With the Rio Summer (but technically Winter) Olympics under 100 days away, I thought I would try and get the jump on others in what will no doubt be a hot topic come late July and August by hopefully stimulating some good banter on the best Olympics ever.
Gone are the days where we could simply lean on Juan Antonio Samaranch for his opinion (except, famously Atlanta), and we can’t rely on Jacques Rogge as he famously avoided the phrase (annoying Beijing to the limit as a result) in the games he presided over and Thomas Bach hasn’t presided over a Summer Olympics as supremo yet.
» VIEW THE OLYMPIC MEDAL TALLY HERE
What makes an Olympics the best? I’d say the best must have as many of the following of this not exhaustive list: World records, good organisation, joyous atmosphere in the crowds, full crowds, drug free (or as drug free as possible), inspirational stories, the creation of legends, opening ceremonies to be remembered for the ages?
I’ll list my top five (and do my very best to keep the bias to a minimum).
5. Berlin, 1936
I admit this is a very, very controversial call. It’s hard to justify putting a games that was hosted by the Nazis on the top of this list. However, if we try to briefly (and I mean briefly) put the politics aside, the Berlin games would actually serve as the template for how future Olympics would be organised.
It was the first to be televised and as a result 41 countries, including this one, saw for the very first time the pure spectacle of athletes in full competition and Jesse Owens owning the track. It was the first Olympics to have the now institutionalised the torch relay. And it ran like clockwork.
Downsides? A one Adolf Hitler’s involvement, the Swastika, the use of the games to legitimise the Nazi party on a global platform. Take your pick.
3. Beijing 2008
A great games. Billions poured into these games. I was fortunate enough to be living in Beijing (but didn’t get to go to the games sadly) at the time, and it was a great time to be in the city. Clean skies, and a significantly boosted subway system were the best thing to happen to residents ahead of the games.
The athletes themselves delivered in spades as well. In the two main sports (athletics and swimming), the world witnessed the emergence and crowning of legends: Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps.
No city has ever put on a better Opening ceremony. No city ever will either. Probably because no city will ever spend as much money on one ever again to make it happen.
The downsides to this Olympics? While superbly organised, stadiums were empty outside the Birds Nest, Water Cube and any non-Chinese dominated event.
Much of this came down to a questionable ticket selling strategy. Lots of hard working Chinese were blocked from getting tickets, foreigners reported difficulties getting tickets and getting into the lottery, and general lack of olympic spirit in getting to the lower profile events.
3. Barcelona
Quite simply, the Olympics movement needed this. A succession of uninspiring Olympic games questioned whether the Olympics would remain relevant in the professional sport era.
Munich in 1972 would be forever tainted by terrorists, Montreal in 1976 for nearly bankrupting the city (only in the early 21st century did Montreal finally square away it’s debts from the games), Moscow in 1980 for being boycotted by half the free world, Los Angeles in 1984 for being boycotted by the communist bloc, spelt dark times for the games.
Seoul provided a glimmer of hope, but even then Ben Johnson really did cast a shadow over the games that will never be forgotten.
But Barcelona, did it deliver and then some. The first games after the fall of the Soviet Union and a unified Germany. The first games with South Africa back in the fold. The first games to be professional (welcome the dream team everyone!), world records, fantastic organisation and a quality opening and closing ceremony to boot.
Excellent exploits by the athletes as well (the dream team, Linford Christie, Jennifer Capriati, Kieran Perkins first 1500m gold) and Derek Redmond’s tear-jerking busted hammy. Quality games.
2. Sydney
Ah, it was tough not to put this at number one, but my reason later will be justified. This was a truly wonderful games, and the best time to ever be in Sydney. It was a two-week period where everything just worked, and if it didn’t work, we simply didn’t care for a change.
Bad traffic? Who cares. Queues everywhere? Hmph! Overpriced food at the games? Bah!
These were astonishingly well organised games, possibly the best organised of all time. Infrastructure ready and complete years before the games started.
Massive crowds, happy crowds, a ridiculously awesome atmosphere. The Australians owned these games. Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Cathy Freeman, the women’s hockey team, heroes such as Simon Fairweather and Lauren Burns were all unforgettable. Eric the eel….
