Words: Violet
With the Sochi Winter Olympics getting underway today (despite the fact that the Opening Ceremony isn’t until tomorrow), we review the highs and lows, the wins and the fails, and take a look at some of the best moments of the Winter Olympics from over the years…
JAMAICAN BOBSLEIGH TEAM
Against all the odd’s, the four-man Jamaican bobsleigh team entered the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Despite crashing during one of their runs and having to walk to the finish line, their amazing starts became legendary and even prompted the film Cool Runnings.
TORVILL AND DEAN
Even if it was before you were born, the chances are that the names ring a bell. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s gold-medal winning interpretation of Bolero in 1984 took the world by storm, and still remains as one of Britain’s proudest achievements at the Winter Olympics.
EDDIE THE EAGLE
The ultimate example of “It’s the taking part that counts”, Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards became a cult hero for his enduring efforts, despite his goofy style and the fact he usually landed half the distance of every other competitor.
SHAUN WHITE’S DOUBLE MCTWIST 1260
Shaun White is a snowboarding legend, so it wasn’t a total surprise when he chose to take another run during the 2010 Vancouver Snowboarding Halfpipe finals even after he had secured the gold medal already. But what was a surprise was the incredible Double McTwist 1260 trick that he pulled out of the bag – the first time that the most difficult trick in snowboarding history was ever performed.
THE PLAYBOY – ALBERTO TOMBA
The outrageously cocky Italian ruled the slalom and giant slalom at the Calgary Games, all with the flair of a modern day playboy. His confident ways did not wain, as off the track he spent the remainder of the games trying to bed Katarina Witt – kudos for trying!
HERMANN MAIER CRASH
Whilst a crash may not usually make into a ‘Best of list’, it’s more the fact that after this jaw-clenching wipe-out, the Austrian not only survived, not only stood up and walked away from it, but went on win gold in both the SuperG and Giant Slalom later that week.
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
