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While her compatriot Kornelia Ender dominated the free style events, Ulrike Richter beat all her rivals in the backstroke events at the 1976 Montreal games. She got the gold medals for the 100 m, 200...

Four times discus world champion between 1991 and 1997, Olympic champion in Atlanta in 1996, this German from the east of the country was the favourite for the gold medal in Sydney in 2000. However, l...

This American diver was only fourteen years old when she won the springboard title at the 1920 Antwerp games. That made her the youngest Olympic champion of all times.She was to win a silver medal in...

This French weight lifter with a massively thick neck and chest was nicknamed "the strong man of the Halles", alluding to his porter's job in the Paris food market. His nickname of course was really d...

One of the most difficult apparatus in gymnastics, requiring the greatest physical strength. This event is only open to the men. The gymnasts alternate swinging movements and motionless suspension wit...

This sport did not last long in the Olympics. It was adopted in Barcelona to please the president of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had been a rink hockey goal keeper and is an ex president of t...

This Finnish runner has had an exceptionally fine career.It began with sprinting, in which he beat two world records for the 100 m, and ended with long distance running. He was five times gold medalli...

This Ethiopian, the first African woman to win an Olympic marathon, did so with a broad grin and apparently completely effortlessly. She did this at the 1996 Atlanta games, finishing two minutes ahead...

This exceptional wrestler is equally at home in free style and in Greco-Roman wrestling, which is very rare these days.Although he was world champion in the 78 kg category he failed to win a gold meda...

This excellent sprinter was one of the revelations of the 1928 Amsterdam games where she won the 100 m.Unfortunately, three years later she was in an air crash. She survived the accident but was left ...

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