Book details

Drawn from the pages of the Telegraph, this superb anthology pulls together the very best writing on the Olympics. Published for London 2012 and beyond, it spans over a hundred years, and counts famous Olympians including Steve Redgrave, Sebastian Coe, James Cracknell, Michael Johnson and the Princess Royal as contributors. Martin Smith's selection ranges from David Hemery's hurdling triumph in 1968 to Usain Bolt's sensational 100 metres record in Beijing, and from the Berlin Olympics in 1936 to the fabulous track duels of Coe, Ovett and Cram. We go right back to Dorando Pietri's famous marathon bid in London's 1908 Games, and then share the homespun pleasure of the Austerity Olympics' in 1948, the last time they came to London. Here, too, are the legendary Olympic performances of the young Cassius Clay, Abebe Bikila, Olga Korbut, Mary Peters and Mark Spitz. Articles also come from our most distinguished sports writers, such as Anita Lonsbrough (also our 1960 swimming gold medallist), Paul Hayward, Martin Johnson, Jim White and cyclist David Millar.