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@rockape63. I trust you are referring to the wonderful Steve Ovett there?
You were either Coe or Ovett and I was a big fan of Coe. It was just soo exciting watching him run, and having not one, but two changes of pace in the last 150m. 1980 was epic!
Here's another one:
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Bit of a tool at the time, but his will to win and never give upness....inspired me!
And....The Great White Shark
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Fearless attack minded golfer.
Ronnie Peterson for me too, Dorset Knob.
When we played F1 on our bikes as kids, I was always Ronnie Peterson.
Well........until he died 🙁
Whilst I don't mean to denigrate anyone's childhood heroes, you could explain Nigel Mansell to me from now until, oooo, the end of time and I'm still going to say "I don't get it".
I didn't nominate him and without looking up his record, he was massively popular not just because he won, but how he won. Fearless racer, when so few were. His attempts to get past Senna at Monaco will go down in F1 folklore!
Why is Mansell a surprise? British, successful, and to a child the 'lack of personality' isn't a major consideration.
TBH, i can't even recall hearing Supermac speak as a kid, but he was a Newcastle number 9 and therefore in my eyes, walked on water. I couldn't tell you what he was like.
Whilst I don't mean to denigrate anyone's childhood heroes, you could explain Nigel Mansell to me from now until, oooo, the end of time and I'm still going to say "I don't get it".
My mum thought he was wonderful but I could never warm to him. Too ready to whinge about about mechanical failures.
But after Jim Clark died I figured out even heroes die and I never had another. Only people I admire - of which there are and have been quite a few.
Love that pic of Robbie Naish. I think I pulled the same move at Aberdovey on Tuesday. I also got in that boat of Dennis Conner's a few years back. A bit primitive compared to today's Americas cup boats.
Coe is the only man to retain the Olympic 1500m gold, held more world records than you can shake a stick at and his 1:41 in Rieti is one of the most impressive 800m's ever run.
He was a hero of mine.
Back on Coe...he used to live close to me and I'd often see him running. about 18 yrs ago he was in the local paper shop and I couldn't help but stop him and introduce my 5yr old daughter to my sporting hero! 😳
(she still remembers!)
Probably this guy.
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Bob Haro.
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John Bentley - fond memories of watching that era of 'Fax as a boy, stood on the terraces at Thrum Hall with my dad.
Still have a programme autographed by him from the match when fax played the touring Aussie's at TH in 1994. Even has a muddy handprint on the back
My Dad, that's me on the right.
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This guy (when I was playing snooker)
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And him (when I was playing cricket - even had a bat that had been made for Beefy as I knew the guy who made them @ DF):
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My Dad, that's me on the right.
Are you Damon Hill, Taxi?
Are you Damon Hill, Taxi?
Wish I was RA then I'd have a F1 world championship as well. The old man had a passing resemblance to Graham Hill but he drove the even scarier early 70's F5000
Denis Law, Jim Clark and Fred Trueman for me (and I'm not from 'that' side of the Pennines!)
Paul Elvstrom
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Saw both his fights with Henry Cooper live on black and white (ironic) TV. Parents thought he was an uppity black.
Early indication that parents were full of sh1t, as later proved to be the case...
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Kevin Keegan. Used to love Superstars
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When I was a kid - Sheene, Boycott and Bremner
Later on, got to be Ari Vatanen, especially after a night out with him.
"dear god" 🙂
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Particularly when he was a properly sharp bowler who swung the ball miles.
David Bedford.
Parents thought he was an uppity black.
Although I guess they have may expressed it rather differently. Sadly.
My uncle Mike, who played for GB against the USA at ice hockey in the 50's. At the time he was 16 & was the youngest player ever to play for GB.
Stirling Moss came next.
Don Whillans
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Oh well, of course Don. Goes without saying.
James Hunt
Still remember the astonishment watching the tv and he won the title in the rain in Japan
Polar opposites I know but I couldn't pick between them.
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When I played Rugby (2nd Row) Both Bill & JPR
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Took up Cycling and King Kelly
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My dad beat James hunt in a race during his prime. I was too young for him to be my hero but a true legend he was
Probably a few transient ones, but Stephen Roche. Amazing talent, fiesty, and a humble gentleman.
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Plagne[/url]
Who's Don Whillans?
(Sorry)
I'm just old enough to remember England going to Mexico in 1970, collecting the Shell coins and the plastic busts of the players - so Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton, Colin Bell are memorable.Then there was Pele to watch, Cruyff. Beckenbauer and Sep Mayer too as my Grandma was German.
I also liked Eddie Merckx, Jimmy Connors, Evil Kenevel.
I haven't seen too many wimmin mentioned so I will throw in Chris Evert.
Tony hawk and the Powell peralta crew from in search of animal chin.
Who's Don Whillans
Climber and mountaineer from the 50's through to the 70's. Renowned for a pugnacious approach to life and at the forefront of a wave of Northern working class climbers.
