Six sensational Olympians through the years
- Published
Abebe Bikila did in 1960 what no-one else ever has - he won the Olympic marathon in Rome, barefoot! He couldn't find any trainers that fit him. He broke away from the rest of the athletes at Rome's Obelisk of Axum, which was originally from his country of Ethiopia. He won by 200 metres.
American sprinter Jesse Owens was is an Olympic hero ... He won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games, making him one the best remembered athletes in Olympic history. What made his win so much more important was that he won in Berlin during a time when Germany was under Nazi rule.
The queen of the 1976 Olympic Games, gymnast Nadia Comaneci, was awarded the first perfect 10. She achieved the perfect score on the uneven bars but she didn't stop there! She went on to record the perfect 10 six more times, becoming the youngest all-around Olympic gold medallist.
Cathy Freeman from Australia delivered to intense home pressure at the 2000 Sydney Games. She won the 400m final whilst wearing this now famous running suit! Cathy became the first Aboriginal athlete to win gold in athletics.
Michael Phelps is currently the most decorated Olympian - he's got a massive 22 medals, 18 of them gold. He started swimming at the age of seven to give him an outlet for his energy. When he was 15, he went to the 2000 Olympics, becoming the youngest swimmer to make the US national team in nearly 70 years.
The Bolt that is Usain is currently the most decorated sprinter of all time. The Jamaican athlete made history at the 2008 Olympics when he won three golds and set three world records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
- Published27 July 2016
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