sportsWikipedia1988 · Calgary, Canada

Eddie the Eagle came last in every Olympic ski jump he entered, and still held the British record for 13 years

the gist

Michael Edwards, known as Eddie the Eagle, became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. He finished last in both the normal hill and large hill events. He nonetheless held the British ski jumping record from 1988 until 2001. Outside the Olympics, he competed in amateur speed skiing, reaching 106.8 mph, and set a stunt world record for jumping over six buses. His story is often told as an underdog tale about the value of simply competing.

so what

His story shows how a sport can be opened to new participants, and how a last-place finish can still bring a lasting record and fame. It also shows how British interest in ski jumping was shaped by an unlikely outsider.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons