Numbers 25 to 1 Olympics' Most Amazing Moments


Numbers 25 to 1

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The Olympics. The greatest show on earth.

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A sporting carnival of athleticism and prowess.

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An extravaganza of drama, spectacle and passion.

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Yes, The Olympics.

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50 most amazing moments.

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Welcome to our choice of the very best the Olympics has to offer.

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And here's the top 25 coming right up.

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Athletes will go to great lengths

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in order to earn their moment of glory at the Games

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and none more so than American David Neville

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who did his best Didier Drogba impression

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to secure a bronze in the 400 metres in Beijing.

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He dipped really early which meant he was falling through the line.

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You must feel awful if you're the guy behind him going,

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"really, that's how you're going to beat me?"

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There should be an asterix in the Olympic records,

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this is how he came third.

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At the day, when he looks in the mirror in the morning,

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he's got an Olympic bronze medal, so fair play.

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Superman dive or not, he got through the line just right.

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All that matters is that he finished third and got bronze,

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and what a way to do it.

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Which other bronze medallist do you remember?

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This guy is remembered for being a bronze medallist,

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because he did a dive for it.

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# Spread my wings

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# I can fly... #

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To become supreme champions,

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athletes must draw on superhuman reserves of cool, calm and collectedness.

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But doesn't always pan out that way.

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At Seoul in '88, local hero Jung-Il Byun

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took on Bulgarian boxer Alexander Hristov.

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But rather than trying to outpunch his opponent,

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he decided to use his brain and the rest of his face to earn victory.

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COMMENTATOR: There's the head of the Korean going in again,

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he's an untidy little boy.

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Standard rules in boxing, you can't head-butt.

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You'll get points deducted.

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COMMENTATOR: There again, up and down he goes.

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When it came to the judges' decision,

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it was Hristov who was celebrating,

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prompting Byun and half of Korea to lose their heads.

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COMMENTATOR: The crowd don't like it at all.

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As soon as they lift Hristov's hand, all hell breaks loose.

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COMMENTATOR: There's all sorts of trouble in the ring.

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This is most unprecedented from the normally calm and sane Koreans.

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It looks like a mix between Wild West fight and a martial arts movie.

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It's fabulous entertainment, completely disgraceful.

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At one point I thought it was a world Guinness attempt

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to see how many Koreans you can fit in a boxing ring.

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By the end of it, there was 112 in that ring.

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COMMENTATOR: This is absolutely disgraceful.

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I've never seen anything like this in any amateur contest whatsoever.

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Not content with starting a riot,

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Jung-Il then decided he wanted to get his point across

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in a more peaceful manner with a sit-in protest.

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Looks more like a lie-in, though.

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Let's look at this. You head-butt your opponent, you lose the fight,

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and you think the best thing to do is stage your own sit-in protest.

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Which was hilarious because you've got the most aggressive sport,

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which is physical boxing,

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and you've chosen the most peaceful protest, to have a sit-in.

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The great thing is how they handle it.

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They don't try and remonstrate with him.

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They turn the lights off and go home and leave him. Brilliant.

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If you behave like a brat, that's what's going to happen to you.

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They left on one spotlight on him in the corner

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and he looked like the saddest clown. Nothing would ever be right again.

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Byun lost the fight, but he did at least break one record,

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staging the longest sit-in in Olympic boxing history,

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before disappearing into the night.

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Of course, behind almost everyone who takes part in an Olympic event

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there is a story of dedication and hard work.

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Yes, have I ever told you how much hard dedication and hard work I put in?

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Yes, several times.

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But there are some who take part who do not deserve to be there

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and who have no right to share a stage with some of the world's greatest athletes.

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Do you mean...?

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No, much worse than that.

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Of all the Olympic events,

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the steeplechase is one of the more unusual.

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It's a 3,000 metre race, but they have four hurdles and one water jump.

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In a way, it's like the Grand National.

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It's OK to watch, but what makes it exciting? Crazy guys!

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In 1984 it did get a bit crazy,

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when this guy decided to mount a late challenge for gold.

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He was dressed in the full gear and it looked like he was late for the race, "oh, my God!

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"I just got out of bed, so sorry I'm late, I'll just catch up."

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COMMENTATOR: There's an idiot come on the track there.

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I hope someone gets hold of him.

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They're primed for terrorism attacks and chemical warfare

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and they can't stop one loony jumping out of the crowd.

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To everyone's surprise, he was almost as good at hurdling as he was at outrunning the security guards.

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Everyone was going, "Oh, terrible, a protester on the track, awful.

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"Oh, he can hurdle!"

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Goodness, he can hurdle too. Get him.

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To this day, we still don't know what he was protesting about

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or if they ever caught him.

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When it comes to Greco-wrestling, the Yanks love it.

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And one man they love to see wriggling around

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whilst not wearing very much, is former WWF star Kurt Angle.

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I watched him when I was young being WWF champion,

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doing bodyslams to the Undertaker and Hulk Hogan and stuff.

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But it was at the 1996 Games on home soil in Atlanta

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that Kurt shocked the world by beating Iranian beast Abbas Jadidi

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to claim the gold.

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Kurt Angle, Hollywood bronzed god up against the mean, evil Iranian with the moustache!

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Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

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I'll stop now.

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But what really made Kurt Angle's victory so amazing

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was that he did it with a broken neck.

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Yes, you heard me. An actual broken neck.

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What was surprising for me was he even had a neck. I couldn't see it.

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You'd have to hit him with a bus to break it!

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Kurt fractured his neck prior to the Games, but still competed.

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This would debilitate most men, but most men aren't Kurt.

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No doctor was going to stop him from grappling with some tough Persian ass.

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Imagine what he's going to say to his kid if he stubs his toe.

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Hey, you stubbed your toe?

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Oh really? I did a wrestling match after I broke my neck!

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Now eat your peas!

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When it comes to the freestyle relay,

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the Americans are the biggest fish in the pond.

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There's only been a few times they haven't won

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the four by 100 metres freestyle relay.

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It was their property, almost, that was the way they felt about it.

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But at the Sydney Games they were up against the Aussies

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and the all-American cowboy of swimming, Gary Hall Jr,

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decided to raise the pool temperature just before the race

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from lukewarm to boiling.

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When asked to about the host's chances of a victory,

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he said the Americans would smash the Aussies like guitars.

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It's a rubbish metaphor and he probably should have gone for a better one.

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He should have said I'm going to mess you up with a pile of laundry.

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It was like a public spat between large salmons and tunas,

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and with the big race approaching, all eyes and hopes were on the Aussies,

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to see if they could upset the Yanks.

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It was cat-and-mouse all the way through,

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nobody could really call it.

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COMMENTATOR: US second with their fastest swimmer going in,

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surely the Americans are going to win this one.

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By the third relay, the Yankees were looking good for the gold,

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leaving a final length show-down between America's Gary big mouth Hall Jr

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and the Aussies' Ian Thorpe.

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I thought, "This is game over".

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COMMENTATOR: I can't believe that Thorpe's going to hang on to him.

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Somehow, Thorpe pulled the swim of his life out.

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COMMENTATOR: Thorpe is coming back!

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I can't believe he is going to do this, he's done it!

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The Australian crowd was just going mental.

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COMMENTATOR: I cannot believe he's done that.

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The goosebumps, tingles down the spine,

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that's the best feeling I've ever had in a swimming pool.

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COMMENTATOR: It is a new world record. They stuffed the Americans, this is outstanding.

