Olympic Games History THE 'FRIENDLY GAMES' EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS ASKED TO PENTATHLON SPECTATORS IN SYDNEY For which reasons did you decide In your opinion, which of the follow­ he XVII Commonwealth non metric then) at the new Games. by Philip Barker' to be a spectator at the Sydney ing statements apply to the Olympic Games to be held in After winning a third gold in the relay, Olympic Games? Games? TManchester, England, this July he competed once more at the (Answer 'true' or 'false') (Answer 'agree' or 'disagree') promise the biggest such gathering in Olympics and then became a mem­ history with over 70 nations taking ber of the IOC serving for almost half I wanted to... • Every Olympic athlete ought to part in seventeen sports, the largest a century. Many athletes in later • attend this world event know about Olympic history and event to be held in Great Britain since years repeated Burghley's double, Olympic ideals the Games of the XIV Olympiad in but with gold in the Commonwealth • experience tlie immediate atmos- OQO 1948. Games, often a prelude to Olympic pliere • The decisions of the 100 should be controlled by a board of directors success. • continue my tradition of attending Origins Don Ouarrie, the great Jamaican • Rights (financial safeguard) and Olympic Games • There is a greater sense of fair play The Commonwealth Games owe sprinter was the undoubted king in duties (no doping, fair play) of an • support the athletes of my country than in other sports much to the fundamental principles the seventies, a double gold medal­ Olympic athlete should be fixed of Olympism. Though their creed list in the 100m, but it was in the • see peak sporting performance • Riding and running in the same by a legally valid contract with the venue is very attractive says they should be 'merry and less countries and the Games were 200m that he turned on the style. • see which country will earn the most IOC stern'. They were inspired by the opened by the Governor General Gold in Edinburgh 1970 and medals • I like the beauty of the venue • The Olympic idea combines sport success of the Olympic Games in the of Canada Lord Wlllingdon on 16 Christchurch 1974 the prelude to his • There are areas of free access for August 1930. • see especially modern pentathlon and art. roaring twenties. All three Olympiads Olympic success in Montreal, though spectators • experience something exciting in that decade had been celebrated just to emphasise the point, he went • I admire multi-talented athletes in Europe. They were followed by a Golden Moments back to Canada for the 1978 • meet with friends and acquain­ instead of specialists What relation do you see between highly popular challenge match From the outset there were some Commonwealth Games and won the tances between the USA and a combined very familiar names amongst the vic­ 200m gold a third time for a marvel­ • Modern pentathlon of yesterday the cultural programme and the • travel and become familiar with an team from Britain, Canada, Australia tors. Indeed the first race, a heat in lous hat-trick. motivated me to see more Olympic Games in Sydney? area of Australia and New Zealand. The veteran the hurdles was won by Lord David At middle distances, the pedigree of • I got the tickets as a gift Burghley, Marquess of Exeter • fulfil work duties • No relationship at all Australian official Richard Coombes performances has always been • It is rather a coincidence suggested that they should harness (Olympic 400m hurdles champion in impressive. • Other... • It allows artists to present their work the successful Olympic Spirit in a Amsterdam in 1928). He represented In the fifties England's Roger • I can see a variety of sports with in front of a large number of people Commonwealth setting. The chef de England in Hamilton, and won both Bannister and Australian John Landy one ticket • It brightens up the host city For which reasons did you go to mission of the Canadian team Bobby the 120 yards hurdles and the had lowered the mile record by turns • Other... modern pentathlon? • Cultural events and exhibits tradi­ Robinson was a journalist who 440 yards hurdles (track events were in splendid isolation until Bannister (Answer 'true' or 'false') tionally belong to the Olympic agreed. Things moved very quickly. went below four minutes for the first During your stay in Sydney what Games The Canadians lobbied hard for the time at Iffley Road, Oxford in May Because... Games and got the nomination. 