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Sport - Olympic Games

A diving legend called Louganis

Abhijit Sen Gupta

— FILE PHOTO

Louganis.

Greg Louganis is considered the greatest performer in the sport in the history of the Olympic Games.

The American took up diving at the age of 10 and by the time he turned 16, he had won his first Olympic medal — a silver at the 1976 Montreal Olympics — in the platform diving event.

Louganis had to miss the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of the boycott by his country. However, he made a grand comeback to win a double title in the springboard as well as platform in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Quite remarkably, he went on to repeat the feat in the Seoul Games in 1988.

Full of drama

At Seoul, his victory in the springboard event was full of drama and highlighted his determination and dedication. Showing exceptional courage, Louganis refused to be cowed down by an accidental hit on the back of his head when he was going through his ninth dive.

Louganis also won both titles at the World championships in 1982 and 1986, having earlier won the platform event in 1978.

Experts feel that had he competed in the 1980 Moscow Games he would have got a double (springboard and platform) there too, thereby registering a remarkable three double triumphs at three different Olympics which would have been an unprecedented feat.

Louganis’s accomplishments do not stop there. He won 47 National championship titles and bagged six gold medals at the Pan Am Games. In 1985, he was given the Sullivan Award as the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete.

Grace and timing

Louganis is of Samoan and European descent. He studied classical dance for many years and his dancing skills might have contributed to the grace and timing he executed in his dives. His autobiography, Breaking the Surface, was a big hit and he then produced a video diary called ‘Looking To the Light.’ His second book, For the Life of Your Dog, has also been published.

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