Olympic series

Olympics – 1992 Barcelona

President Samaranch spoke of the best Olympic Games’, referring to the welcome received by the athletes and media and the conditions in which they worked. These Games were the first to be held under the new geopolitical order; Games organized by professionals for professionals.

Everyone was there, or nearly: post apartheid South Africa, after a long absence from the Games; the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, alongside another fifteen nations emerging from the disintegration of the Soviet Union, reassembled in the Commonwealth of Independent States, although their national anthems and flags were used as a matter of protocol. The Germans competed under one nation after the absorption of East Germany in 1990. North and South Yemen had merged. Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia came separately, as war still raged in Yugoslavia. Their enemies from Serbia and Montenegro were also present.

Only the Palestinians were missing: they would not be represented at the Olympics for another four years. Everyone was there, then, or nearly: amateurs, of course, but professionals, too – admitted for the first time. This meant that even more of the greatest athletes in the world could be seen in action: Luis Enrique or Guardiola in football, Chris Boardman in cycling, and above all the inspirational American basketball players of the NBA, together in an unbeatable Dream Team.

Everyone was there, then, or nearly, and Juan Antonio Samaranch, the Catalan president of the IOC, was proud of these first Catalan Games and the enthusiasm they provoked. The organization was impeccable. Not even the extraordinary security measures could chill the atmosphere.

Dream of Dreams ….

Displaying their inspirational skills, the United States took back what they considered their birthright: the Olympic basketball title. The Dream team was tucked in bed early for the first time of their Spanish vacation, for the day ahead – the finals. They had played their last training match against members of the Spanish police to thank them for taking care of security. Now they were ready. The Croatians were ready too. The half time score of 56 – 42 meant the Americans still had to play carefully. Croatia made a game of it, after a fashion: the result was never in doubt, but there was at least a game to watch, which was a sort of moral victory. The contest ended 117 – 85.

Magic Johnson’s happiness illuminated the Olympic tournament. Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, a natural leader, steered the Dream Team towards Olympic glory, while keeping his childlike spirit, the spirit of a child delighted to be living in a land of giants. ‘Magic’, basketball demi - god touched by the demons of Aids, once more defied logic. He not only declared himself HIV + to the entire world, he was quite simply a kid, 6 feet 8 inches tall and strong (218 lbs) for his age … You forgot he’s 32 and has his torments. All you noticed were his mischievous eyes, spontaneous laugh and his simple shared happiness. ‘I really enjoyed myself’, he said leaving the court. ‘I experienced an extraordinary feeling and when the national anthem was played, I felt really emotional on the podium!’ At the final whistle, the US team gathered round their emblematic star.

A Triumph of Humility over Technology

Chris Boardman’s athleticism was overshadowed by his equipment. The relation between sport and technology is double – edged: sometimes athletes and coaches drive technological progress. Sometimes, the technologists themselves revolutionize sport. Whatever way it happens, technology is invariably easier to understand than the vagaries of the human machine. The bike designed for Chris Boardman by Mike Burrows and built by Lotus, the Formula 1 car designers, was a carbon composite monocoque with low drag aerodynamic cross sections, formed with unidirectional and stitched high strength carbon fiber in an epoxy resin matrix; it was something the press could really get its teeth into. In the preliminary rounds of the men’s 4,000 meters individual pursuit, Boardman rode the new machine to world records, demoralizing the other contenders. In the final, he lapped world champion Jens Lehmann. It was unprecedented. For much of the media it was a triumph for technology over muscle power, despite Lehmann’s insistence: ‘I was beaten by the rider, not the bike’.

Outrunning His Demons

Always placed, Linford Christie, the British athlete born in Jamaica, had become the oldest 100 meters champion in history. Linford capped the best season of his life with the Olympic 100 meters title. Aged 32, he was the oldest 100meters champion in Olympic history, by four years. His second place in the semi final behind former world record holder Leroy Burrell (USA) was his first defeat of the year. In the final, Burrell was blamed for a false start, and, with his nerves in tatters, never threatened. He had won his first major title, the 200 meters in the 1986 European indoor Championships, aged almost twenty six. ‘People have always said that I’m too old. But it’s never too late. If the mind is willing, the body will follow.’ He was second in the final in Seoul, after Ben Johnson’s disqualification. Christie had maintained his competitive edge at an age when most sprinters had long given up.

