Description
For a small country Britain’s Olympic achievements are quite remarkable. It is one of only four countries to have competed at every Modern Games, and London will shortly become the only city in the world to have hosted the event three times. But most impressive of all are the performances of British athletes, with a total of almost 500 sporting heroes taking gold since the Modern Olympic Games began in 1896.
Well-known sports journalist and writer Bob Phillips is a veteran of six Olympic Games. His latest book is a highly readable and informative mixture of history, nostalgia and celebration. Britain & the Olympics tells the story of all the Games so far – 22 in total, Summer and Winter – and describes the lives and successes of Britain’s champions and how they came to win their gold medals.
Contains the most definitive list of British gold-medallists ever compiled.
A lively, uplifting read which explains, enlightens and entertains.
About the author
Bob Phillips has been a journalist throughout his working life, starting with the monthly magazine, World Sports, in the 1960s, and has reported on athletics and rugby union in particular for numerous national and regional newspapers. He spent 17 years as a member of the BBC Radio 5 athletics commentary team and has attended six Olympic Games. His fondest Olympic memories include seeing David Hemery win the 400 metres hurdles in Mexico City in 1968 and Chris Boardman the pursuit cycling in Barcelona in 1992. He has written a series of well-received books in recent years about sports history, including a biography of the legendary distance runner, Emil Zátopek; a history of the sub-four-minute mile; and a detailed account of the 1948 London Olympics. His own sporting achievements are exceedingly modest, including once finishing 777th in the London Marathon. He is also passionately interested in jazz and the cinema. He lives in south-west France with his wife, cat and 21 bicycles.
- Author: Bob Phillips
- Binding: Paperback
- ISBN: 978-1-85936-213-6
- Pages: 224
- Illustrations: Around 100 colour & mono
- Date of Publication: 28 February 2012
- Dimensions: 234 × 156mm
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