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When the Australians won, they did this fantastic thing,

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where they all played the guitars, and made them eat their words.

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Which was brilliant.

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The contrast between the American team and their forlorn faces

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and these Aussies on the blocks, it was fantastic.

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You know Gary Hall Jr is getting this throughout his life.

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"Hey, Gary, how's it going?

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"Gary, nice to see you."

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MIMICS GUITAR SOLOING

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The Sydney Games in 2000. It was an Olympics that went down as a roaring success.

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It was by far the best Olympics ever.

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But not everyone was having a great time. For some reason,

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the Vault gymnasts couldn't rise to the occasion.

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There was a couple of good wipeouts on that vault.

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I was competing, and I just couldn't figure out what was wrong.

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No-one could put their finger on it.

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Running up, vault. You're like,

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"What's going on? I don't understand."

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Then someone thought to measure the vaulting horse,

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and discovered it was set 5cm lower than the standard 125,

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upsetting years of meticulous training.

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I reckon it was just the guy with the overalls

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and the spanner. "Did you set the vault at the wrong thing?" "No."

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It was like a more aggressive version of You've Been Framed.

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They didn't get gold but they got £250 from Harry Hill.

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So, you know, every cloud.

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Those poor gymnasts, some of those falls looked REVAULTING. Sorry.

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Mark Spitz's record of winning seven golds in the 1972 Games

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was thought to be unbeatable, but as the 2008 Games in Beijing approached,

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rumours were that one man might just be able to top that achievement.

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Michael Fred Phelps.

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Everyone knew in Beijing that Michael Phelps was going for eight.

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So many people said he can't do it.

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He looks like the lovechild of Carlos Tevez and Seal.

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Not that one. That's the one.

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Thanks to feet the size of Alaska,

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he can swim faster than an electric eel.

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He has huge lungs, gangly arms and big, long feet,

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massive levers to help him through the water.

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The dude is built for swimming.

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But could the merman live up to the hype?

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The first final of the Olympic Games. He's ready.

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COMMENTATOR: Michael Phelps takes the gold medal. A stunning swim!

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Well, the French are trying to hold on, but coming back is Lezak.

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Jason Lezak's got the gold!

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Michael Phelps is still on for eight.

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That is unbelievable.

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Every time he won a medal, it was, "He's got his first, second."

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COMMENTATOR: Number three is in the bag,

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it's just whether he breaks the record.

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People were counting down his medals.

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Four golds. Four races, four world records.

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He was bulletproof. There was no-one going to beat him.

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COMMENTATOR: The USA are going to take the gold in the 4X200 freestyle relay.

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He was just absolute lightning.

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Another world record.

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Six golds, six world records in six days.

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He's got it! Oh, he's got it!

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I was completely shocked.

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One one-hundredth is the smallest margin of victory in our sport.

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COMMENTATOR: I cannot believe he's just done that.

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Not only must he have been knackered, but that's some achievement.

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COMMENTATOR: Michael Phelps, in the last race of these Olympic Games.

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That is it, eight straight gold medals.

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Michael Phelps is the greatest.

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Absolutely brilliant.

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If I could pick a gold medal to win,

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my country's first-ever gold medal, it would definitely be in football.

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In 2000 in Sydney, that was the dream of little old Cameroon.

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After qualifying as runners-up in their group,

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they drew samba kings Brazil in the quarter-finals.

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No-one gave them a hope.

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Everyone thought they would walk out against Brazil and get thumped.

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Oh, that's brilliant!

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But they didn't. They beat them, despite having two players sent off.

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And he scores!

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To beat Brazil with nine men is impressive. 11 is good,

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but with nine? If anything, it's arrogant.

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In the final they faced Spain, featuring World Cup winners Xavi and Carles Puyol.

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The game was a cracker.

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We didn't give them a hope against Spain,

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because Spain has talent queueing down the block.

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We all know how good Spain are.

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They were 1-0 down after two minutes.

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Oh, what a stance!

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Then they went 2-0 down.

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COMMENTATOR: This is the chance for 2-0. And it's taken!

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At half-time it seemed Cameroon would have to settle for silver,

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but the Africans had other ideas.

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COMMENTATOR: It's an own goal!

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Samuel Eto'o!

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It went all the way to spot kicks, where Cameroon became Germany...

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..and Spain became England.

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COMMENTATOR: Cameroon have never known celebrations like it!

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The great thing about the Olympics is that on the day,

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if you have luck going your way and everything goes right, you win.

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And that was a huge, huge thing for football in Africa.

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Now, some people say that true love is inspired by Cupid's arrow.

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But what a lot of folk don't realise is that a rifle

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-can do the job as well.

-GUNSHOT

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Yeah, I just got rid of that bloke who was hanging around the back.

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-The skier?

-Yes, he's been a right nuisance.

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Meet Matthew Emmons.

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In 2004, he was regarded as the fastest,

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bestest shooter in the West, and at the Athens games the gold medal

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was his if he could just nail his last shot.

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Unbelievably, he hit someone else's target.

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How could he miss his target?!

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All he had to do was hit the target and he'd win!

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It's like a footballer kicking it in the wrong goal.

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Luckily for Matthew, he was approached later that night by Czech shooter Katerina Kurkova

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offering him some kind consolation.

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# Celebrate good times, come on. #

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He was drowning his sorrows in a bar and he found love.

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That's preying on the vulnerable.

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He's a bit down, he's a bit insecure, lacking in confidence.

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Move in and marry him!

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I reckon he was hitting on her best friend,

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but his aim was so bad he married her!

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At Beijing four years later, now-wife Katerina cheering him on,

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it was redemption Michael wanted, not just love.

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Once more he found himself a shot away from gold.

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All he had to do was score an easy shot.

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COMMENTATOR: He only has to hit the target to win the gold medal.

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Ready...aim...

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D'oh!

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COMMENTATOR: Oh, no. I don't believe it.

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And I think he's surely blown it.

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I think the second time it happened, he was just feeling cocky,

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thinking, "This is never going to happen.

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"I can close my eyes and turn my head and shoot

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"and I will never do what I did last time."

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COMMENTATOR: There is no rhyme or reason for Matthew Emmons

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to repeat what he did four years ago, but incredibly he has.

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But what he lacked in medals, he made up for in love.

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Win or lose, I know she is always going to be behind me.

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That's what really matters.

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What happened in Athens, if for some reason that led us

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to get together, I would do it a million more times.

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I wouldn't change a thing.

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He is definitely the best standing shooter out there.

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There is going to be a reason why this happened,

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I am just curious why.

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No gold medal amounts to that, that's the truth.

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It's 1984 and American Evander Holyfield is favourite

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to win the gold medal in the light-heavyweight competition.

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He demolished his other opponents. He was knocking people out.

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He was a shoo-in for gold.

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He's an amazing fighter, and a real success story for America.

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However, in the semi-finals it all goes pear-shaped against Kiwi Kevin Barry.

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Kevin Barry versus Evander Holyfield

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wasn't just shocking, it was confusing.

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-Stop!

-COMMENTATOR: Oh, he's got him.

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Just as the referee said "stop",

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so this man threw another punch.

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Barry was caught by a left hook that was deemed illegal.

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COMMENTATOR: I have a feeling he is going to disqualify

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the American for hitting Barry after the command to stop.

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Holyfield gets disqualified, but the rules are,

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because the fella was knocked out,

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he can't box for 28 days, so he's out.

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There was no final.

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That's right.

