most dramatic upsets in Olympic history

[Helen Thomas]

Any others and any predictions for the coming Olympics.

In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of collegians and second-rate professional players, defeated the defending champion Soviet team at the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. The Soviet squad, previously regarded as the finest in the world, fell to the youthful American team 4-3 before a frenzied crowd of 10,000 spectators. The Soviet team had captured the previous four Olympic hockey golds, going back to 1964, and had not lost an Olympic hockey game since 1968. The so-called Miracle on Ice was more than just an Olympic upset; to many Americans, it was an ideological victory in the Cold War as meaningful as the Berlin Airlift or the Apollo moon landing. The upset came at an auspicious time: President Jimmy Carter had just announced that the United States was going to boycott the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and Americans, faced with a major recession and the Iran hostage crisis, were in dire need of something to celebrate. After the game, President Carter called the players to congratulate them, and millions of Americans spent that Friday night in revelry over the triumph of "our boys" over the Russian superstars. Two days later, the Americans defeated Finland 4-2 to clinch the hockey gold.

[ August 04, 2004: Message edited by: Helen Thomas ]

[Jason Menard]

That disturbing Tim Burton-esqe opening ice show for the recent Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City was kind of upsetting... particularly for small children I imagine.

[Helen Thomas]

Speaking of the Winter Olympics, was there really a bob-sleigh event won by the Jamaicans as portrayed in a John Candy film ? That would have been a major upset.

[Richard Hawkes]

I don't think they ever won a medal at Olympic bobsledding

[Joe King]

Surely the biggest upset was a couple of years ago when the British Relay team managed a complete circuit of the track without dropping the baton?

[Tony Alicea]

<JOKE>
I thought the biggest olympic upset was the failure of the greeks to finish building the facilities on time for this year's olympic games!?
</JOKE>

[Johnson Chongson]

[SJ Adnams]

At least one athlete, Erika Schineggar of Australia, has competed in both men's and women's Olympic events. As a member of the Australian National Ski Team, Schineggar won the 1966 women's downhill ski title; but shortly thereafter, when the Barr-body test was introduced, she was found to be chromosomally male and barred from further women's competitions.

After undergoing four genital surgeries, she changed her name to Eric, married a woman, and competed in cycling and skiing as a male.

(lots of similar stories if you follow the link)

http://www.glbtq.com/arts/sports_transgender_issues,2.html

[Max Habibi]

That's really amazing. He(is that the correct pronoun? I think so) must be a pretty impressive individual.

M

[fred rosenberger]

was there really a bob-sleigh event won by the Jamaicans as portrayed in a John Candy film

They didn't win a medal in the movie either. Their sled flipped in their final run in the movie, and they carried it across the finish line.

[stara szkapa]

I think Americans lost few times in basketball and baseball.