Category: Olympics

Tommie Smith and John Carlos 1968

It’s been 49 years since Tommie Smith and John Carlos decided to take political action – the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute. 

After having won gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter running event, they turned on the podium to face their flags, and to hear the American national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner“. Each athlete raised a black-gloved fist, and kept them raised until the anthem had finished. In addition, Smith, Carlos, and Australian silver medalist Peter Norman all wore human rights badges on their jackets.

In his autobiography, Silent Gesture, Smith stated that the gesture was not a “Black Power” salute, but a “human rights salute”. …

The american sprinters Tommie Smith,John Carlos and Peter Norman during the award ceremony of the 200 m race at the Mexican Olympic games. During the awards ceremony, Smith and Carlos protested against racial discrimination: they went barefoot on the podium and listened to their anthem bowing their heads and raising a fist with a black glove. Mexico City, Mexico, 1968 Mexico city, Mexico, 1968

In a perfect world we would keep politics and sport separate.

Now age 72, John Carlos was interviewed – 50 years before Colin Kaepernick knelt, John Carlos raised his fist

Despite being ostracized and ridiculed, Carlos says it was worth it to bring attention to the oppression of people of colour.

Nadia Comaneci Plaza in Montreal

A plaza named after Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast and runaway star of Montreal’s 1976 Olympic Games, was inaugurated at the Olympic Park on Wednesday.

Gazette

Olympic Bars Champ – Julianne McNamara

Everybody loved Julianne back in that era. We boys loved how she mounted with mixed grip jam cast, like a boss.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Isabela Onyshko after Rio

Famously the hardest working gymnast on the Canadian team, Isabella now wants to enjoy the sport more.

There’s an error in the news clip. Shallon Olsen, of course, qualified to the Vault final in Rio. Bela in the Beam final.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Max Whitlock considers return to all-around

It’s either a return to at least 4 apparatus, or go the World Cup specialist route if Max wants to continue towards Tokyo 2020.

Team GBR would ideally want 4 all-around gymnasts for Doha 2018.

Max Whitlock considers return to all-around competition after Montreal success

Nadia back in Montreal at Worlds

Nadia got great applause when she took the stage for the first time during Men’s AA Finals. They love her in Montreal. Nadia’s image appears all over the city.

She lived here for 18 months after defecting and learned French.

Press conference.

Ellie Black looking to the future

Ellie Black is a double Olympian.

5th in Rio. 

She certainly could have retired with the best Olympic result AA for a Canadian.

But since she’s still improving her goal — so far — is to stay as long as possible.

Watch the CBC interview:

In a sport dominated by teenagers, 22-year-old Ellie Black, of Halifax, is beating all expectations — and still going strong ahead of Tokyo 2020.

Ellie is one of three gymnasts who qualified to 3 finals along with Elena Eremina & Mai Murakami.

Nadia competed at the Montreal Forum

Dave Holmes reminded me that the 1976 Olympics were hosted at the Montreal Forum (Forum de Montréal).  Dave was there.

Home of the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996.

1985 Worlds Montreal were hosted in the venue now called the Montreal Biodome.

Kolesnikova, Shushunova, Omelianchik, Baraksanova, Mostepanova, Yurchenko

Montreal 1976 – 1985 – 2017

A great legacy. Nadia 1976 – Worlds 1985 – #MTL2017GYM

Click PLAY or watch a retrospective on Twitter.