In a dinner conversation a few weeks ago, we got to talking about the amazing feat of Steven Bradury, Australia’s first Winter Olympics gold medal winner. His win five years ago was the result of a jaw-dropping string of coincidences. Wikipedia describes these:

In the quarterfinals, Bradbury thought himself eliminated. He finished third (only the top two advance), but Marc Gagnon was disqualified, thus allowing Bradbury to advance to the semifinals.

In his semifinal, Bradbury was in last place, well off the pace of the medal favourites. However, three of the other competitors in the semifinal crashed into each other, leaving to him the second place and thus allowing him through to the final.

Again well off the pace in the final, once again all four of Bradbury’s competitors … crashed out at the final corner, leaving a shocked Bradbury to take the gold medal, the first for Australia or any Southern Hemisphere country in an Olympic Winter Games event.

You can watch a video of the win. It makes me laugh in disbelief every time.

I love this paragraph from The St Petersburg Times article.

And that’s the beauty of it, the dazzling, wondrous beauty. The race isn’t always to the swift. You hear a lot about Citius and all a lot Altius and a little about Fortius, but sometimes, there is also something to be said for Erectus.

Too right, mate.