Tim Hutten of the US competes with Hungary's Norbert Madaras during the men?s Water Polo preliminary round group B match between Hungary and United States of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Water Polo Arena on August 6, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL MEDINA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/GettyImages)
DOG COMMENTARY:
This 1984 Los Angeles Olympics telecast by ABC Sports takes place on Day 8 of the Games….as hosted by Kathleen Sullivan and Frank Gifford….which covers five (5) major events througout the day including the men’s water polo match between the USA vs Spain….followed by men’s grecco roman wrestling with Pasquale Passarelli of Germany against Masaki Eto of Japan in the finals of the 125 lb. weigh division…. then comes the fours finals in the womens rowing competition from Lake Casitas….as gold went to Romania, silver to Canada and bronze to the USA.
ABC then shifts over to Bill Fleming at the cycling veladrome for the Team Pursuit finals between the USA vs Australia….which proved to be an exciting event….which was then followed by an insightful interview with USA sprint cyclists Nelson Vail and Mark Gorski….who would later on meet in the finals against each other. ABC then turns its attention to Donna de Varona and Jim Lampley at the Olympic Swim Center for the finals of the womens 800m freestyle….featuring 18 year old Tiffany Cohen of the USA….who sets an Olympic Record in winning gold….along with teammate Michelle Richardson, who wins silver…..and Sarah Hardcastle of Great Britian, who takes home bronze. Next comes Al Michaels covering the womens shot put final in track and field….as Germany’s Claudia Losch wins gold by 1/4″ with a put of 67’21/4″. Then it is back to the pool and heats for the mens 200m individual medley competition featuring USA Pablo Morales.
The ABC telecast shifts back to womens rowing and the 1000m solo finals featuring world champion Valeria Racila of Romania….who wins gold….and USA Carlie Geer….who surprisingly wins silver….then it is back to the swimming complex for USA Steve Lundquist’s heat in the mens 200m individual medley.
ABC follows up their swimming with a great piece on the Mens Air Rifle Competition….giving a wonderful inside look at what this Olympic sport is all about…..followed by the heats round of the womens 200m butterfly race featuring USA Nancy Hogshead and Mary T. Maeher….Madame Butterfly….and if that is not enough….they finish off this jammed packed day of Olympic events with a close match in womens handball….as the team from the USA takes on the team from Korea in a highly contested match.
Like any day of coverage by ABC at the 1984 Los Angeles Games…..Day 8….as seen in this video herewith….is chocked full of great moments in great competition in many varied venues and sports….and every bit of it is well worth the watch.
Oh, and PS….we are sorry about the sound quality during the final days events on this video….but as they say….a picture is worth a thousand words.
