USA Boxing. 17.1.1942 Cassius Clay - as he was then - was an 18-year-old light heavyweight at the Rome Olympics of 1960. He won the title on points and wax so delighted with his gold medal that he wore it constantly around his neck for three months ! Within four years he was professional heavyweight champion of the world. 'I'm the greatest' - he proclaimed - and went on to prove it - Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1960 - light heavyweight.
	22 TEOFILO STEVENSON Cuba Boxing. 23.3.1952 The first boxer to win the Olympic heavyweight crown twice. Teofilo Stevenson (6'3" tall and weighing 14 1/2 stone) will in Moscow be aiming for a hat-trick of victories and thus equal the record of Hungary's Laszlo Papp as the only boxer to win three Olympic titles. His punching power has prompted experts to predict he could min the world championship if he turned professional. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 - heavyweight; 1976 - heavyweight -
	23 VASILIY alEXEYEV USSR Weightlifting 7.1.1942 With eighty world records and two Olympic titles (1972 and 1976) in the super heavyweight division to his name. the gigantic Vasiliy Alexeyns can fairly be regarded as the strongest man in the world. Weighing in at around 25 stone - he has lifted over 560 pounds - the combined weight of tour 10-stone men - above his head! He has not been defeated since 1970. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 - super heavyweight; 1976 - super heavyweight.
	24 BOB BRAIthWAITE Gt Britain & NI. Shooting. 28.9.1925 Clay pigeon shooting doesn't normally excite much interest from the British press but suddenly - in 1968 - the sport became front page news. The reason was that Lancashire veterinary surgeon Bob Braithwaite won the Olympic gold medal. He missed the saucer-shaped target - which is catapulted into the air to resemble the flight of a bird - only twice in 200 attempts. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 - clay pigeon (trap) shooting.
	25 JOHNNY WEISSMULLER USA Swimming 2.6.1904 Using the front-crawl stroke to better effect than any of his contemporaries - Johnny Weissmuller revolutionised freestyle swimming times during the 1920's. He was the first to break a minute for 100 metres and 5 minutes for 400 metres. A superb competitor. he claimed five gold medals from his Olympic appearances in 1924 and 1926. He has since remained world famous as the most popular of all screen Tarzans. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1924-100 metres freestyle. 400 metres freestyle. 4x200 metres freestyle relay; 1928 - 100 metres freestyle. 4x200 metres freestyle relay. Bronze 1924 - water polo.
	26 MARK SPITZ USA Swimming 10.2.1950 A failure by his own high standards when he gained 'only' two relay gold medals at the 1968 Games - Mark Spitz fulfilled all his ambitions in Munich four years later. In the most remarkable gold medal splurge in Olympic history - Spitz swam in -and won - SEVEN events! Equally adept at freestyle or butterfly - he set world records in each of those seven races: Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 - 4x100 metres freestyle relay - 4x200 metres freestyle relay; 1972 -100 metres freestyle. 200 metres freestyle - 100 metres butterfly - 200 metres butterfly - 4x100 metres freestyle relay - 4x200 metres freestyle relay - 4x100 metres medley relay. Silver 1968 - 100 'metres butterfly. Bronze 1 medal
	27 PAT McCORMICK USA. Diving. 12.8.1930 Accepted as the all-time great in women's diving - Pat McCormick won the highboard and springboard events at the 1952 Olympics. and was successful again in both at the 1956 Games - nearly five months after giving birth to a son. She remains the only diver in Olympic history. man or woman - to have amassed four gold medals - Olympic Medal laIty: Gold 1952 - highboard. springboard; 1956 - highboard. springboard.
	28 DAWN FRASER Australia Swimming. 4.9.1937 While many female swimming champions retire before they are Out of their teens. Dawn Fraser continued successfully in top-flight competition until she was 27. No other woman freestyle swimmer can rival her accomplishments - even though she had to contend with bronchial asthma throughout her career. She is the only swimmer to win an event at three successive Olympics: the 100 metres in 1956 - 1960 and 1964. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1956 - 100 metres freestyle - 4x100 metres freestyle relay; 1960 - 100 metres freestyle; 1964 - 100 metres freestyle. Silver 1956 - 400 metres freestyle; 1960-4x100 metres freestyle relay. 4x100 metres medley relay; 1964 - 4x100 metres freestyle relay.
	29 SHANE GOULD Australia. Swimming. 4.9.1986 When she retired from international competition in 1973. when still only 16 - Shane Gould could look back on a brief but spectacular career during which she set world records in every freestyle event from 100 to 1500 metres. At the 1972 Olympics she went for five individual events and won three of them (all in world record times) - placing second and third in the others. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 - 200 metres freestyle - 400 metres freestyle. 200 metres individual medley. Silver 1972 - 800 metres freestyle. Bronze 1972 - 100 metres freestyle.
	30 KORNELIA ENDER East Germany. Swimming. 25.10.1958 Kornelia Ender made a highly promising Olympic debut in 1972. aged 13. by picking up three silver medals. Four years on - in Montreal - she was ready to take on the world. By winning the 100 and 200 metres freestyle - the 100 metres butterfly and contributing to victory in the 4x 100 metres medley relay (with world records in each) - she became the first woman to gain four Olympic swimming titles at one Games. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1976 - 100 metres freestyle - 200 metres freestyle - 100 metres butterfly - 4x100 metres medley relay. Silver 1972 - 200 metres individual medley - 4 a 100 metres freestyle relay. 4x100 metres medley relay; 1976 - 4x100 metres freestyle relay.
