Where Eagles Dare

The 22nd Winter Olympics start today in Sochi so we can look forward to 18 days of skating, skiing and Snowboarding – to name just a few of the exciting events. In fact, there are a total of 98 events (12 of which are new) – so there’s definitely something for everyone.

This is all a far-cry from earlier Winter Olympics. It is now a highly –polished, ‘super-event’.

A look back to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary shows us that there were a total of 46 events with 1,423 athletes from 57 countries competing. Compare that to this year’s event which has a total of 98 events and 6,000 plus competitors from 85 countries. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend as spectators, with a further 3 billion people watching the events worldwide on television.

I look back on the 1988 Olympics with a degree of ‘whimsy’. These were the days when we were all introduced to the indomitable spirit of ‘Eddie the Eagle’ and the Jamaican bobsled Team.

‘Eddie the Eagle’ aka Michael Edwards – the only British entry for the 1988 Olympics ski jumping event. Who can forget him, with his thick-glasses constantly steamed up and his ever-ready smile he was a massive hit with the public. Eddie was heaver than the other contestants, and had to wear his glasses at all times - both disadvantages. Added to this, he had no financial backing and his training for the event was completely self-funded. Eddie was never going to win his event but his determination and spirit touched us all. He truly was a star.



After 1988, the entry requirements were tightened up significantly, so we will probably never see his like again.

1988 was also the year that brought us the Jamaican Bobsled team. Nobody could quite believe it – a bobsled team from a tropical country who had very little practice going down a bobsled track. They didn’t even have their own equipment and had to borrow spare sleds from other countries in order to compete. Did that put us off? Of course not – we loved them all he more for their spirit. Did they win? Far from it, sadly they didn’t finish after losing control of the sled and crashing. But, along with ‘Eddie the Eagle’ they were the real stars of the event in many people’s eyes.

I love winter sports, and will no-doubt put in a few hours glued to the TV for this years event, but always with a sense of regret that we are unlikely to see the likes of Eddie and the Jamaican team ever again.