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Holyfield couldn't go to the final due to disqualification,

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and nor could Barry after being knocked out.

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What do you do?

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So Barry goes down as a bronze medallist, and comes up

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as a silver medallist,

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Holyfield's disqualified but given the bronze medal, and some other guy wins the gold medal.

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The gold medal was given to a guy who said, "It should have gone to Holyfield."

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On the podium he lifts Evander Holyfield's hand, signalling he was actually the champion.

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He was in no doubt who was the best in the light heavyweight division.

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It was a truly sporting gesture in the proud tradition of the Olympic spirit.

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Now, it is time to see a true British legend.

0:20:020:20:05

He may never have won a gold medal, but the whole nation

0:20:050:20:09

can agree his contribution to the cause has been outstanding.

0:20:090:20:13

It is hard to overestimate his importance.

0:20:130:20:17

-It's my silver medal from Seoul, is it?

-No.

0:20:170:20:20

I'm talking about Boris Johnson.

0:20:200:20:24

Just as the Chinese closed the Beijing Games with style,

0:20:290:20:34

panache and theatre, it was time for the world to get a first glimpse

0:20:340:20:37

of what we would have to offer four years later in London.

0:20:370:20:41

The world held its breath.

0:20:410:20:42

# Always look on the bright side of life... #

0:20:420:20:47

When a bus went out to Beijing,

0:20:470:20:50

there was something slightly crap about that, it has to be said.

0:20:500:20:53

I think they should have been more realistic,

0:20:540:20:56

and had the bus turn up late

0:20:560:20:58

due to unattended luggage found on it

0:20:580:21:02

somewhere on the way to China.

0:21:020:21:03

We don't want you to think it's going to be a slick event with CGI fireworks.

0:21:030:21:07

Get a bus, get Boris in, and mess it up. That's fine.

0:21:070:21:11

They were introduced to Boris Johnson

0:21:110:21:13

and they weren't just pointing at him because he was big and blond.

0:21:130:21:17

He looked like he'd been picked out at random from the audience,

0:21:170:21:21

"We need someone to come up and wave the flag!"

0:21:210:21:24

"Go on, Dad!" "OK."

0:21:240:21:25

Boris comes up, he's getting it wrong. Great!

0:21:250:21:29

COMMENTATOR: Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, receives the flag

0:21:310:21:34

and waves it enthusiastically.

0:21:340:21:36

Forget fireworks and laser displays, we've got A level dance students,

0:21:360:21:41

a lollipop lady, and Optimus Prime's inadequate younger brother.

0:21:410:21:44

# Transformers!

0:21:440:21:47

# More than meets the eye. #

0:21:470:21:50

And what more do you need to really up the Olympics ante?

0:21:500:21:55

None other than the musical dream team of Leona Lewis and a gurning Jimmy Page.

0:21:550:21:58

You had Led Zeppelin, who the Chinese have never heard of before,

0:21:580:22:02

and Leona Lewis who they wanted to turn into soup or glue.

0:22:020:22:05

And then the big showstopper. Arise David Beckham in a shell suit,

0:22:050:22:09

doing his bit to represent the British skinheads.

0:22:090:22:12

All he had to do was put the ball into a huge goal

0:22:120:22:15

and everything would be forgotten in one glorious Olympic moment.

0:22:150:22:19

He missed.

0:22:210:22:23

Inevitably, on the big stage, he bottled it.

0:22:240:22:27

I think you'll probably find that there'll be a similarly Carry On style spirit

0:22:280:22:33

and as long as we manage that, then I don't think anybody will mind at all.

0:22:330:22:37

2008, Beijing, our track cycling team was phenomenal.

0:22:420:22:47

13 went. 12 won medals. How amazing is that?

0:22:470:22:52

I don't think we'll ever see

0:22:540:22:56

the likes of the performance

0:22:560:22:58

that we saw in Beijing again.

0:22:580:22:59

We had more medals than most countries in one small cycling team.

0:22:590:23:04

# Bicycle! Bicycle! #

0:23:040:23:06

All our big guns were on top. There was this fellow...

0:23:060:23:11

'The Olympic champion is Chris Hoy.'

0:23:110:23:13

..this girl...

0:23:130:23:15

'Rebecca Romero is the Olympic champion and gold-medal winner.'

0:23:150:23:19

..and this guy.

0:23:190:23:20

'Bradley Wiggins!

0:23:200:23:21

'He's the gold medal winner and Olympic champion.'

0:23:210:23:25

It was a truly incredible achievement,

0:23:250:23:26

Great Britain excelling at the Olympic Games.

0:23:260:23:30

But despite all the glory,

0:23:300:23:32

there was one man left feeling a little empty-handed.

0:23:320:23:35

Everyone did so well but a lot of people talk about the one athlete

0:23:350:23:39

who didn't come home with a medal.

0:23:390:23:41

The one man who didn't, our best cyclist, Mark Cavendish.

0:23:410:23:44

Sucks to be Mark.

0:23:440:23:45

# I am the one and only! #

0:23:450:23:49

Officially the fastest man on two wheels...apparently wasn't.

0:23:490:23:53

That was proved wrong.

0:23:530:23:56

-Everyone knew.

-He just hated the fact he was the only cyclist without a medal.

0:23:560:24:00

In the eight months leading up to the 2008 Games,

0:24:000:24:02

Cav had won the track world championships

0:24:020:24:05

and become the first Brit

0:24:050:24:06

to win four stages of the Tour de France.

0:24:060:24:09

The disappointment of not winning a gold medal in Beijing

0:24:090:24:12

is what has probably driven on Mark Cavendish

0:24:120:24:15

to do as well as what he's done.

0:24:150:24:17

The guy is talented beyond belief,

0:24:170:24:19

but what happened then has certainly spurred him on

0:24:190:24:22

to being a much better cyclist and a world beater now.

0:24:220:24:25

He's having the last laugh now,

0:24:250:24:27

because he's the fastest man in the world in road racing.

0:24:270:24:32

But one burning ambition remains unfulfilled.

0:24:320:24:35

Can he grab gold in London?

0:24:350:24:36

# We can rule the world... #

0:24:360:24:39

Colin, you've run a lot of races at the Olympics.

0:24:440:24:47

-What kind of shoes do you wear?

-Running spikes, of course.

0:24:470:24:50

-Would you ever run in bare feet?

-Nobody would run at the Olympic Games with no shoes on.

0:24:500:24:55

All right! Maybe a South African with a British passport

0:24:550:24:59

running the 3000 metres, for one.

0:24:590:25:02

It's 1984, and at the LA Olympics,

0:25:070:25:10

all eyes were on Britain's newly-adopted medal prospect

0:25:100:25:13

South African runner Zola Budd, the shoeless wonder.

0:25:130:25:17

It looked like adults were competing

0:25:170:25:19

with a child who'd forgotten its games kit.

0:25:190:25:22

Just vest and shorts but no socks and shoes.

0:25:220:25:24

Fast-tracked to a British passport

0:25:240:25:26

at the height of South Africa's apartheid sporting ban

0:25:260:25:29

by a newspaper campaign, Zola was a controversial figure

0:25:290:25:33

and that controversy followed her

0:25:330:25:35

all the way to the women's 3000 metres final.

0:25:350:25:38

But Budd truly found a place in Olympic history

0:25:380:25:40

when she stood toe to toe with an American

0:25:400:25:43

and was the only one left standing.

0:25:430:25:45

'And Decker's down!'

