Word: medals
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Several American athletes have warned against this trend away from the individual. Discus thrower Mac Wilkins, who won a gold medal at Montreal, told reporters that he was threatened with expulsion by United States Olympic officials for training away from Montreal even though he could not concentrate in the Olympic village. He went on to say that his victory was an "achievement for myself." Arnie Robinson, the victor in the long jump competition, felt that his medal was a reward for his long hours of training. "I won for myself, my family," Robinson said...
Some Americans felt more patriotic such as four gold medal swimmer John Naber ("I won by myself but for the United States") and heavyweight boxer John Tate, who draped a jacket over his imposing 228 pound frame which said, "Big Daddy Tate loves America." But they were not attributing their successes to the nation or President Ford either...
...spirit with national pride. For example: In the last week there have been proposals, most notably by men's track and field coach Dr. Leroy Walker, to create national teams in Olympic sports, based on programs established in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) which increased that nation's medal output. Walker suggested that athletes be picked two years before Olympiads and undergo rigorous training supervised by the team coaches. This might lead to a few more medals. But there can hardly be a greater threat to the Olympic ideals of amateurism and emphasis on taking part instead of winning...
...press conferences. At times she would walk about clutching tight to a large doll. Asked how she felt about becoming the focus of world adulation, she deadpanned: "It's nothing special. I feel just the same as before." Did she ever think she might not win a gold medal? "No, I knew that I would win." Deadpan too was the way the press in Rumania handled her conquests; the achievements of the team as a whole were extolled, instead of Comaneci...
...hearts of the packed houses at the Forum (a total of 86,000 watched the gymnastics), a much less diminutive set of women turned the Olympic swimming pool into their own private splash party. The East German women's team, which had never won an Olympic gold medal, took nearly all of them last week-and a lioness's share of the silvers and bronzes too. In fact, for a time the simplest way to keep tab on the women's medal count was to tally the ones the East Germans...