BBC Sports Personalities of the Year [3] Quiz

Answer: The Great North Run

Brendan Foster won a gold medal for the 5000 metres in the European Championships in Rome in 1974. He also won bronze for the 10,000 metres in the Montreal Olympics in 1976. He set a world record time of 8.13.68 for the 2 miles in 1973 and in 1974 he set a world record for the 3000 metres with a time of 7.35.1.
The Great North Run has been run annually since 1981, and is one of Britain's biggest road races, attracting around 50,000 entrants each year.

Answer: David Steele

David Steel played at county level for Northamptonshire when he joined the England team. He only played eight matches for England, but distinguished himself by scoring 50 runs in his first innings at his debut match against Australia in 1975.

Answer: Figure Skating

John Curry (1941-1994) won a gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. He also won gold medals in the World Championships and European Championships that same year. He had originally wanted to train as a ballet dancer, but his father forbade it. John was able to start ballet lessons in his teens after the death of his father, and incorporated elements of ballet into his routines.

He died of a heart attack in 1994.

Answer: 1977 was the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year

Virginia Wade started playing tennis as a child. 1977 was also Wimbledon's centenary year. Virginia beat Betty Stove in the Wimbledon Final. Queen Elizabeth II had attended the final for the first time in 25 years and presented Virginia with the trophy. During her career, Virginia won seven grand slam finals in singles and doubles tournaments.

Answer: 1500 metres

Steve Ovett also achieved silver for the 800 metres at the same event. He went on to win gold for the 800 metres and bronze for the 1500 metres in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. During his career he set world records in the 1500 metres and the mile.

Answer: false

Sebastian Coe was a Conservative MP for Falmouth and Camborne from 1992-1997. He was created a life peer in 2000, being given the title of Baron Coe of Ranmore. He was head of the bid for London to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
A rival of Steve Ovett, Coe set three world records in the space of 41 days in 1979, for the 800 metres, the 1500 metres and the mile. He won gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics for the 1500 metres, and silver for the 800 metres at the same events.

Answer: Robin Cousins

Robin Cousins won a gold medal at the 1980 Lace Placid Winter Olympics, in the men's singles. He also won gold at the European Championships and silver in the World Championships the same year.
He moved on to starring and choreographing ice shows and has also made appearances on the West End Stage. He also features as a judge in London Weekend Television's "Dancing on Ice".

Answer: Ian Botham

Ian Botham was appointed as Captain of the England Cricket Team in 1980, but resigned in 1981 after a loss and a draw in the first two Tests of The Ashes. By the third morning of the third Test England were disastrously behind. However, Botham's innings on the fourth day produced a score of 145 not out.

He added four more runs the next day to produce a score of 149 not out. England achieved a narrow lead of 18 runs and went on to win The Ashes. The Ashes tournament that year is known as "Botham's Ashes". Ian is well known for his charity work.

After accidentally taking a wrong turn into a children's ward on a hospital visit he started doing charity walks, with leukaemia research being the main beneficiary. To date he has raised over ten million pounds.

He was knighted in 2007

Answer: False

Francis 'Daley' Thompson is a four times record breaker and Gold Medallist in the Decathlon. He won gold medals for the event at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games, the 1982 and 1986 European Championships, the 1983 World Championships and the 1978, 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games. In 1983 he became the first person to hold the European, World and Olympic Decathlete titles at the same time.
Decathlon events include 100, 400 and 1500 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, discus, pole vault, javelin and 110 metres hurdles.

Answer: Steve Cram

There was a certain amount of rivalry in the 1980s between Steve Cram (b. 1960), Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. During his career, Steve Cram won gold medals for the 1500 metres at the 1983 World Championships, the 1982 and 1986 European Championships and the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games. He also won Gold for the 800 metres at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. An Olympic gold medal eluded him and he won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics for the 1500 metres.