0:25:450:25:47

Zola Budd and Mary Decker, great rivals. They clashed in a tangle.

0:25:470:25:52

Mary Decker fell down.

0:25:520:25:53

One of the favourites is now flat out on the field.

0:25:550:25:59

Zola Budd was in front and Decker was behind

0:25:590:26:01

and she ran into the back of her.

0:26:010:26:04

If you're driving and you pile into the back of someone, it's your fault

0:26:040:26:07

and it's the same in athletics.

0:26:070:26:09

I think she'd heard an instruction, not a name. I think she'd heard,

0:26:090:26:13

"Mary, deck her."

0:26:130:26:14

Mary Decker, Oscar nomination for that drop that she took?

0:26:140:26:17

She didn't even have any shoes on.

0:26:170:26:20

Get over it.

0:26:200:26:21

'Mary Decker is now being helped from the track.'

0:26:220:26:25

And yet, just when we were starting to really like her,

0:26:250:26:28

Zola dropped down the field and finished seventh.

0:26:280:26:31

Daley Thompson proved in 1980 and 1984

0:26:370:26:40

that he was the man by winning gold in the decathlon at both Olympics.

0:26:400:26:44

But as everyone knows, all good things come in threes.

0:26:440:26:48

# Three is the magic number... #

0:26:480:26:50

So the world's eyes looked to Daley once more to defend his gold medal

0:26:500:26:55

and world record at the Seoul Games.

0:26:550:26:57

Daley Thompson was set for an unprecedented third gold at '88.

0:26:570:27:00

Daley would not have started that unless he felt he could win gold.

0:27:000:27:04

Come on, Daley, come on. You're the best.

0:27:040:27:08

'Oh, it's broken!'

0:27:090:27:11

I don't know how you break one. I mean, their design,

0:27:110:27:14

I think the number one thing would be not to break.

0:27:140:27:17

It was unthinkable. Daley's pole, dreams and crown jewels

0:27:190:27:22

were in pieces as he injured himself in the process,

0:27:220:27:25

meaning he missed out on the medal places.

0:27:250:27:28

He came fourth in this Olympics, didn't he?

0:27:280:27:30

Nothing wrong with fourth in an Olympics.

0:27:300:27:32

No, Dean, as well you know.

0:27:320:27:34

He would have got three Olympic golds in a row

0:27:340:27:37

in probably the most demanding track event and he got injured doing it.

0:27:370:27:41

He didn't retain his title.

0:27:410:27:43

You'd be heartbroken, devastated.

0:27:430:27:45

Apart from ice hockey, Canada were completely unknown at the Olympics.

0:27:490:27:53

This is their one guy, one guy, Ben Johnson.

0:27:530:27:56

This is their one chance at a gold medal.

0:27:560:27:58

And it came in the 100 metres final

0:27:580:28:00

which was shaping up to be the greatest race in history.

0:28:000:28:04

In the red corner there was Ben Johnson.

0:28:040:28:07

In the blue corner was our Linford

0:28:070:28:10

and in the other red corner was Carl Lewis.

0:28:100:28:13

Someone was looking particularly intense.

0:28:140:28:17

He looks odd.

0:28:170:28:19

The mad, bulging eyes, and he was just huge.

0:28:190:28:21

His eyes looked like the baddie in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' when they come out of his face.

0:28:240:28:29

He looked like he could have gone on that day

0:28:300:28:33

and won all of the Olympic events twice in one day.

0:28:330:28:37

'They go first time and Ben Johnson got a brilliant start.

0:28:380:28:41

'It's Johnson away and clear.

0:28:410:28:44

'Lewis is not going to catch him.

0:28:440:28:46

'Johnson wins it. Lewis second.

0:28:460:28:48

'Christie third.'

0:28:480:28:49

And in the blink of an eye, it was over,

0:28:490:28:51

with Johnson crowned Olympic champion,

0:28:510:28:54

not just breaking the world record but smashing it to smithereens.

0:28:540:28:58

'There's no question who is the fastest man in the world.'

0:28:580:29:01

# You're simply the best... #

0:29:010:29:04

He'd beaten the poster boy at the Olympics,

0:29:040:29:06

the American dream, Carl Lewis. He creamed him, he annihilated him.

0:29:060:29:10

Linford and all the boys were absolutely smashed

0:29:100:29:13

by this little bullet of a man.

0:29:130:29:15

The mood went from one of celebrating a new tyro appearing on the scene,

0:29:170:29:21

like a guy who was going to reinvent the sport,

0:29:210:29:23

into thinking, "Hang on. What actually happened here?"

0:29:230:29:26

It seemed too good to be true and sadly for Canada it was.

0:29:260:29:30

Just two days later, Johnson was disqualified

0:29:300:29:33

for having a banned substance in his blood.

0:29:330:29:35

This guy was on drugs.

0:29:380:29:40

Not just some drugs, it would appear, ALL the drugs.

0:29:400:29:43

Johnson's face said it all.

0:29:430:29:45

In recent years he's denied any wrongdoing,

0:29:450:29:48

even claiming he had his drink spiked by an American agent.

0:29:480:29:50

If that's what happens when you get your drink spiked,

0:29:530:29:55

I want my drink spiked on a regular basis.

0:29:550:29:58

Win a gold medal in 9.79 seconds? Yes, please. Thank you.

0:29:580:30:02

No matter what the truth is,

0:30:020:30:04

BJ claims he was more proud of the gold medal than the world record,

0:30:040:30:07

as no one could take it away from him. You were wrong. They could and they did.

0:30:070:30:11

Lewis got gold and Linford, silver.

0:30:110:30:14

I would have sold the medal straight away. I would have pawned it.

0:30:140:30:16

He must have known he'd get caught!

0:30:160:30:19

The world's disappointment was palpable.

0:30:190:30:21

He'd been an unforgettable athlete.

0:30:210:30:24

Yes, he cheated. Yes, he was on drugs.

0:30:240:30:26

But his legs still ran that quickly and it was unheard of.

0:30:260:30:29

At least he took drugs and he won races.

0:30:290:30:32

Dwain Chambers took drugs and came fifth in his races.

0:30:320:30:34

What are you taking? Red Bull?

0:30:340:30:36

-It's Barcelona, 110 metre hurdles final.

-Right?

0:30:400:30:43

-Eight men, all of us in different lanes. Ready to go.

-Go on.

0:30:430:30:47

The gun goes bang. All of us explode out the blocks.

0:30:470:30:49

I take the first hurdle. We keep going.

0:30:490:30:51

Second, third hurdle, which seems like it's an eternity.

0:30:510:30:55

-As I'm getting closer to the line and ready to dip...

-Where did you come?

0:30:550:30:59

-Seventh.

-Oh, right.

0:30:590:31:03

-What about in that other race?

-Oh, I picked up a silver medal there.

0:31:030:31:06

Yes, that's right.

0:31:100:31:12

My Welsh friend Colin Ray Jackson has his own Olympic story to tell,

0:31:120:31:16

and what a story it is.

0:31:160:31:18

In 1988, Jacko lined up in lane one

0:31:180:31:21

in the 110 metres hurdles final

0:31:210:31:23

as an inexperienced youngster,

0:31:230:31:25

up against the best opponents on Mother Earth,

0:31:250:31:28

including world record holder Roger Kingdom.

0:31:280:31:30

He did Blighty proud.

0:31:300:31:32

'Kingdom comes through. Kingdom's going to win it

0:31:320:31:35

'and Jackson's going to get silver. Kingdom wins it, Jackson second!'