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Willie John McBride
Who's Don Whillans
Don and Joe Brown were great pioneers in British Rock Climbing putting up some ridiculously hard stuff for the day. Don also became a great alpinist and expedition climber. Amongst the phrases attributed to him is "so I 'it 'I'm" and "it's not that it's 'ard, it's that you're no bloody good".
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Shaun Thomson 
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Ken Dryden led Canada to victory over the Soviets in 1972 (not to mention the Montreal Canadians to Stanley Cup victory more than once), and remained a player of class throughout his career. Completing his law degree at McGill University [i]whilst[/i] playing professionally, he retired when he was still in his prime, and turned his attention to Canadian educational reform, and latterly, liberal politics.
He was my absolute sporting hero when I was kid, and remains a genuinely great Canadian.
forzafkawi - MemberGeorge Best
Ditto.
"Sporting" - Kendo Nagasaki
Proper [u]SPORTING[/u] then it would have to be Marvellous Marvin Hagler.
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Billy Bremner 1972 lifting the FA Cup for the first and only time
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Dennis Tueart
Emil Zátopek
Beaten to it with Don Whillans, he inspired me to some foolish alpine adventures.
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Andy Ruffell.
I guess 'sport' itself is my hero..... my life has revolved around it and I feel all the more blessed for that, wow, what a ride!
Damon Hill. He seemed to have Decorum. I like that.
Emil Zátopek
Good call!
I'll have a good shout on the above, Greg Norman, it's between him and Dalglish for me.
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I remember the palpable sense of loss when he became Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool.
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Ned.
Probably...
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yamyamblade - Member
Graham Noyce closely followed by Rob Aston
A picture for you from BITD with some of the old faces.
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For me it was this guy.
I can still remember snading in the crowd watching this.
Changed my perception of MX.
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Chris Boardman - at this moment
Started time trialling the year after when I turned 13
Another vote here for Don whillans also his for his mate joe brown.
When I was a kid though it would have been Barry Sheen
I spent most of my childhood turned off by sporting legends. They were all blokes. Then along came Martina Navratilova. But that was tennis, and I couldn't get tennis. If I was growing up today it might be different.
Northwind I applaud your choice of Les Collins. I live close to Stoke Speedway and so I was always going there. I've watched Les race endless times and he was brilliant. I was even there when Peter Collins raced Phil Crump for the Golden Helmet, obviously arranged by Les to boost Stokes crowd. Have loads of autographs too of all the top riders from those years.
Anyway for me I've always been a huge huge Barry Sheene fan and even though I love football and endless other sports he's always been my hero. As for legends there was just one and sadly he passed away today.
Viv Richards - met him when he played in a Cup Final at Colne, top bloke.
Mike Kenneth! 😀
My grandfather's cousin, but just known as 'Uncle Mike'. Only had one arm, but was a member of the Scottish Ski Club & Kandahar Club. Could quite often beseen skiing at Glencoe in the 70's & 80's. Thankfully he persuaded my parents to to get my borther & I skiing at an early age.
Below is the photo & part of his obituary, sadly he died in 1997! 😥
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kevin keegan for me. supported liverpool as a kid in the 80s so obvious really. he came to our local village hall once with a lesser known liverpool player, peter cormack. local paper took a photo of KK signing my autograph book 😀
Have it.
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Millar in the polkadot
Reinhold Messner. The greatest mountaineer that's ever lived.
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I would say Senna was the only real sporting hero I ever had.
surprised me and llama are the first to say
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but also the first time I really got hooked with cycling was as a youngster watching the 1989 tour, so Lemond was a hero too
I just loved the nonchalance of the man.
Great to see Ari Vatanen,Robert Millar and Barry Sheene already there so many to choose from but must add Stig Blomqvist driving a chevette in a forest the original Stig, Tony Pond, Eddy lejuene and not forgetting Bruce lee
Brian Jacks for his star jumps is the first real sportsperson I remember wanting to be - but as it was in Superstars and not his true sport I'm not sure it counts.
Other than that, because I watched rallying a few times in Harrogate as a nipper.
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Juha Kankkunen.
Ah I'd grown out of heros by the time Robert Millar came around, but I did used to love watching his attacks - especially that classic TdF year. I have memories of him sitting down and pedalling away from everyone while they stood up and grimaced and floundered.
Ari Vatenan you say?
Forgot about this guy.
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Bonus points available if anyone can say what number shirt that rugby player wore.
Probably a letter rather than number?!?!?
Nigel Mansell.
Will Gollop
I'd love to say the legend that is Jason McCroy but while he's up there I would have to say it was most likely I'd have the amazing Greg Herbold instead. I still want one of his Koga Miyata bikes.
Barry Sheene was definitely my first sporting hero.
Around the age of 12 and well into my teens it was Bill Beaumont who I met a few times through playing rugby.
In going with Geoff Capes, that man knew how to wear a beard.
genesiscore502011 - MemberProbably a letter rather than number?!?!?
Well done for spotting the trick question!
Letter 'N' - Barry Evans - with Rory Underwood on the other wing. That was when wingers tried to run around people not through them - those two were awesome.