Page 70

MEMORABLE MOMENTSLIGHTING THE CAULDRONThe 1956 Olympic Games remain the only edition to include two Opening Ceremonies. The first took place in Stockholm Olympic Stadium to herald the start of the equestrian competitions, and saw Swedish dressage rider Hans Wikne light the cauldron on horseback. Five months later, a 19-year-old athlete named Ron Clarke Ð who would go on to become one of AustraliaÕs greatest middle and long-distance runners Ð lit the cauldron at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in front of 103,000 people. TWO GENERATIONS OF GYMNASTSThe gymnastics competitions saw two of the greatest-ever gymnasts Ð at opposite ends of their careers Ð engage in a series of thrilling duels. At the age of 35, HungaryÕs çgnes Keleti was participating in her final Games, and went out on a high by winning four gold medals in the beam, floor, uneven bars and team portable apparatus. However, she had to settle for silver in the individual and team all-around events, as Larisa Latynina (above), the Soviet gymnast 14 years her junior, announced her arrival on the Olympic stage with some breath-taking routines. Like Keleti, Latynina finished the Games with four gold medals, as well as silver in the uneven bars. She would go on to win 18 Olympic medals in her career Ð including nine golds Ð and remains the most decorated female Olympian of all time.MEMORABLE MOMENTSDID YOU KNOW?Australian stars Murray Rose and Dawn Fraser made most of the headlines in the pool, but the swimming competitions in Melbourne also witnessed some Olympic innovations. On the technological side, Omega launched the first semi-automatic timing device with a digital display, while in the water butterfly events were contested for the first time in Olympic history.70 OLYMPIC REVIEW