0:31:350:31:39

A silver medal in the Olympics

0:31:410:31:43

and only beaten by a happy-slappy Power Ranger. Incredible.

0:31:430:31:46

But four years later in Barcelona, he was red-hot favourite to win

0:31:460:31:50

the king of bling, the gold, and he was certainly talking the talk.

0:31:500:31:53

To know that you're the best 110 hurdler

0:31:530:31:56

in 1992 in the Olympic Games would just be a wonderful feeling.

0:31:560:32:01

I think I would definitely earn more respect straight away

0:32:010:32:04

from most people when they say, "Colin Jackson, Olympic champion."

0:32:040:32:08

But in the semi-final, Jackson looked rusty,

0:32:090:32:13

seemingly forgetting that the idea is to jump over the hurdles

0:32:130:32:16

rather than hit them.

0:32:160:32:18

# Hit me! Hit me! #

0:32:180:32:20

'Jackson coming through. He hit that one but clean now.

0:32:200:32:23

'McKoy goes through to win it. Jackson second, Blake third.'

0:32:230:32:26

But if you're going to make a mistake in the Olympic Games,

0:32:260:32:29

better to do it in the semi than the final, right?

0:32:290:32:32

Surely Colin in lane three would be on his game when it mattered most?

0:32:320:32:37

'And Colin's struggling now. He's gone.'

0:32:390:32:41

Um, maybe not.

0:32:420:32:44

'McKoy's Olympic champion and Jackson run right out of it.'

0:32:440:32:47

'Colin Jackson, when it really came to it, hadn't quite got it.'

0:32:490:32:54

Colin's dream of gold medal glory was never realised

0:32:560:33:00

as he finished seventh with Mark McKoy of Canada triumphing instead.

0:33:000:33:04

Despite this, Jacko will go down in history

0:33:040:33:06

as an Olympic silver medallist, an awesome athlete,

0:33:060:33:09

and after Tom Jones, the greatest ever thing to come out of Wales.

0:33:090:33:13

It's 1996 and the big news?

0:33:220:33:25

Chris Evans has blighted our screens with TFI Friday. Horrendous.

0:33:250:33:29

Thankfully there was one man on hand to lift our spirits

0:33:290:33:32

during this dark, dark time.

0:33:320:33:34

Michael Johnson.

0:33:360:33:37

At that time, Michael Johnson was the best.

0:33:370:33:40

If I was a runner I'd hope I was something like Michael Johnson.

0:33:400:33:45

As a human being I wish I was more like him.

0:33:450:33:47

Johnson wasn't your shy and retiring type.

0:33:480:33:51

He put himself at a disadvantage

0:33:510:33:52

because he was wearing Mr T's gold jewellery.

0:33:520:33:55

He's got a massive gold chain around his neck.

0:33:550:33:57

He had gold, he blinged up, gold shoes.

0:33:570:34:01

To wear gold shoes, you've got to know you're going to win. He knew he was going to win.

0:34:010:34:05

First up for MJ - no, not that one - was the 400 metres.

0:34:050:34:09

Johnson delivered in style,

0:34:090:34:11

that weird running style he made famous.

0:34:110:34:14

Everyone was criticising his racing technique

0:34:140:34:16

because he runs like a chicken.

0:34:160:34:19

What they don't realise is it's 300lb weight of gold jewellery from Argos.

0:34:190:34:23

His upper body does not move.

0:34:230:34:26

Nothing moves apart from his arms and legs going like Road Runner.

0:34:260:34:29

'It contradicts all the stylists.'

0:34:290:34:32

Up, like that, arrogant, just taking it, taking it, taking it.

0:34:320:34:35

'Absolutely bolt upright.'

0:34:350:34:38

He ran completely wrong and still won.

0:34:400:34:43

'Johnson away and clear!

0:34:430:34:45

First up, he brought home the bacon in the 400 metres.

0:34:470:34:50

'He ran the perfect race.'

0:34:500:34:52

Then he kicked some keister in the 200 metres.

0:34:520:34:55

'Johnson is blistering away.'

0:34:550:34:58

The man was on fire.

0:34:580:34:59

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

0:35:020:35:04

I literally must have been like, "Look at him. I can't believe it."

0:35:040:35:08

'And Johnson is going away. Johnson by a yard!'

0:35:080:35:12

You couldn't quite believe that somebody could run that fast.

0:35:140:35:18

He was a god of the track, really.

0:35:180:35:19

He may have run in his own unique style,

0:35:190:35:22

but his 200 metres time smashed its way into the record books.

0:35:220:35:25

The bond between father and son is unbreakable, unless you're this guy.

0:35:320:35:37

And at the 1992 Olympic Games, we saw a prime example

0:35:370:35:39

of a dad and the fruit of his loins working together.

0:35:390:35:43

GB's 400 metre runner Derek Redmond

0:35:430:35:45

had suffered an injury-ravaged season

0:35:450:35:48

but had won both the qualifier and the quarter-final

0:35:480:35:50

and hopes were high.

0:35:500:35:52

Derek Redmond is our great hope.

0:35:520:35:53

Starts off the race amazingly well.

0:35:530:35:56

"Dez, you're going to win this. You're going to smash it."

0:35:560:35:58

'Redmond got off very fast indeed.'

0:36:000:36:01

Pulls his hamstring.

0:36:010:36:03

'Redmond has broken down.'

0:36:030:36:05

He said, "I heard this pop. I thought it was in the crowd."

0:36:070:36:10

And then suddenly he realised it was his own leg.

0:36:100:36:14

'He's hopping his way to complete. May not be the wisest thing to do.'

0:36:140:36:18

Pull yourself out of the race. Are you going to do that, Derek? No.

0:36:180:36:22

The stretchers are there. Just walk off, everyone else would.

0:36:220:36:26

But he just refuses to give up.

0:36:260:36:29

He wasn't really running. He was kind of hopping towards the finish.

0:36:290:36:33

Somehow his dad gets through security,

0:36:360:36:38

which is worrying in itself, gets onto the track, goes up to him,

0:36:380:36:42

and I think Derek leans on his dad.

0:36:420:36:44

'His father has been so close to him. They've been battling through it.

0:36:440:36:48

'He just can't hold it. He knows he would have had a chance.'

0:36:480:36:52

The applause starts to build up

0:36:520:36:54

and there's a real feeling this is a real human moment.

0:36:540:36:57

Father and son complete the race together,

0:36:580:37:01

an iconic moment and a beautiful story.

0:37:010:37:03

Yes, he didn't win the race, but he was still a winner.

0:37:030:37:07

It's not about winning. It was just about his determination.

0:37:070:37:10

And then he was disqualified for being helped by his old man.

0:37:100:37:14

'He's won nothing but admiration.'

0:37:140:37:17

I don't think Derek Redmond or his dad actually give a toss that they were disqualified.

0:37:180:37:23

The fact of the matter is they did what was right in the moment

0:37:230:37:26

and everyone, bar none, everyone would stand up

0:37:260:37:28

and applaud them for that, regardless of the result.

0:37:280:37:30

Derek Redmond, he may not have won a medal

0:37:340:37:37

but he's a true Olympic hero nonetheless.

0:37:370:37:40

It's 2004 and in Athens,

0:37:460:37:49

Kelly Holmes is desperate for Olympic glory,

0:37:490:37:52

but no one gave her a hope.

