Word: jenner
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Cheered on by a wildly whooping and whistling crowd of 70,000, the United States' Bruce Jenner grimaced his way across the finish line late last Friday afternoon to claim the one Olympic honor more precious than gold: the title of "the world's greatest athlete...
With the waning light shining on his flapping chestnut hair, the beautifully sculpted Jenner had powered his way through the 1,500 meters, the last of the ten labors that make up the taxing, two-day decathlon competition. Too uproariously happy to notice that he had left several contestants crumpled about him in pain on the track, Jenner jogged, danced and leaped through his victory lap. Then embracing his tearfully grinning wife Chrystie, he exulted: "It's all over. We did it!" With the single-minded ambition that distinguishes Olympic champions-a characteristic that the two-week extravaganza...
...fierce beating it was. By the end of the first day, the only question that remained was by how much Jenner would break Avilov's world record of 8,454. The powerfully built (6 ft. 2 in., 195 lb.) Jenner had run faster, thrown farther and jumped higher and longer than ever in his life. "I'm sitting pretty," he said, with typical elan. "All I have to do is show up tomorrow...
Avilov, now 28 and competing in his third Olympics, seemed nonplused; he had achieved personal bests in three of the first day's five events, but to little avail. At one point while loosening up he threw back his head like a high-spirited trotter and passed Jenner without a glance. Perhaps he was thinking that hubris such as Jenner's classically precedes defeat. But Jenner, a camera-courting athlete who thinks Montreal may lead to Hollywood, is a blithe and buoyant modern man. FEET, DON'T FAIL ME NOW read the baby blue T shirt that...
Because of the decathlon's schedule, the duel may well provide one of the Olympics' most electric moments. Avilov could have a substantial lead (150 to 200 points) after the first day's five events, but then Jenner should come on strong. "I'll be behind for nine events-it will be that close," says Jenner. The last event, the 1,500, is a Jenner specialty. The question: Under the lights as the evening wears on, and after two grueling days of tension, can Jenner win his race by a big enough margin...