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On This Date: Leon Stukelj's Birthday

11/12/2014

One of the Olympic's greatest gymnasts was born on this date way back in 1898. Competing for Yugoslavia, Slovenia's Leon Stukelj won the All-Around gold in 1924, and ended his Olympic career 12 years (12!) in Berlin 1936, with six overall medals: three golds, one silver, and two bronze. And, oh, he also earned 14 world championship medals in his career, too.

Originally opposing the new regime, he overcame hard times in communist Yugoslavia after his gymnastics career, to work as a judge until late in life. And he had a remarkable 'late life', becoming a national inspirational celebrity in the newly independent Slovenia in 1991, and renown for his longevity. Crediting the sport needed mental and physical discipline for his good health, he continued exercising on rings into his 90's.

He was a special guest at the 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremony, presented as the oldest living gold-medalist at the time, and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. At 100, he was spry enough to attend a national birthday celebration for him in Slovenia, and remarked that he "looks forward to each day". Four days shy of turning 101, Stukelj passed away in 1999.

Cheers to you, Leon! Wish I had known you.

China Continues Trampolining Dominance

11/9/2014

China kept its place at the top of the medal table at the Trampolining Worlds again, with a total of seven medals from the competition in Daytona this year. China has now won the medal table in each competition from 2010 on ('10 and '13, they were tied for first with Russia), and are definitely cementing their status as the dominant nation in the sport by far.

The seven medals this year included five golds - both men's and women's individual and synchro trampoline titles, and the gold in men's tumbling. Their silver in women's tumbling ensured at least one medal in each event, they entered - there wasn't a Chinese entry in either of the double-mini events (which they normally don't anyway). So...probably safe to assume once they get around to focusing on that event, they'll be the ones to beat there, too.

I suppose there could be some solace for the other nations, in that China didn't win as many medals this time around as in past...last year, they had 10 medals compared to the seven now. But, then again, last year there were additional team events to factor in which weren't contested this year...so...nevermind. And, the number two nations - Russia and Belarus, each with four total - were further back than they were last time. Looks like this Chinese dominance is here to stay.

On This Date, November 06: An Olympic Boycott

11/6/2014

The 1956 Olympics in Melbourne were staged at the end of a tumultuous year in global politics, and as a major global event, were poised to become a stage for statements and positioning of visible protest. That unfortunate role came to fruition on this date in 1956, when what is considered to be the 1st official Olympic boycott was announced.

On November 6th, In protest of the brutal Soviet crackdown on the attempted Hungarian revolution, Spain and the Netherlands declared a boycott of the Games, to be joined later by Switzerland (Switzerland!). With that dubious inspiration, a few days later, in response to and protest of the Suez Crisis, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq declared their own boycott. And finally, China (The People's Republic of) boycotted just before the Games when China (er, Taiwan) was allowed to compete as an independent nation.

The result? The number of athletes participating in the Games dropped from four years earlier, by more than 1,500. A good result? Described as a response to frustration as seeing the Games used as a political platform, proposed by local schoolboy John Ian Wing, the Closing Ceremony featured athletes entering and celebrating together - rather than separated by nation - to recognize for a moment the bringing together of people through sport and without boundaries.

I'm a big fan of that last bit. How ironic, then, that without the intrusion of politics and these first boycotts, that tradition may never have started. The threat of boycotts hasn't ended, and neither has the impulse to use the Games as statements. I can't see that ever changing. And, to be honest, I'm not sure I would. Without a minimum of political discussion and impact, we wouldn't have a spotlight on dubious hosts like Beijing and Sochi. While I look forward every two years to the ideal of forgetting about the real world, I recognize the importance of using a visible and public voice to express discontent. Does that mean I support a boycott? No - and thankfully there hasn't been one since 1988. As Sochi dissenters showed, that voice can be carried in other means in today's ready news era. There's no denying that the 1956 Games marked a milestone in using sport as protest. But let's hope that that specific mark of boycotting has passed.

On This Date, November 03: Karch Kiraly is Born

11/3/2014

On this date in 1960, Charles 'Karch' Kiraly (USA) was born. He is a living legend of volleyball, first earning wide recognition when leading Team USA to gold at the 1984 Olympics. But even before that, he was a star of the sport, having led UCLA (Go Bruins!) to collegiate titles in 1979, 1981 and 1982, and winning Most Outstanding Player in the last two.

After leading the national team to gold in 1984, he led the U.S. to the 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championship titles, before successfully defending the Olympic title in 1988. For his efforts, FIVB named Kiraly the 'top player in the world' in both 1986 and 1988. In 1992, Kiraly switched full-time to beach volleyball, and became the first player to have both both indoor and beach titles with the beach victory in 1996. Eventually, he set the career beach volleyball win mark with 148. FIVB named him the "Player of the Century" in 2010.

In 2012, he was named as the coach of U.S. national women's team, and most recently led them to the World Championship title, setting them up as top contenders for Rio 2016 gold.

Is there anything he can't do in the sport?

Forward>>

On This Date: Leon Stukelj's Birthday

China Continues Trampolining Dominance

On This Date, November 06: An Olympic Boycott

On This Date, November 03: Karch Kiraly is Born

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