0:37:520:37:54

She was 34. So many people would have retired before then.

0:37:540:37:57

Injury-wise, she'd been through the mill so many times.

0:37:570:38:01

Ruptured calf, torn Achilles, stress fractures, torn calf,

0:38:010:38:04

damaged back, glandular fever.

0:38:040:38:06

# One foot in the grave... #

0:38:060:38:09

I just think nobody expected or had any idea

0:38:090:38:13

that this 34-year-old woman could come back

0:38:130:38:16

and get on the medal podium.

0:38:160:38:18

First up was the 800 metres and proving to be quite the Brit,

0:38:200:38:24

she was miles off the pace.

0:38:240:38:26

'Kelly Holmes absolutely dead last.'

0:38:260:38:29

You can imagine at that moment that you could completely lose the plot

0:38:290:38:33

and change everything and I didn't.

0:38:330:38:35

I just stayed there.

0:38:350:38:36

'Kelly Holmes and Maria Mutola are doing the right thing,

0:38:360:38:39

'sitting off the pace.'

0:38:390:38:41

But she wasn't last for long, and as the race reached a climax,

0:38:410:38:44

our Kelly was all over it.

0:38:440:38:47

As I came around the bend,

0:38:470:38:48

I remember trying to overtake Maria Mutola.

0:38:480:38:51

'Mutola won't let Kelly Holmes past.'

0:38:510:38:53

I was trying to go round her

0:38:530:38:54

and she was trying to go round the one on the inside and she barged me.

0:38:540:38:58

That probably was the moment that made me win the gold.

0:38:580:39:01

'Kelly Holmes fighting for the gold medal!'

0:39:020:39:04

I just remember saying to myself, "Relax." As I did it, I took that one crucial step.

0:39:040:39:09

'Kelly Holmes bringing it home for Britain. Can she get there?

0:39:090:39:13

'Come on, Kelly! One more go.

0:39:130:39:15

Come on, Kelly Holmes. It's gold!'

0:39:150:39:17

# You're unbelievable! #

0:39:170:39:20

When she crossed the line she didn't know if she had won or not.

0:39:200:39:23

She checked the board and Steve Cram, who's commentating, is going,

0:39:230:39:27

"Kelly, you've won, you've done it," as if she could hear him.

0:39:270:39:31

You've won it, Kelly, you've won it!

0:39:310:39:33

That face will live as one of the greatest reactions

0:39:330:39:39

to an Olympic gold medal, purely because of the out-and-out surprise.

0:39:390:39:43

Next up for Kelly was the 1500. This time she was the favourite,

0:39:470:39:50

but only two women had ever done the 800/1500 double before.

0:39:500:39:54

Surely, she couldn't join them?

0:39:540:39:56

Can Kelly Holmes do it again?

0:39:560:39:59

This was my dream since the age of 15 to be Olympic 1500 metre champion.

0:39:590:40:03

COMMENTATOR: Kelly Holmes moves to the back of the field.

0:40:030:40:06

Kelly Holmes now needs to just dig in there.

0:40:060:40:09

Can she run as controlled as she did in the 800 metres?

0:40:090:40:12

Kelly coming on the outside. It looks so easy.

0:40:120:40:15

The way she came through it was unreal. She was like a machine.

0:40:150:40:19

And then she was on the home straight.

0:40:210:40:23

COMMENTATOR: Kelly looks around to see where the danger is.

0:40:230:40:28

I remember thinking in my head, "Go!"

0:40:280:40:31

Kelly Holmes for Great Britain wins the 1500 metre title.

0:40:330:40:36

You are the double Olympic Champion.

0:40:360:40:40

I don't think she could believe it,

0:40:400:40:43

everyone watching couldn't believe it.

0:40:430:40:45

There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

0:40:450:40:48

Throughout the years of the Olympics,

0:40:570:40:59

the chances of a gymnast ever scoring a perfect ten

0:40:590:41:02

have been as likely as Jedward saying something that isn't stupid.

0:41:020:41:05

'Another disaster.'

0:41:050:41:07

But all that changed at the Montreal Games in 1976,

0:41:070:41:10

when a certain 14-year-old Romanian achieved the impossible.

0:41:100:41:14

How can you be perfect?

0:41:210:41:23

Surely there's always got to be a little glitch in there

0:41:230:41:26

that's not impeccable?

0:41:260:41:28

She's an absolute legend.

0:41:320:41:34

She was this young girl that came into this woman's sport

0:41:340:41:39

and completely transformed the whole world of gymnastics.

0:41:390:41:42

This young girl goes out there and just blows everyone away,

0:41:440:41:49

getting the first perfect tens in gymnastics.

0:41:490:41:52

COMMENTATOR: Ten she's got. It is quite incredible.

0:41:540:41:58

She made history.

0:41:580:41:59

She was a perfect ten.

0:42:030:42:04

The size of a tadpole and the bendiness of a slinky

0:42:040:42:07

mixed with the balance and agility of a smug cat.

0:42:070:42:10

It was not just one, but one after another and another.

0:42:110:42:16

It was amazing as she scored a perfect ten seven times

0:42:170:42:21

in the uneven bars, the balance beam and floor exercise.

0:42:210:42:23

It was just a shame there wasn't a proper score board built

0:42:230:42:27

that could show four digits and go above 9.99.

0:42:270:42:30

Before the Games, Omega, who made those clocks,

0:42:300:42:33

got in touch with the organisers,

0:42:330:42:35

and said, "What if you're not going to be able to show this?"

0:42:350:42:38

And they said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,

0:42:380:42:41

"because, let's face it, we never will."

0:42:410:42:42

'And she's got it again.

0:42:460:42:48

'Twice in succession.'

0:42:480:42:51

They had to do 1.0.

0:42:510:42:53

The commentator had to keep explaining that she hadn't got 1.0,

0:42:530:42:56

she had actually got ten.

0:42:560:42:57

ANNOUNCER: Nadia Comaneci, Roumanie.

0:42:570:43:01

The Olympic Champion steps up, and a real smile.

0:43:010:43:03

Even now it still makes you go...

0:43:060:43:08

She was just a natural star.

0:43:080:43:11

COMMENTATOR: An extraordinarily composed young lady of 14.

0:43:110:43:14

Hey, look at this, it goes all the way 12.

0:43:200:43:23

Yes, it's a clock, Colin. A clock.

0:43:230:43:27

We're back down under for the 2000 Olympic Games,

0:43:320:43:35

where it was all about one woman.

0:43:350:43:38

Come on, Cathy, you can do it!

0:43:380:43:40

As one of only 11 Aboriginals out of 628 Australian athletes,

0:43:400:43:44

the world was looking to Cathy Freeman

0:43:440:43:47

as the poster girl for the Sydney Games,

0:43:470:43:49

and to lead Australia out of its troubled past.

0:43:490:43:52

She was this symbol of a united Australia.

0:43:520:43:54

It sounds cheesy to say the hopes of a whole nation were resting on her,

0:43:540:43:59

and it's such a cliche.

0:43:590:44:01

But in this case it's true. I'm sorry to use that.

0:44:010:44:05

In Sydney, Cathy Freeman, poor girl,

0:44:050:44:07

she had everything. She lit the flame and done the lot.

0:44:070:44:11

But lighting the flame was just the start.

0:44:130:44:16

The world excepted her to run away with the 400 metre gold,

0:44:160:44:19

but could she take the pressure?

0:44:190:44:22

Yes, she could, especially as she was dressed as a superhero.