1954. The stage was set for a mem­ significance did the following have • The cultural programme combines • modern pentathlon is rarely seen on There were less than two years to orable encounter at the Games in for you... art and sport television prepare, but everything was ready for Vancouver that summer. The ' Mile of (Answer 'very important', 'important', • It provides a beautiful setting for the the first, rather grandiosely styled the Century' they called it. Bannister • the athletes are not so much con­ 'less important', 'no important') sporting competitions British Empire Games in Hamilton, V Landy is still talked about with awe. cerned by financial reward as in • Rest and relaxation Ontario (in time the name would be The Englishman won a fantastic race, other sports • It allows the athletes and spectators changed to Commonwealth Games). but neither man was able to convert • Visiting cultural events to experience aesthetic beauty • I like the thrill of modern pentathlon In those days international sports­ their Commonwealth success into because victory is open until the • Sporting events in general • It gives those tourists/family mem­ men travelled by sea and some of Olympic gold. But throughout the end • Modern pentathlon especially bers, who are less interested in the overseas competitors were late fifties and early sixties, the • I want to see athletes with an espe­ • Travelling before or after the sport, an alternative delayed by fog and only arrived in the Commonwealth title at the Mile dis­ nick of time to take part. In the end Manchester. tance proved an accurate indicator cially strong spirit of competition Olympics in Australia • Other... COMMONWEALTHM GAMES there were 400 competitors from 11 of who would take 1,500m Olympic 8 9 Source : Bibliothèque du CIO / IOC Library History from a wheelchair. Neroli went on tional Olympic disciplines. In 1966, to compete in the Los Angeles badminton was admitted to the pro­ Olympics too. gramme when the Games were held Diamond turned to gold at the in Kingston, Jamaica. It was the cue shooting range at the Games of the for Malaysia to join the gold standard. XXVII Olympiad in Sydney in 2000. It Tain Aik Huang won the singles and was a touch of alchemy that later Rashid Sidek made history when Australian Michael Diamond had he became the first man to success­ perfected in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. fully defend his title. To keep it in the The darling of the home crowd at family, his brothers Jalani and Razif Sydney was Cathy Freeman but it won the doubles title. The successful was at the Commonwealth Games integration of badminton into a of 1994 in Victoria, Canada, that she Games environment paved the way first had the opportunity to display for its introduction into the Olympic the Aboriginal flag alongside the programme in 1992. Southern Cross in celebration of vic­ Triathlon was another sport which tory in the 400m. made its bow at the Commonwealth Young South Africans welcoming the Queen's Baton. Lord David Burghley (number 444, centre) in the 400 m hurdies in Amsterdam in 1928. The Commonwealth Games arrived in Games in 1990 as a demonstration the Far East for the first time in 1998, event before its unforgettable debut gold. Herb Elliot, Peter Snell and the Canada's Richard W. Pound, now an as Kuala Lumpur was host city. They on the Olympic stage in Sydney. incomparable Kip Keino can proudly IOC member, did stem the Green opened almost exactly two years Team sports were first included on display Commonwealth and Olympic and Gold tide in 1962. He won the before Sydney. Susie O'Neill, now an the programme in 1998 in Kuala gold from successive Games. In gold medal in the 100 yards IOC member, gave notice of her Lumpur with the addition of cricket, Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1974 freestyle. His IOC colleague, intentions with six gold medals, a netball, hockey and rugby sevens. there was a classic encounter in Australian Richard Kevan Gosper, record for single Games. The small community on the pacific which as the great broadcaster and won gold on the track at 440 yards And a fifteen year-old from Sydney island of Nauru had someone to Olympic Order recipient David eight years earlier. By 1962, Gosper won gold, prompting writers at the cheer in Auckland where weightlifter Coleman sa\d:'(John) Walker couldn't was the General Manager of the time to predict 'By Sydney his talent Marcus Stephen got his chance after get Bayl'. The athlete in question, Papua New Guinea team, which took could be terrifying'. How right they his mum Sunshine lobbied the island Filbert Bayi of Tanzania became part in the Commonwealth Games were! The young swimmer? Now authorities to register their team. Commonwealth Champion and in a for the first time. As he later noted in better known as the Thorpedo', Ian Gold came in the 60kg snatch, Nauru new world record time too. Sadly his book 'An Olympic Life': "In It's Thorpe could yet re-write the later formed an NOC and were happy The torch traveiling by canoe in Fiji.