The Exemplary Hassiba Boulmerka

She was the symbolic figure of the woman who gave Algeria its first Olympic title. Her victory in the 1500 meters, confirmed the world title she achieved a year ago in Tokyo. With her country’s national flag tied around her neck, she took the traditional lap of honor. Since the start of the year, this woman from Constantine had been on the move and in training. Even if she did not say so, life as a role model for women cannot be easy in a country of rampant religious fundamentalism. Her first words to the press were surprising for a young woman proud of her independence and determined to live her own life. ‘I do not get involved in politics. I am just an ordinary woman defending my country. I have run for the martyrs of my country and I offer this Olympic title to the father of our country, President Mohammed Boudiat, a true democrat, assassinated at Annaba. I run for a peaceful, free and tolerant Algeria.’

Queen Krisztina

Hungary’s triple champion, Krisztina Egerszegi, was the star of the Olympic pool. If the Danube was ever as blue as Krisztina’s blue eyes, then all the music written in its honor was well worth it. With her perfect figure, long legs, brown locks of hair and beaming smile, she had lit up every corner of the pool during the six – day Olympic swimming programme. Since winning her first Olympic title at Seoul for the 200 meters backstroke, when she was fourteen, this child prodigy had grown three inches and now weighed 121 pounds. She won the 100, 200 meters backstroke and the 400 meters individual medley, and in Hungary was called the mouse – the literal translation of ‘Eger’.

Scherbo Has Every Right to Be Proud

Belorussian gymnast Vitaly Scherbo took six Gold medals. In Olympics history, only Mark Spitz had won more at a single Game. Vitaly Scherbo had always been a player. A showman, even, to quote his national coach Aleksandr Arkeyev, and one with a particular penchant for the Olympic Games. He came to Spain hoping to come away with the Gold medal in the All – Around competition, but left with six Gold medals.

Lady Rambo

There are two halves to Jackie Joyner Kersee. There’s her brother Al Joyner, Olympic triple jump champion at Los Angeles and husband of Florence Griffith Joyner ( Flo Jo). Then there is Kersee, as in Bob, Jackie’s husband and coach to the glittering world of athletes. Talking about Jackie, Bob had said, ‘if there’s a female version of Rambo, it must be her’. She won the Heptathlon in both Seoul and Barcelona and significantly exceeded 7000 points, thus becoming the only one to have done so. Born on 3^rd March 1962, her parents named her Jacqueline after President Kennedy’s wife. Her grandmother once said ‘one day, this girl will be First Lady of something’. At 30, Jackie Joyner – Kersee had proved her right.

For Cecilia

The deeply religious Mexican – American boxer Oscar De La Hoya won for his mother, who died of cancer. In the ring the 19 year old, 5 feet 5 inches, knelt and, with a light touch of his glove, blew a kiss to the one he had lost. Oscar was the Olympic lightweight champion for her. After the contest, De La Hoya held the Stars and Stripes aloft in one hand, and a Mexican flag in the other; and the people loved it.

The Games In Brief

Opening Date                                          25 July 1992

Closing Date                                            9 August 1992

Host Nation                                              Spain

Nations Represented                               169

Athletes                                                    9,344 (2,708 women, 6636 men)

Sports                                                       25 (17 open to women)

Events                                                       257 (101 open to women)

Games Officially Opened By                    King Juan Carlos of Spain

Olympic Oath Read By                             Luis Doreste Blanco (sailing)

Olympic Flame Lit By                               Antonio Rebello (archery, paraolympian)

IOC President                                           Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP)

PS -: matter researched from the Olympics Games Museum in Lausanne.

Brigadier (retd) S  D Dangwal

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