Beijing – This day in Olympic history – August 4
August 4
1996 – South African marathon runner Josiah Thugwane becomes the first black South African to win an Olympic gold medal as he finishes in a time of 2:12.36, just three seconds ahead of Korean Lee Bong Ju. Thugwane says after the race that winning for him showed that black people in South Africa were finally free after having rid themselves of the shackles of apartheid.
1996 – The Atlanta Games draw to an end and the Olympic flame is extinguished. The Olympic flag is passed on to Sydney, who will host the 2000 Olympics.
1984 – Carl Lewis, who went on to win a record-equalling nine gold medals wins the 100 metres in Los Angeles. He adds the 200m for a sprint double, which he comes close to repeating four years later in the South Korean capital of Seoul. He is beaten and takes silver in the 200m. He also has four gold medals from the long jump to his credit, as well as two relay gold medals.
1980 – The Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee reveals its motto and emblem to the public at a news conference – practically the minute the Moscow Games draw to a close. The Olympic Charter prescribes that host cities are not allowed to seek publicity before the preceding Games are ended.
1928 – Field hockey player Udham Singh is born in the Indian hockey bastion of Sansarpur in Punjab. Together with compatriot Leslie Claudius he holds the record of winning the most number of hockey medals, having won three gold and one silver. He added a silver medal as coach when he took India to second place in 1968.