	31 DAVID WILKIE Gt Britain & NI. Swimming. 8.3.1954 For the first time in 68 years an Olympic swimming title was captured by a British man when in Montreal David Wilkie from Scotland went one better than his second place of four years earlier in the 200 metres breaststroke Wilkie. benefiting from four years spent at university in Florida with ideal facilities - climate and competition - smashed the world record with a time of 2 min 15.11 sec. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1970 - 200 metres breaststroke. Sliver 1972 - 200 metres breaststroke; 1976 - 100 metres breaststroke.
	32 RICHARD MEADE Gt Britain & Ni Equestrian Sports 4.12.1938 Richard Meade has collected more Olympic honours than any other British rider. Twice a member of Britain's winning team in the three day event - he also gained individual victory in 1972. Riding Laurieston - he was only equal 17th after the dressage section but a superb cross-country performance took him into a lead which he retained thanks to a clear round in the show jumping. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 - three day event (team); 1972 - three day event (individual & team).
	33 HARRY LLEWELLYN Gt Britain & NI. Equestrian Sports. 18.7.1911 As an amateur jockey Harry Llewellyn had the distinction of riding the second-placed horse in the 1936 Grand National. but his greatest moment came 16 years later at the Helsinki Olympics. Britain hadn't won any gold medals at those Games until in the final event - the show jumping team competition - LI-Cot Llewellyn rode Foxhunter to a clear round enabling Britain to win the contest. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1952 - show jumping team (On Foxhunter). Bronze 1948 - show jumping team (on Foxhunter).
	34 JOHN B. KELLY USA Rowing. 4.10.1890 20.6.1960 To this day - nearly 60 years later - no one has equalled John B. Kelly's feat in 1920 of winning both the single and double sculling events at the same Olympics. His son. John B Kelly Jr. grew into a champion oarsman also. but even greater fame befell his daughter . . . Hollywood film star Grace Kelly - who a now of course Princess Grace of Monaco. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1920 - single sculls. double sculls (stroke: Paul Costello); 1924-double sculls (stroke: Paul Costello).
	35 RODNEY PATTISSON GI Britain & Ni Yachting 5.8.1943 Scottish-born Rodney Pattisson triumphed in the 1968 Olympic 'Flying Dutchman' class in 'Superdocious'. Winning five races out of the six to count and finishing second in the other - he incurred the lowest number of penalty points in the annals of Olympic yachting Four years later Pattisson retained the title with 'Superdoso'. in 1976 he struck silver. and in 1980 he will try for a third gold. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 Flying Dutchman (crew: lain Macdonald-Smith); 1972 - Flying Dutchman (crew: Chris Davies). Silver l976 Flying Dutchman (crew: Julian Brooke Houghton).
	36 ROSI MITTERMAIER Germany Skiing. 5.8.1950 Popular Rosi Mittermaler came closer to equalling the Alpine grandslam achieved by Toni Sailer and Jean-Claude Kitly than any woman skier in Olympic history - At the 1976 Games she won the downhill race and the slalom but was foiled in her bid for the triple when the young Canadian. Kathy Weiner - defeated her in the giant slalom by just 12/100 ths of a second. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1976 - downhill. slalom. Silver 1976 - giant slalom.
	37 JEAN-CLAUDE KILLY France. Winter Sports 30.8.1943 Cheered on enthusiastically by the home crowd at Grenoble in France in 1968. Jean-Claude Killy equalled Toni Sailer's record of 12 years earlier by winning all three Alpine skiing titles. Every fraction of a second proved vital - for in the downhill and slalom sections of the triple Killy had less than a tenth of a second to spare over his closest rival. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1968 - giant slalom - slalom - downhill.
	38 SONJA HENIE Norway. Winter Sports 6.4.1912 12.10.1969 To generations of cinema-goers Sonja Henie was the glittering star of numerous Hollywood skating films. What they may not have realised was that Sonja had been the greatest competitor in women's figure skating history. Only 11 and already Norwegian champion when she took part in the 1924 Winter Olympics (she finished last) - she carried off the gold medal in the next three Games. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1928 - figure skating; 1932 - figure skating; 1936- figure skating.
	39 IRINA RODNINA USSR Skating. 12.9.1949 Upholding the tradition created by the legendary Oleg and Ludmita Protopopov - Olympic pairs skating champions in 1964 and 1968 - Irina Rodnina and Aleksey Ulanox captured the title in 1972. They broke up shortly afterwards - but Irina quickly found another able partner in Alekaandr Zaitsev (whom she married) and they were successful at the 1976 Games. Irina was world champion ten years running - from 1969 to 1978. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1972 - pairs skating; 1978 - pairs skating.
	40 JOHN CURRY Gt Britain & NI Winter Sports 9.9.1949 Combining balletic artistry and spectacular jumping ability to dazzling effect - John Curry achieved near perfection in his free skating programme at the 1976 Winter Olympics held at Innsbruck. His clear cut victory was the first by a British man in this event. With no further competitive worlds to conquer - Curry turned professional and created his own highly acclaimed theatre of skating'. Olympic Medal tally: Gold 1976- figure skating.
	The description of the athletes was written by Melvin Wat man who has been a sports journalist for the past 25 years. Melvin has been the Editor of Athletics Weekly for the past eleven years and a also author of the Encyclopaedia of Athletics. The photographs were supplied by Tony Duffy who is the official photographer to the International Amateur Athletics Association and the World Swimming Association. Tony is one of Britain's leading sports photographers and has won the top International Photographers Award on two occasions.

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