The downside? The drugs. We didn’t know it then but Sydney would eclipse Seoul as one of the most tainted games ever, topped off by Marion Jones losing all five of her medals. Of course, it wasn’t SOCOG’s fault, nor the fans, but this legacy that’s hard to shake.
1. London
The Sydney equivalent. In fact, despite the drugs tainting Sydney, it would take an almighty games to top it, and London delivered.
A great and fun opening ceremony (and an equally fun closing ceremony), incredibly organised, full and fun stadiums (Sydney and London sold more tickets than any other Olympics) in all sports, and 32 records broken.
Few British people will ever, ever forget the night they owned the track and field with Greg Rutherford, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis each winning gold in the space of 90 minutes. The 29 golds won by Team GB also helped turn the games into a real party for the hosts.
Annoyingly, if you only had Channel 9, then you saw endless, endless replays of the women’s 4x100m swimming gold, sailing and James Brayshaw turn foregone conclusion rowing heats into an utter shambles.
The downside? Drugs have also pervaded this games in the aftermath, with a few gold medals being overturned – thanks a lot Russia. London gets the nod for now, if only because the athletics medal tally hasn’t yet been entirely rewritten, but gosh darn it if the Poms beat us, so I’m equally happy to call it a tie.
What are your thoughts?
Emma
Guest
I think that the best olympic games ever are the barcelona 92, not london
BG
Guest
London 2012 didn't 'try to replicate 2000'. It respectfully took advice and experience from the major success of Sydney 2000 (plus many other host cities) and built on it. The revolution in the London games was sustainability of facilities, technology, organisation and also arguably woman's sport and the Paralympics. All of which were far ahead of Sydney; also 'revolutionary' and 'set the standard'. I think the Sydney Olympics were one of the best ever; but just because Brits were open minded enough to learn from it and create our own success does not mean we 'didn't revolutionise anything'.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Some great memories here. Personally, I would to have seen any of the 1920-1928 games, just to see Paavo Nurmi win one of his 9 gold and 3 silver medals, in a variety of events from 1500 to 10,000 metres, including the steeplechase and the cross country. This was an amazing feat of versatility that is rarely seen from runners. I remember the joy of Abebe Bikila's 1960 and 1964 gold medal marathons. The first achieved running barefoot for most of the race, and the 2nd only 40 days after an operation for appendicitis. 1900-1904-1908 would have been fascinating to see Ray Ewry, the polio victim-turned athlete, who won 8 gold medals, and won 2 events 3 times in 3 Olympics -- this was not equalled for over 100 years, when Michael Phelps equalled it. It would have been great to see his events, the standing jumps, which are no longer contested. 1956-1968 would have been great to see Al Oerter win 4 consecutive golds in the discus. I remember he almost made the USA team in 1980 on the comeback trail, and he unofficially threw an Olympic record that has still not been beaten. Really, it is the sports and the personalities that make the games. The shenanigans that we saw around the Sydney Games would turn you off the Olympics forever -- "gifts" to officials to ensure votes, free accommodation for athletes, free travel for entourages, etc, all paid for by the taxpayer, whose services were reduced and cut back to pay for greedy snouts in the trough. Later analysis showed that there was no financial benefit to the state, although a few people made a lot of money for themselves. No sporting games are worth that sort of sacrifice -- if Australia couldn't do it, then 3rd world countries would have no hope.
Queries
Guest
2012 was crap, just like their cuisine.
Johnno
Guest
Man dissed on Atalnta but I really enjoyed them. There was alot of tension in so many of the events, I reckon it had a good energy to it. The athletics and swimming were really exciting, celine dion stole the show at the opening ceremony it was a good games if you ask me. On a side note for winter ones, Lillehammer and Calgary and Vancouver were really good as was Sarejevo. Sochi was so boring.
Chris
Guest
Why though are you marking London down for that though? Yes Sydney was great and ushered in a new era of awesome when it came to Olympic games but most things that Sydney did London did better even if London wouldnt have been able to do those things without Sydney doing them first. I dont get why people would mark London down for that? Sydney was Godfather 1 London Godfather 2 and by most accounts Rio could be Godfather 3.
