Sigi's tips: James Bond and decathlon

Sigi Heinrich

Of course, I didn't consciously experience the competition of his life, that of the American Rafer Johnson. It wasn't possible at all, because at the age of seven and without a television in the room on our farm it was simply not possible to watch the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. But of course I read everything, including about the decathlon that Rafer Johnson won. It's a thick book, pretty tattered, because it's the start of my personal library of Olympic books. I was probably in the third or fourth grade of elementary school at the time when one of the teachers left a tome at the desk. I secretly took a look at it as I was passing by. Rome and Squaw Valley were written on it, large framed by the Olympic rings. The question arose as to who wants... I didn't even let Teacher Bergmann - his real name was that and I remember it like it was yesterday - finish, stuck my finger up and from then on I was in possession of all the stories and results of Rome. With the flashlight under the covers, I outsmarted my parents and studied chapters over and over again. Rafer Johnson also got stuck. Now he died on December 2nd of this year at the age of 86. Probably the worst James Bond film Even back then, the decathlon was a heroic affair, accompanied by many emotions, because the silver medalist Yang Chuan-Kwan from Taiwan was Johnson's best friend and training colleague and in this decathlon, too, the decision was made in the final 1500m run, in which Johnson sensationally won Best time improved by five seconds. But that's basically just a side note from Rafer Johnson's life, which was colorful and full of many interesting episodes that are worth briefly recalling, because his life was never mundane or even boring. Almost like a never-ending decathlon. First he had to pick cotton as a boy and then it hit him even harder. After his sporting career, he appeared in probably the worst James Bond film in “License to Kill” with Timothy Dalton. Fortunately, there were also roles in Tarzan films to compensate.

His biggest and most important appearance, alongside the decathlon in Rome, came eight years after winning the gold medal. He overpowered the assassin who shot Robert Kennedy. He was nearby because he was on his campaign team at the time. But Rafer Johnson never made much of a fuss about himself, even after this spectacular effort. From then on he continued to let his actions speak for themselves, which were very lasting. In 1969 he organized the first “Special Olympics” in California, which have been held regularly ever since. And he was thought of when the Olympic Games were held again in Los Angeles in 1984. He was allowed to light the fire, which somehow closed the circle, because he had already been the standard bearer for the USA in Rome 24 years earlier, which was a sensation at the time. It was clear to him that he was acting as a fig leaf for a nation that at that time denied equal rights to its black citizens even more than it does today. Rafer Johnson never achieved the fame of Carl Lewis or Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who wrote athletics history for the USA. But, typical of him, he left posterity a great legacy, which can be read on a flag in front of his house. “Love” is written on it. Love. A message that we are happy to accept in these turbulent times.

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Sigi's tips: James Bond and decathlon

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