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Maddocks embodying the Olympic spirit of last shall be first
SYDNEY, Sept 29 (AFP) - English walker Chris Maddocks, the first British male athlete to compete in five Olympics, overcame the pain barrier of a torn hamstring to finish the 50 kilometre walk here on Friday and received the loudest ovation of the morning session. It was a nice contrast to the 1992 Olympics when a walker failed to finish because they had shut the doors of the stadium and he was left hammering on the door desperate to get in. The 43-year-old Maddocks, who would have competed in six Olympics but for being controversially overlooked for Moscow in 1980 after winning the trial, came in over an hour behind the winner Robert Korzeniowski of Poland and admitted that he had wanted to give up several times. "I tore my hamstring a few weeks ago and although the physios worked on it it still hasn't healed properly," he said. "But then this is the Olympics the biggest stage of the lot and I wanted to be the first British male to make it to five," he added. Maddocks, who is a veterinary assistant based in Plymouth in the South West of England, said it had been only the encouragement of the spectators that had kept him going. "I didn't even think I would get through the first five laps round the track," he said. "I wanted to stop several times and in fact I did stop once," he said. "However, everybody standing around, the police, the stewards, people of all nationalities just encouraged me to carry on telling me what the reception would be like at the finish," he said. "I am so glad I did carry on because the reception at the finish is the most emotional thing I have ever experienced. "It is the most painful 50km I have ever done. All of the race hurt except for the finish," he added. Maddocks, who was making his 21st appearance at a major championships without a medal to show for it, said that he also felt he had a duty to finish as his family and friends had supported him throughout his career. "They were there as usual out on the course encouraging me but they have given up a lot and had a harder life than they would have done by supporting me financially," he said.
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