0:44:220:44:27

I do think, if I knew that the whole world was watching me,

0:44:280:44:33

I might have chosen a different outfit.

0:44:330:44:35

She looked so cute with the little hood thing on.

0:44:350:44:39

I think she wore it to get into her own little cocoon, a little bubble.

0:44:390:44:43

Forget the world, she wanted to run from A to B as fast as she can, and that's what she did.

0:44:430:44:48

COMMENTATOR: To quote a phrase which has caught on here,

0:44:480:44:50

Cathy has the world at her feet and a nation's soul on her back.

0:44:500:44:56

The women's 400m final under way.

0:44:570:44:59

The crowd roaring Freeman on and the response is there.

0:45:030:45:06

On the near side it's Freeman.

0:45:060:45:09

The nation expected and she has not disappointed.

0:45:090:45:13

She handled it and with grace.

0:45:140:45:18

If you watch that back and don't have a lump in your throat

0:45:180:45:21

there is something wrong with you, I think.

0:45:210:45:23

There was a good moment when she had the Australian flag

0:45:230:45:27

and the Aboriginal flag. Everyone thought, it's about time.

0:45:270:45:30

Out of generations of all this mess between native Australians

0:45:300:45:33

and these white clowns who came along,

0:45:330:45:35

all we needed, was someone to run really fast.

0:45:350:45:37

Hat off to Cathy Freeman, legend.

0:45:370:45:39

Now, this next one is something that everybody remembers.

0:45:460:45:51

Yes, it's a real classic. Something that sticks in your mind for ever.

0:45:510:45:55

-Tell the viewers what it is.

-Of course...what is it?

0:45:550:45:59

Man U versus Man City.

0:46:030:46:05

Jolie versus Aniston. Alien versus Predator.

0:46:050:46:08

But in the 1980s, what really divided the nation

0:46:080:46:11

was middle-distance running.

0:46:110:46:13

And two gangly gentlemen were at the forefront of the battle.

0:46:130:46:17

Everyone was talking about this huge rivalry

0:46:170:46:19

between Seb Coe and Steve Ovett.

0:46:190:46:21

This massive head-to-head.

0:46:210:46:23

Such different personalities.

0:46:230:46:26

It was like Starsky and Hutch, you had to love one or the other,

0:46:260:46:28

and it was the same with Ovett and Coe.

0:46:280:46:30

They didn't look like they'd be friends.

0:46:310:46:34

One looked like he could be in Chas and Dave

0:46:340:46:37

and the other looked like, well, a Tory MP.

0:46:370:46:41

Seb Coe, very clean-cut image,

0:46:430:46:45

Cambridge University student,

0:46:450:46:46

the model athlete on and off the track.

0:46:460:46:50

Ovett was a bit more rock'n'roll and edgy.

0:46:500:46:52

# Here we go, here we go, here we go... #

0:46:520:46:55

I remember him winning a race and 30 metres to go,

0:46:550:46:58

he was waving to the crowd.

0:46:580:46:59

I was an Ovett man.

0:46:590:47:01

He looked like he could have been a keyboard player in a prog rock band.

0:47:010:47:04

Children fought in playgrounds.

0:47:040:47:06

Families were split. Not quite, but you get the picture.

0:47:060:47:09

These two didn't like each other very much.

0:47:090:47:12

But come the 800 metre final in Moscow,

0:47:120:47:14

Coe was dead cert to win gold, in his favourite event,

0:47:140:47:18

over his old rival, Ovett. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing.

0:47:180:47:22

They were both very good athletes at the 800 and 1500 metres.

0:47:220:47:26

They were going to double up and do that at the Games.

0:47:260:47:29

Coe was clear favourite for the 800, world record holder,

0:47:290:47:32

and everyone thought he would win it.

0:47:320:47:33

'Ovett hits the front. Coe can't get through,

0:47:330:47:36

'Steve Ovett coming home to take the gold medal for Great Britain,

0:47:360:47:40

'to beat Sebastian Coe who gets the silver.

0:47:400:47:43

'And Ovett looks up in triumph.'

0:47:430:47:45

It was, like, a massive talking point,

0:47:490:47:52

the fact that we knew he was good, but that's Coe's event.

0:47:520:47:54

How dare he come in and win the 800.

0:47:540:47:57

I suppose I must have compounded more cardinal sins of

0:47:570:48:01

middle distance running in 1.5 minutes, than I have in a lifetime.

0:48:010:48:05

It was like night was day and day was night,

0:48:050:48:07

cats were barking and dogs were meowing.

0:48:070:48:10

The very fabrics of what we knew had been shifted.

0:48:100:48:13

Days later, the two met again, this time in Ovett's favourite event,

0:48:130:48:17

the 1500 metres.

0:48:170:48:19

Could Ovett do the double?

0:48:190:48:21

COMMENTATOR: And Ovett is on the near side.

0:48:210:48:26

Could this be Ovett's first defeat?

0:48:260:48:28

Ovett is in trouble

0:48:280:48:29

and Coe gets the event he wants.

0:48:290:48:30

Coe wins.

0:48:300:48:32

In a result that shocked the world, Coe struck back.

0:48:320:48:35

It shows the mental strength of Coe that he'd got over

0:48:400:48:42

the disappointment of not winning his major event and won the 15.

0:48:420:48:46

How much could the British public take?

0:48:460:48:49

They won the races that no-one expected and swapped over.

0:48:490:48:52

They both came home with an Olympic gold medal, but in the wrong event.

0:48:520:48:55

Who knew middle distance running could cause so much chaos?

0:48:550:48:59

People are talking about who should light the flame in London 2012.

0:48:590:49:03

People are saying it should be a race between those two

0:49:030:49:05

and whoever gets there first. I think that's a brilliant idea.

0:49:050:49:10

Usain Bolt has saved my sport.

0:49:130:49:16

And after Beijing 2008 there wasn't a person on the planet

0:49:200:49:23

who didn't know who he was.

0:49:230:49:25

Usain Bolt became a megastar in Beijing.

0:49:250:49:29

The super-human freak of nature.

0:49:300:49:33

The Jamaican was the biggest thing to hit athletics in years,

0:49:330:49:35

and not just because of his massive six foot five frame.

0:49:350:49:39

'He's a better runner than he is dancer, I'll say that.'

0:49:390:49:42

He was a BOLT out of the blue.

0:49:420:49:44

All of this before the start. It is brilliant.

0:49:450:49:49

I don't know what the celebration is. He says it's a lightning bolt. But I fail to see how.

0:49:490:49:54

As he lined up for the 100 metre final,

0:49:550:49:57

the world asked if he could live up to the hype.

0:49:570:50:00

I was in the Bird's Nest Stadium and it was the event

0:50:020:50:05

and it's over so quickly.

0:50:050:50:08

You don't fully take it in, even if you're there.

0:50:080:50:10

COMMENTATOR: They get away first time. Powell has got a good start.

0:50:120:50:15

Here comes Usain Bolt. Usain Bolt streaking away from the field.

0:50:150:50:19

It's going to be gold for Jamaica.

0:50:190:50:20

That is superb, it's a new world record!

0:50:200:50:23

He has blown them all away.

0:50:230:50:27

It was clear that Usain Bolt wasn't just the real deal, he was the nuts.

0:50:270:50:32

We knew he'd just run the fastest of any human being.

0:50:320:50:36

But he didn't run the whole 100 metres.

0:50:360:50:38

He was so fast that he could slow down

0:50:380:50:43

and just look at the other guys!

0:50:430:50:45

-You're out.

-Some in the audience were not amused.

0:50:480:50:52

Everyone got so het up about that. Why?

0:50:520:50:55

That wasn't disrespectful, that was him pumping his chest saying,

0:50:550:50:59

"I'm Olympic Champion."

0:50:590:51:00

'My goodness me. What a demonstration.'

0:51:000:51:04

But if his early celebrations were enough to wind up his rivals,

0:51:040:51:07

imagine how they felt when they watched the race back

0:51:070:51:10

and saw his shoelaces weren't done up!

0:51:100:51:12

-I don't believe that.

-Gobsmacked.

-I don't believe that for one minute.

0:51:120:51:15

It was like winning the X Factor by whistling your favourite song.

0:51:150:51:19

Maybe he would have had 9.3 if he'd done his laces up properly.

0:51:190:51:22

In the next race, he definitely did his laces up

0:51:220:51:24

as he aimed to smash another world record in the 200 metres,

0:51:240:51:29

to collect an astonishing double.

0:51:290:51:31

Could he do is it?

0:51:320:51:34

COMMENTATOR: Usain Bolt already going past.

0:51:360:51:39

He set that stage alight. You've got to say.

0:51:390:51:42

COMMENTATOR: Blasting round the top bend, Walter Dix in second place.

0:51:420:51:46

Shawn Crawford trying to hang on.

0:51:460:51:48

What's the time? It's gold for Usain Bolt and a new world record.

0:51:480:51:53

I do not believe it. Absolutely brilliant!

0:51:530:51:56

19.30. Into a head wind.

0:51:570:52:01

Oh, just the fastest man on this planet.

0:52:010:52:04

Whatever happens from now on, he'll always be remembered for that.

0:52:040:52:07

'Two gold medals, and two world records.'

0:52:070:52:10

Bolt is already celebrating the Olympics which he is going to win.

0:52:100:52:15

He ran so fast that he went into the future and saw himself win it.

0:52:150:52:19

I am number one! I am! Number one!

0:52:200:52:23

Britain has much to be ashamed of.

0:52:270:52:30

Take this weirdo for instance.

0:52:300:52:32

But in Sydney 2000 a whole nation stood proudly

0:52:320:52:35

and saluted a home-grown hero.

0:52:350:52:36

Sir Steve Redgrave is not your archetypal sports star.

0:52:360:52:41

Redgrave never looked like a sportsman. Michael Johnson looks like an amazing runner.

0:52:410:52:45

Steve Redgrave looks like the kind of guy you buy your bacon from.

0:52:450:52:48

Even his sport isn't what you'd call populist.

0:52:500:52:53

Rowing is an elitist sport.

0:52:530:52:54

Every year we have Oxford versus Cambridge, never Luton Poly.

0:52:540:52:59

And there is gold for Great Britain.

0:53:010:53:02

But for most of us, Sir Steve is a hero in spite of all of this,

0:53:030:53:07

thanks to five golds in five different Olympics.

0:53:070:53:10

Steven Redgrave is making his way into Olympic history.

0:53:110:53:14

To win five gold medals,

0:53:140:53:15

back-to-back with different teams in different events.

0:53:150:53:18

It's an unbelievable feat.

0:53:180:53:21

I think he is the greatest sportsperson in this country.

0:53:210:53:23

'Redgrave and Pinsent. They are the British Olympic Champions.'

0:53:230:53:28

During his career he had surgery to remove his appendix

0:53:280:53:33

and was diagnosed with diabetes.

0:53:330:53:35

Yet, like the Bionic Man, he kept on winning.

0:53:350:53:38

Great Britain, gold medals, Steven Redgrave. Mission accomplished.

0:53:380:53:41

It's amazing that somebody could push themselves

0:53:410:53:44

to that extreme for that long.

0:53:440:53:46

I'd be very, very surprised if he's not lighting the torch in July.

0:53:460:53:51

His life could have taken a different turn after he uttered these immortal words in '96.

0:53:510:53:56

If anyone sees me go near a boat, you have my permission to shoot me.

0:53:560:54:01

And there he is, four years later,

0:54:010:54:03

back in the boat winning another gold.

0:54:030:54:06

'Great Britain get the gold medal!'

0:54:060:54:08

Five Olympic gold medals, it's absolutely unbelievable.

0:54:080:54:13

And so, we've finally arrived.

0:54:200:54:23

Time to cross the line and find out who our winner is.

0:54:230:54:27

We know who has taken bronze and silver.

0:54:270:54:29

Let's now find out who is going to stand on top

0:54:290:54:31

-of our metaphorical podium.

-What are you talking about?

0:54:310:54:35

The winner, the person who has got to number one.

0:54:350:54:38

This is our most amazing Olympic moment of all time.

0:54:380:54:45

And I will beat any man in the world

0:54:480:54:50

and I want everyone on TV to know it.

0:54:500:54:52

I am the greatest.

0:54:520:54:53

We've seen lots of glorious sporting moments

0:54:540:54:58

but the ones that stay in the memory are the ones that transcend sport.

0:54:580:55:02

From Jesse Owens enraging Hitler by winning four golds in Berlin,

0:55:020:55:06

to the Black Power salutes of Mexico '68,

0:55:060:55:09

to Cathy Freeman's Sydney heroics.

0:55:090:55:11

Muhammad Ali will be remembered as the greatest sportsman of all time.

0:55:110:55:15

The butterfly who stung like a bee inside the ring and outside, too.

0:55:150:55:19

It all started when he won Olympic gold in 1960.

0:55:190:55:22

A medal he later claims to have thrown into the Ohio River

0:55:220:55:25

in protest at racism in America.

0:55:250:55:28

He went on to protest against the Vietnam War

0:55:290:55:32

and inspired figures as great as Martin Luther King.

0:55:320:55:35

So, in 1996, although sadly suffering from Parkinson's,

0:55:370:55:40

he was the perfect choice to light the Olympic flame

0:55:400:55:44

in Atlanta, the spiritual home of the civil rights movement.

0:55:440:55:47

A sporting giant who represented more than just sport,

0:55:490:55:53

starting the world's greatest sporting event.

0:55:530:55:57

Muhammad Ali lighting the flame is the best moment

0:55:570:56:01

of any opening ceremony there has ever been.

0:56:010:56:03

He's such an iconic sportsperson.

0:56:030:56:06

The greatest name in sport, ever.

0:56:060:56:09

Having the opportunity to be recognised.

0:56:100:56:12

It was a beautiful moment.

0:56:120:56:14

I've never known a stadium of 80,000 people hold their breath.

0:56:140:56:18

COMMENTATOR: What a moment. One of the great figures in sport.

0:56:190:56:24

# Come on, come on, come on... #

0:56:240:56:28

There's no other like him

0:56:280:56:29

in any sport. You won't see anyone like him.

0:56:290:56:31

COMMENTATOR: The sacred Olympic Flame burning brightly

0:56:330:56:37

in the American city of Atlanta.

0:56:370:56:39

There he is with the eyes of the world on him

0:56:390:56:41

lighting the flame with Parkinson's,

0:56:410:56:45

just confronting it, facing it down,

0:56:450:56:47

incredible.

0:56:470:56:48

Ali is a legend and I think it's only right he carried the torch.

0:56:480:56:53

# Till we have built Jerusalem

0:56:580:57:05

# In England's green and pleasant land. #

0:57:050:57:13

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