From: bavafa@netcom.com (Hooshyar Naraghi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian
Subject: Another Marathon Classic
Date: 14 Aug 92 21:30:54 GMT
Organization: sci varzeshi

Now that the NBC version of Olympics hoopla is over, perhaps we could wonder
what Olympics is really all about.  I picked up the following article from
rec.sport.olympics and I thought you would enjoy it.  Reading this I couldn't
help remembering 68 Mexico City marathon where an African runner finished last
with a broken leg in the heat of the Mexico City night, and escorted by the
very same police motorcycle.  I wish I could remember his name. [HFN]


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From: hankwong@ocf.berkeley.edu (Henry Y. Wong)
Date: 13 Aug 92 20:12:30 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Keywords: Mongolian Marathon runner
Summary: What the olympics should be about- participation
NNTP-Posting-Host: planecrash.berkeley.edu

Someone mentioned the Mongolian marathoner finishing last and having to use 
the practice track.  Here's what the SF Examiner had to say about it.


(Monday, 10 August)

NO LONELINESS HERE

	Pyambuu Tuul staggered out of the Barcelona night, one night late but
proud to be the last athlete in the Olympic games Sunday.
	The Mongolian had vowed to run in the Olympic marathon 12 months ago
when he regained his sight in one eye after 13 years of blindness.  But
organizers insisted he finish his four hours of agony on a warmup track
rather than in the main stadium, where the Olympic opening ceremonies were 
already in full swing.
	Surrounded by six police motorcycles, with an ambulance also in
attendance, Tuul seemed bemused as officials guided him off the marked road,
through a darkened parking lot, and onto the warmup track.  When he had just
800 yards left, an official warned the marathon man he could be disqualified
if he took off his race number covering the legend 'Achilles Track Club of
Mongolia" on his t-shirt.
	He stopped on entering the track, looking around for help.  Another
official told him his marathon was not over; he still had one lap of the
track to run.  Tuul smiled and lumbered off again into the gloom.
	The 33 year old finally crossed the line to a smattering of applause 
from a small group of officials and journalists.  His time of four hours, 
4 minutes, 00.44 seconds was 56 minutes slower than next-to-last Hussein
Haleen of the Maldives.
	After finishing, Tuul gave the thumbs up, kissed the cheek of the
official who had shouted at him and said he did not mind being kept out of
the main stadium.
	"I am just a runner.  As the last runner in the Olympics I am much
satisfied," He said.  Tuul's day began badly when he dropped his glasses, 
breaking them.  He patched them up with tape and set off on his odyssey.

(end article)

It is refreshing to hear a stories like this in the midst of all the negatives
that have surrounded with controversy and negatives.


-- 
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Henry Yuan-sheung Wong <hankwong@ocf.berkeley.edu> 
"Throws as wild as Randy Johnson, as hard as Frank Tanana"
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Manager, Wasteland Warriors softball team
General Manager, Renegade Legion
Students of the University of California Keeping Stats (SUCKS)
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"I played high school football...!" -Al Bundy
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