• Mexico 1968

Mexico 1968 - Quick Hits

ESPN staff
October 12, 2011
Mexico 1968: Key Moments | Quick Hits | Key Facts | Medal Table | Gallery | Olympics Histories Home

Bob Beamon collects his gold medal © Getty Images
Enlarge
Leaping for gold
The highlight of the Games was American Bob Beamon's astonishing 8.90m leap for the long jump gold, which beat the previous mark by 55 centimetres. His record stood until another American, Mike Powell, leapt 8.95m at the 1991 world championships in Tokyo.

Red Terror
Ethiopian Mamo Wolde, who won the marathon, was arrested in 1992 and thrown in prison for his part in the Red Terror, a violent dictatorial regime in his country in 1977 and '78.

Home-field blues
The home team was unable to take advantage of competing in its own backyard, coming away with only three gold medals -- two in the boxing ring (Ricardo Delgado and Antonio Roldan) and one in the swimming pool (Felipe Munoz).

On the path to greatness
In the super-heavyweight division, a man who would become a boxing legend, George Foreman, punched his way to gold.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices