Ghulam Raziq of Pakistan was a similar case. He pleaded desperately with officials to let him participate in the 120-yard hurdles. They would not. He kept his sights on the gold, and in the 1958 Cardiff Games, Wales, he won the bronze for high jump instead. Four years later, in Perth, Australia, his dream was finally realised and he won the gold for the hurdles.
Teams often go to great lengths to put up a good show.
The Falkland Islands track contingent had no running track so to prepare for the 1990 Auckland Games, they trained on the runway of the Port Stanley airport. The Commonweath Games, often called the Friendly Games, have been the cradle of excellence for many of the world's finest sporting figures. Russel Mockridge of Australia was one of the greatest cyclists. He won four gold medals at the 1950 Auckland Games and later at the Olympics. He came back and beat Mitsunori Seki to claim the world featherwight title.