About
The Summer Games of 1992 were hosted by Barcelona, the home city of IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch. The Catalans provided a festival of sport that was spectacular right from the opening ceremony, in which a flaming arrow fired by Spanish archer Antonio Rebollo lit the Olympic flame. Images such as that of China’s pint-sized teenage diving sensation, Fu Mingxia, launching herself from the 10m platform with the city skyline as a backdrop, helped continue the visual feast.
The changing face of European politics also brought fresh impetus to the Games. The Communist Bloc had crumbled and the Berlin Wall had fallen – many of the new independent republics of the former Soviet Union joined forces to compete as the Unified Team, and recently-unified Germany competed as a single entity again. The Unified Team led way with 45 gold medals, eight more than the United States. But the host nation had a wonderful games with thirteen gold medals. In sixteen previous appearances at the Games prior to 1992, Spain had won just four .
The most prolific athlete in Barcelona was Belarusian gymnast, Vitali Sherbo, who won six gold medals for the Unified team. Other highlights included the host nation’s victory in the football tournament, a thrilling 3-2 final win over Poland which sparked wild celebration amongst the home fans, and the men’s basketball competition, in which a “Dream Team” of American superstars such as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson cruised to yet another gold medal. Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia won the 10,000m run to become the first-ever female black African Olympic champion, and her victory lap with silver medallist Elana Meyer, a white South African, symbolised hope for the future of the Olympic Movement.
Team GB
With 399 athletes in Barcelona, the British team once again claimed five gold medals. M memorable performances by the team’s male and female captains, Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell, set the wheels in motion and put Britain back amongst the athletics titles after the disappointment of Seoul. Christie, an inspirational leader to the younger athletes, had looked in danger of becoming a nearly-man who was passed his natural peak. But he defied the doubters by cruising through the heats, and in the final he powered home in 9.96 seconds, ahead of Namibian Frankie Fredericks in second place. It represented the second-fastest time of an already distinguished career, and at 32 he became the oldest-ever champion in this most prestigious of events.
Like her male compatriot, women’s captain Gunnell had also been written off as a medal hope in some quarters. Yet inspired by Christie’s triumph against the odds, the farmer’s daughter from Chigwell destroyed the rest of the field in the 400 metres hurdles, including flamboyant American favourite Sandra Farmer-Patrick, who was left some three metres behind in silver medal position. Pictures of Christie and Gunnell, draped in Union flags on their laps of honour, remain two of the most enduring images of Britain’s recent Olympic history. Another was provided by Derek Redmond, who broke down with an agonising hamstring tear during his 400 metres semi-final. Typifying the Olympic spirit, Redmond hauled himself to his feet, and was helped over the line by his father, who leapt from the crowd and fought his way past over-zealous officials to help his son finish the race.
Cycling was one of the sports most affected by changing borders in Europe - Soviet Union and East German domination was a thing of the past - and Britain’s Chris Boardman took full advantage to claim the country’s first medal in the sport for some 84 years. Using a revolutionary bike developed by Lotus Engineering, Boardman set new standards in the 4000 metres tack event, beating close rival and medal favourite Jens Lehmann in the final by over a lap in a world-best time.
The gold medal tally of five was completed in the rowing at Lake Banyoles. Steven Redgrave was at the centre of this success for the third consecutive Games, competing for the first time at an Olympics with Matthew Pinsent. A gold medal in the coxless pairs, Redgrave’s second consecutive victory in the event, provided the first major success of a prolific decade for the duo. They easily overcame the field in a time of 6 minutes and 12.68 seconds, just under five seconds ahead of their nearest rivals from Germany. A successful Olympics for the British was capped by a further rowing victory by Greg and Jonnny Searle coxed by Garry Herbert .