Brave Hearts

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Eye Care Foundation

Page 62

The Champion of Champions
PHILIPS
made in games and sports then was at a very slow pace, but today when the speed of progress is very fast and if anyone thinks of repeating the performance of Flangan would be considered as a mad-cap. It would be like building castles in the air. What is more note-worthy is the fact that Al Oerter who had won the gold twice in the Olympics was not holding the world record in the
discus throw event at the time of | the Tokyo Olympics. The world
record at the time was held by Al Oerter
Ludwing Darrek of Czechoslovakia who was making rapid strides, although it is also equally true that following that Oerter had registered a sensational victory in the Melbourne Olympics in the year 1956. He had not lost a single event in which he had participated thereafter confirming his good form, which only means that he was retaining his form.
Oerter was not worried about facing the select rivals. He was more worried whether his sick body would support him or not. His will power was, of course, very strong. Whenever he hurled the discus from the ring, he felt severe pain in the body. It was unbearable for him. He continued to ignore the advice of his doctors. In fact, he was not expected to participate in the 1963 Tokyo Olympics at all, if one were to go by the predictions that were made by his doctors. Just year before, he had dislocated his knee and its pain, instead of subsiding, persisted. That is why before coming to Tokyo for the Olympics, he had participated in only three other
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