Chris
Guest
Yes Hitler was there in Berlin but it was still a brilliant Olympics by every account. Read up on it, it could very easily be higher.
Griffo
Guest
I would argue that the biggest issue with the games is not the professionalism, rather those professional sports that compete at the Olympics when the Olympics is not the pinnacle of that sport. I think boxing has it right but football and tennis have it wrong. I don't see a problem with professionals in track and field, swimming, gymnastics etc.. where there is no higher achievement than winning at the Olympics.
Griffo
Guest
Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall hearing the IOC stipulating that broadcasters that wished to show different feeds on different channels had to pay significantly more. I'm not using this as a justification for what we saw or didn't see but the braodcaster in Australia might have thought that there wasn't an economic rationale for paying that extra money.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Wow, I was at 2 of the top 3. Sydney smashed Barcelona. Barcelona was poorly organised in comparison. London I wasn't at, so can't comment.
Johnno
Guest
well said Jeff
Jeff Morris
Guest
I will say Montreal though for the summer games, as this was the first ones I remember. I remember watching Bruce Jenner kick ass in the decathlon and inspired me to go for athletics in high school. Also, I remember Nadia Comaneci in the gymnastics. The whole thing was amazing to me as a 6 year old. For the winter games, Lake Placid. I was mesmerized by Eric Heiden's sweep of every speed skating event. I still think that may have been the greatest individual Olympic performance ever especially if you believe him when he says he didn't take any performance enhancing drugs. It would be like someone winning both the 100 meter dash and the Marathon in the same games.
Jeff Morris
Guest
IMO, any games prior to the professional era. To me they just aren't the same with professionals, it defeats the original ideal.
Johnno
Guest
Beijing was boring. 1988 at Seoul had way more atmosphere for an Asian Olympics, for whatever the reasons it worked far better than Beijing 20 years later in 2008. Maybe it was Australia haveing a Bicentenary in 88 that sparked for OZ interest and patriotism who knows. But I remember the excitment watching Debbie Flintoff King wing gold or Duncan Armstong, or Spike Cheney's boxing run to silver medal, you felt the whole nation was watching, I didn't get that feeling in 2008 in Beijing from Aussies.
The real SC
Roar Rookie
I remembered back when I was 4 years old as Sydney put on the best Olympics games - Channel 7 had the best coverage. Bruce McAvaney leading the call in Cathy Freeman's 400m race. Not just that but Channel 7 had the highest TV ratings in its 44-year TV history back then.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
I have found myself becoming less and less interested in the Olympic games over the years. I blame the coverage mostly. I dont want to only see events that have Australians in them. There is no excuse when multiple channels are available that they dont all show something different. The last few times the same thing is on multiple channels, which just makes me think...whats the point? Show some Badminton, show some Table Tennis...yes Australia might suck at it, but the games are bigger than Australia and viewers like variety. Oh, but thats right, since when did FTA channels give a toss about the viewers.
Corrupt
Guest
Being able to watch any event I wanted, ad free via the internet on the BBC in high definition made the London Olympics the best by so far it is not even worth talking about. Might check out the javellin, in my own time. Or see a bunch of basketball matches. No problem. Sydney was watching that Wilko bloke talk about swimming, I went to Mexico half way through it as it became so lousy.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Sydney transformed the Olympic Games and set the standard. Every one held since has tried to replicate what happened in 2000.... London didn't revolutionise anything, it was pretty much the Sydney games in a different city.
spruce moose
Guest
Yeah, it's just who got caught though that can leave the lasting impact. I think the other reason why London just gets the nod was because it was one of the most memorable track and field meets in some time. And despite the hundreds of other sports in the Olympics, it's track and field that leaves the biggest mark on a games. Bolt doing the double-triple Mo Farah doing the double in the 5000m and 10000m. Pearson's nail biter in the 100 hurdles Ennis dominating the Heptathlon David Rudisha's OUTRAGEOUS 800m. Valerie Adams (albeit belatedly) winning gold in the shot put. Bahamas upsetting the US in the 4x400m. WR's in both the men's and women's 4x100m. Sydney had a good track and field meet, but London's was extraordinary.
spruce moose
Guest
no one asked you to read it, or reply to it.