• Atlanta 1996

Atlanta 1996 - Quick Hits

October 12, 2011

Atlanta 1996:

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Another medal for Ali
The IOC presented Muhammad Ali with an Olympic gold medal to replace the one he allegedly lost after the Games in 1960. The story goes that Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, threw the medal into a river in a fit of rage after being refused entry to a "whites only" restaurant in Ohio.

Hong Kong Star
Lai Shan Lee bagged a last-gasp medal for Hong Kong at its 11th Olympics with a gold in wind surfing. It was the port city's first-ever medal at its last-ever Olympics as the city then became part of China.

Better late than never
Laos' Sirivanh Ketavong took an astonishingly long 3 hours, 25 minutes to complete the marathon. She crossed the finish line an hour after Ethiopia's Fatuma Roba, winner of the event. Yet Ketavong's name would not feature in the final results - the sheet having been finalised and sent 20 minutes before her arrival.

Tearjerker
American heptathlon queen Jackie Joyner-Kersee had wanted to say goodbye to her fans in style at Atlanta. But she proved to be the event's tearjerker after cameras caught her weeping in her husband's arms in a corridor. After 10 years at the top, she had aggravated an old injury that would rule her out of her swansong.

A low for Linford
Britain's Linford Christie won the 100m gold at Barcelona, but he was disqualified from the event in 1996 after two false starts.

Dream Team 2
The US basketball outfit at 1992 was labeled the Dream Team for its bringing together of the great Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, among others. The 1996 version was tagged Dream Team 2 and featured Shaquille O'Neal, Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone. They won as well.

Happy Hour
Canadian bar owner and Olympic boxer Mike Strange ordered free drinks to be served for an hour after each of his lightweight wins at Atlanta. Locals cheered Mike on as far as the quarter-finals.

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