The year was 1984, the location Los Angeles Olympics. British athlete Daley Thompson smashed the decathlon world record to claim a second successive Olympic gold in the event, and how did he celebrate? He wore a t-shirt which read “The second best athlete in the world” on it. Refreshingly modest from a sportsman right? Wrong. on the back it read “is gay,” in a direct reference to Carl Lewis, a rival for best athlete in the world at the time and to this day is still rumored to be homosexual.
One of the best inferences made in the history of sport.
Daley Thompson really was one of the best athletes in the world at the time. He also generally seems like a funny guy. Along with his t-shirt stunt above, he also delivered witty remarks to interviewers and still does. In 1992 his decathlon world record was beaten by Dan O’Brien of the USA (incidentally the same year he retired) he responded by saying that he took losing his illustrious record like a man…and only cried for ten hours.
After his retirement, Thompson went on to play football for Mansfield Town and Stevenage Borough, fulfilling both the boyhood dreams of an Olympic gold (well two in fact) and playing professional football. Not to mention all his Commonwealth, European Championship, and World Championship golds.
Nevertheless, before his athletic retirement, the Notting Hill-born Londoner managed a phenomenal eight-year unbeaten record in all competitions he entered individually, from 1979 to 1987. The man himself revealed his secret, as to how he could keep winning for so long and perform at his pinnacle at all times:
“Being a decathlete is like having ten girlfriends. you have to love them all, and you can’t afford losing one.”
Thompson didn’t lose one for eight years. He must have been a very happy man.
By Matthew Sanders
