The 1968 Olympics
The 1968 Olympics- the 19th Olympiad was said to have been the highest and most controversial games ever to be held. Held in Mexico City, Mexico, it was the first Olympiad to be held in Latin America. Because of the elevation in Mexico City of 7,349 feet above sea level, the thin air helped many old records to be broken. The year 1968 itself was a different year. The Vietnam War was under way and social leader Martin Luther King Jr. had just been assassinated. To add to that, ten days prior to the scheduled opening of the Games, students at Mexico City University protested and army troops were called in. Thirty students were killed as the protest turned to riot. Back in the United States, the Civil Rights movement was occurring. The United States took home 45 Gold Medals in 1968, with the United Socialists Soviet Republic following them with 29. Japan trailed with 11 Gold Medals, and Hungary followed with 10. East Germany had 9, and France and Czechoslovakia tied with 7 Gold Medals. West Germany, Australia, and Poland all tied with 5 total Gold Medals, and Romania went home with 4. In the track and field events, almost every record was broken because of the air. Athletes like Jim Hines helped the USA Olympic Te
Still others like Ralph Doubell of Australia, Kip Keino of Kenya, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia, and Vladimir Golubnichiy of the USSR helped set world and Olympic records for their countries in the track category. As for the Field Events, many Olympic records and 2 world records were set. The American team had the High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Shot Put, and Decathlon records all set, and the USSR set the Triple Jump and Javelin marks. Hungary was the only other country to set a record, and that was in the Hammer throw event. Boxing was also a very popular event. Three hundred and twelve participants from sixty-seven nations competed. The light flyweight division was added, bringing the total to eleven divisions. Like most boxing at the Olympics, this was marred by controversial decisions. Soviet boxers collected three golds, two silvers, and a bronze medal. A notable winner from the United States came from the Heavyweight division when George Foreman knocked out his competitor to claim gold. For three-time Olympic discus champion Al Oerter, who brought his family to Mexico city, it was a familiar story. He was not the favorite; world record holder Jay Silvester was. Al was also suffering from a neck injury, and it was raining. But Oerter took his Olympic games very seriously. Al Oerter arched three classic t
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Approximate Word count = 894
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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