About
The 1988 games were held in Korea, the "Land of Morning Calm" but were the setting for one of the biggest scandals in Olympic history. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson’s disqualification for a failed drugs test - the day after he had sensationally defeated fierce rival Carl Lewis in the men’s 100 metres in a stunning world record time of 9.79 seconds – sent shockwaves through the sporting world and overshadowed the many other fairly contested events. Lewis was awarded the gold medal and Johnson left the Games in disgrace, his record wiped from the book. Nine other athletes were disqualified after failing dope tests in Seoul and in the boxing ring, controversy raged at the judges decisions.
Though no-one knew it at the time, these would be the last Olympic games in which the USSR would compete. Soviet athletes won 55 gold medals, and the hosts Korea twelve. More than 8000 athletes from 160 nations set a new benchmark for participation at the Games, and a record 52 won medals. Tennis returned to the programme after a 64-year absence, and table-tennis, was included for the first time.
Seoul was graced by a number of notable multi-medallists, not least American swimmer Matt Biondi, who became the only man other than Mark Spitz to win seven medals at a Games, and finished with five gold, one silver and one bronze. East German Kristin Otto won a record six women’s swimming gold medals, and on the track, Florence Griffith-Joyner of the United States, dubbed "Flo-Jo" won three gold medals, setting world records in the 100m and 200m that still stand. Her other gold was in the 4x100m relay, and her sister-in-law, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, won gold in the heptathlon and long jump.
Team GB
After such success at the last two Games, Britain's failure to win athletics gold medal in 1988 was a disappointment, although it should be emphasised that there were far more athletes at Seoul than its two boycott-hit predecessors. Several came excruciatingly close, winning six silver medals and two bronze. Linford Christie finished third in the 100 metres, and had his medal upgraded to silver in the aftermath of the Ben Johnson scandal, while a 21 year-old Colin Jackson offered further hope for the future with an impressive second in the 110 metres hurdles. Liz McColgan led for the majority of the women’s 10000 metres, and was agonisingly overtaken by Soviet Union winner Olga Bondurenko on the final furlong.
Elswhere Britain’s men’s hockey team sent a timely reminder to the sporting world of the true spirit of the Olympics. The side had risen from obscurity to take the bronze medal in Los Angeles, and captured the imagination of the British public with a series of determined displays, becoming down-to-earth heroes in an age of growing superstardom. The group of doctors, bank clerks, teachers and computer technicians had put their daily lives to one side to train for the Games, and despite a slow start this committed approach paid dividends in the tournament’s latter stages. Centre forward Sean Kerly grabbed a glorious hat-trick in the semi-final, including a last-minute winner, as Britain overcame the favourites Australia 3-2. A commanding 3-1 win over West Germany in the final gave Britain its first win in the sport for 68 years, and injected fresh interest into what had become a minority sport.
Steve Redgrave won his second gold medal at his second Olympics, this time in the pairs with Andy Holmes. They led for almost the entirety of the final on the way to a deserved title. Only the next day did their efforts take their toll in the coxed final, and after a poor start, they finished with bronze. Adrian Moorhouse finally fulfilled his potential with gold in the 100 metres breaststroke. Back in 6th at the halfway stage, a powerful second 50 metres saw him pip Hungary’s Karoly Guttler in a photo-finish. Elsewhere Malcolm Cooper became the first man ever to retain an Olympic shooting title in the three positions rifle event, and Alister Allan joined him on the podium with a silver medal. Finally, Michael McIntyre and Bryn Vaile picked up a surprise sailing gold medal in the Star Class.