Celebrating last-place finishes at the Olympics. Because they're there, and you're not.
Labels: athletics, barcelona 1992, history, profile
I’m a blogger, editor, writer and slinger of web pages. Among other things, I’m the author of The Map Room, a blog about maps, and DFL, a blog about last-place finishes at the Olympics. When I’m not blogging, writing or correcting other people’s grammar, I raise snakes, play the piano, and look through my telescope.
| Country/NOC | #LPF | #Ath | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania | 6 | 33 |
| 2 | China | 6 | 80 |
| 3 | Japan | 6 | 113 |
| 4 | Ukraine | 5 | 65 |
| 5 | South Korea | 4 | 48 |
| 6 | Poland | 4 | 50 |
| 7 | Latvia | 4 | 62 |
| 8 | Russia | 4 | 208 |
| 9 | Chile | 3 | 11 |
| 10 | Austria | 3 | 101 |
| Country/NOC | #LPF | #Ath | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greece | 13 | 518 |
| 2 | Australia | 8 | 513 |
| 3 | Poland | 7 | 215 |
| 4 | USA | 7 | 614 |
| 5 | Egypt | 6 | 106 |
| 6 | China | 6 | 416 |
| 7 | Uzbekistan | 5 | 70 |
| 8 | France | 5 | 342 |
| 9 | Italy | 5 | 448 |
| 10 | Kyrgyzstan | 4 | 32 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9 | |||||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | ||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 11 | |||||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | ||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 14 | |||||
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||
6 Comments:
At 8:36 PM, August 24, 2004 ,
Anonymous said...
Well, well, does anyone accept the proposition that as his father blatently assisted Derek in his attempt to qualify that he should be disqualified. We have supporting facts where marathon runners have met such an end (I believe it was the London Olympics). I suggest then that derek should be disqualified and his result be reduced to DNF.
At 12:21 PM, August 25, 2004 ,
Enterprise6 said...
While technically anonymous is correct, he should be disqualified, the fact that he continued, despite injury is what the olympics are supposed to embody. The assistance of his father was minor comapared to the spirit of competition.
At 2:40 PM, August 25, 2004 ,
Anonymous said...
Yes, technically comment #1 is correct, but I don't care.
I'm an expert class mountain bike racer and I've finished dead last three times. Not just last in expert class, but in all classes. Once I wasn't feeling well, twice I had mechanicals and once of these times I pushed 15 miles. Technically I was out of the running when my times were too slow, but the crowds cheered me as I paddled across the line. So to those hair-splitting weenies, too bad. I like what Derek did. Anyone else, more sensible than I would have dropped out and DNF (did-not-finish), but I've resolved to finish every race I start.
I've been racing for fifteen years and my parents have watched me race twice. Both times these were last place finishes. D'oh!
At 6:08 PM, August 25, 2004 ,
DCUSMCTOP said...
If anyone who witnessed the 1992 400m finish wants to argue that he was disqualified by his father's assist, so be it. But he still belongs in the annuals of greatest Olympic last finisers who displayed the courage and conviction. Rules are rules but we're human in our interpretation of them - or so I hope.
I vote leaving him in and on the honor roll of last place finishers.
At 5:31 PM, August 26, 2004 ,
Anonymous said...
Derek Redmond was disqualified.
At 12:32 AM, August 27, 2004 ,
Anonymous said...
This story always makes me cry...I love it. A true sporting heart and Olympic moment.