The 1984 Summer Olympics , officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad , was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984. Los Angeles was selected as the host of the Games on May 18, 1978 on the 80th IOC session at Athens, Greece, without a vote, because it was the only city that submitted a bid to host the 1984 Summer Olympics. The only other interested city on the international level, Tehran, declined to bid. Many blamed this on the massive cost overruns of the 1976 Games, staged in Montreal. The Iranian Revolution took place just one year after Los Angeles was selected, in 1979, making it unlikely that the Iranian capital would have been able to host the games had it been selected by the IOC.
In response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies including the Soviet Union, Cuba and East Germany (but not Romania) boycotted the Games. For differing reasons, Iran and Libya also boycotted. The USSR announced its intention not to participate on May 8, 1984, citing security concerns and "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria being whipped up in the United States." The Los Angeles boycott influenced a large number of events that were normally dominated by the absent countries. Boycotting countries organized a rival event in July-August 1984, called the Friendship Games.
Despite the stigma that the Olympics required going into significant debt, Los Angeles successfully hosted the Olympics without any debt. In fact, its Olympic committee ended up with a profit that was in part used to establish and endow the Amateur Athletic Foundation to promote youth sports in Southern California and maintain a Sports Library. The 1984 Summer Olympics are often considered the most financially successful modern Olympics.
The host state of California was the home state of U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who officially opened the Games. He had served as governor of the state from 1967 to 1975. The official mascot of the Los Angeles Games was Sam the Olympic Eagle.
Torch Relay
The 1984 Olympic Torch Relay began in New York City and ended in Los Angeles, traversing 33 states and the District of Columbia. Unlike later torch relays, the torch was continuously carried by runners on foot. The route covered more than 9,320 mi (15,000 km) and involved 3,616 runners, including 200 from the sponsoring company AT&T. Noted athlete and actor O. J. Simpson was among the runners, carrying the torch up the California Incline in Santa Monica.
Rafer Johnson, winner of the decathlon at the 1960 Summer Olympics, was the final runner. He used the torch to activate a specially built Olympic logo, whose flame circled the five Olympic rings. The cauldron above the logo was then activated by a switch operated from inside the press box of the Coliseum.
Music
John Williams composed the theme for the Olympiad, "Olympic Fanfare and Theme." This piece won a Grammy for Williams and became one of the most well-known musical themes of the Olympic Games, along with Leo Arnaud's Bugler's Dream ; the latter is sometimes attached to the beginning of Olympic Fanfare and Theme. An album, The Official Music of the XXIIIrd Olympiad—Los Angeles 1984 , featured both of those tracks along with sports themes written for the occasion by popular musical artists including Foreigner, Toto, Loverboy, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Christopher Cross, Philip Glass and Giorgio Moroder.
The famous Brazilian composer Sergio Mendes also composed a special song for the 1984 Olympic Games, "Olympia," from his 1984 album Confetti . A choir of several hundred voices was assembled of singers in the region. All were volunteers from nearby churches, schools and universities.
Highlights
General
- The opening ceremony featured the arrival of Bill Suitor by means of the Bell Aerosystems rocket pack (also known as a Jet Pack).
- As a result of an IOC agreement designating the Republic of China (Taiwan) Chinese Taipei, the People's Republic of China appeared in the Olympics as China and won 15 gold medals. In weightlifting, athletes from the Chinese Taipei and China teams won medals at the same event.
- Eleven athletes failed drug tests at the Los Angeles Games. It was reported that as many as 17 other "A samples" were found to be positive but, as the athletes' code numbers were missing, no "B samples" were tested.
Track and field
- Carl Lewis made his first of four appearances in the Olympics, equalled the performance of Jesse Owens of 1936, and won four gold medals in the 100 m, 200 m, 4x100 m relay; and the Long jump.
- Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco became the first female Olympic champion of a Muslim nation, and the first of her country in the 400 m hurdles.
- Carlos Lopes, from Portugal won the Marathon (2:09:21 - Olympic record that stood for 24 years). It was the first Gold Medal ever for Portugal.
- A marathon for women is held for the first time at the Olympics (won by Joan Benoit). The event is considered notable because of Swiss runner Gabi Andersen-Schiess, who - suffering from heat exhaustion - stumbled through the last lap, providing dramatic images.
- Daley Thompson apparently missed a new world record in winning his second consecutive gold medal in the decathlon; the next year his score was retroactively raised to 8847, giving him the record.
Other sports
- The first gold medal to be awarded at the Los Angeles Olympics was also the first-ever medal to be won by an athlete from China when Xu Haifeng won the 50 m Pistol event.
- Archer Neroli Fairhall from New Zealand was the first paraplegic Olympian at any Olympic Games, coming 35th in the Women's individual event.
- Synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics debuted in Los Angeles as Olympic events, as did wind surfing.
- Li Ning from the People's Republic of China won 6 medals in gymnastics, 3 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze, earning him the nickname "Prince of Gymnasts" in China.
- Steve Redgrave won his first title in rowing of the record five he would go on to win in five Olympic competitions.
- Victor Davis set a new world record in winning the gold medal in the 200-metre breaststroke in swimming.
- Mary Lou Retton became the first gymnast outside Eastern Europe to win the gymnastics all-around competition. Only 1 of the 11 women who won gold medals at the 1983 World Championships competed because of the boycott.
- In men's gymnastics, the American team won the Gold Medal.
- France won the Olympic soccer tournament, defeating Brazil 2-0 in the final. Olympic soccer was unexpectedly played before massive crowds throughout America, with several sell-outs at the 100,000+ seat Rose Bowl. This interest eventually led to the US hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
- The Soviet-led boycott affected weightlifting more than any other sport: 94 of the world's top 100 ranked lifters were absent, as were 29 of the 30 medalists from the recent world championships. All 10 of the defending world champions in the 10 weight categories were absent.
- Future Dream Team members Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin were on the team that won the gold medal in basketball.
Venues
Los Angeles venues
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - opening/closing ceremonies, athletics
- Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena - boxing
- Dodger Stadium - baseball
- Pauley Pavilion, University of California, Los Angeles - gymnastics
- Eagles Nest Arena, California State University, Los Angeles - judo
- Olympic (McDonald's) Swim Stadium, University of Southern California - swimming, diving, synchronized swimming
- Olympic Village (athlete housing), University of Southern California
- Los Angeles Tennis Center, University of California, Los Angeles - tennis
- Athletes Village, University of California, Los Angeles
- Albert Gersten Pavilion, Loyola Marymount University, Westchester, California - weightlifting
Southern California venues
- El Dorado Park, Long Beach, California - archery
- The Forum, Inglewood, California - basketball
- Lake Casitas, Ventura County, California - canoeing, rowing
- Olympic (7-Eleven) Velodrome, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, California - cycling
- Mission Viejo, Orange County, California - road course cycling
- Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California - equestrian sports
- Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California - fencing
- Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California - football/soccer
- Titan Gymnasium, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, California - handball
- Weingart Stadium, East Los Angeles College, Monterey Park, California - field hockey
- Coto de Caza, Orange County, California - modern pentathlon
- Olympic Shooting Range, Prado Recreational Area, Chino, California - shooting
- Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California - volleyball
- Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California - water polo
- Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California - wrestling
- Long Beach Shoreline Marina and Harbor, Long Beach, California - yachting
Other venues
- Harvard Stadium, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts - football/
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