The potential Olympic reinstatement of Russia by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) from a suspension occasioned by the revelation of wholesale doping at the Sochi Olympics coincides uncomfortably with the 30th anniversary of the busting of Ben Johnson following the Olympic men’s 100 metres in Seoul. State sponsored doping meets free market enterprise doping, […]
Dana Zátopková is 96 years old today; her celebrated husband, Emil Zátopek would have been 96 too, since by coincidence they were born on the same day, just a few hours and a hundred kilometres or so apart. Her status as an elder stateswoman of the sport seems to contrast with her beginnings; because […]
Equilibrium is restored. Eliud Kipchoge, a man who can already lay claim to being the greatest male marathon runner in history underlined that status by finally adding the kudos of world record holder to his curriculum vitae. In the latest (and greatest?) of a string of world records on the race track that is […]
Anyone who knows anything at all about Dublin, even if they’ve never set foot in that stout-soaked city, will know that the main drag is called O’Connell Street. Named after Daniel O’Connell, the legendary 19th century campaigner for political and religious freedom, the street strikes north from O’Connell Bridge (over the River Liffey), past […]
Gete Wami, one of the greatest Ethiopian runners of the last twenty years is suffering from grave psychological problems. There is recently posted footage on the internet of Wami looking very healthy physically, while acting in a clearly disturbed fashion. The man holding her by the shoulder is believed to be a priest. But […]
On the anniversary of Emil Zátopek’s final consecration as the finest distance runner in the world, if not in history – breaking the 5000 metres world record that had long eluded him – it is worth reminding readers that the Czech was as much of a character off the track as he was on […]