1968 Mexico

Mexico City 1968

The high altitude of Mexico City, allied to the political and social upheavals of the time in Mexico itself, meant that the Summer Olympics of 1968 were the most controversial of modern times. But Alberto Isaac recorded so many events with a rare command of sound and image that his film received an Academy Award nomination for best documentary. Among the highlights are Bob Beamon's prodigious leap in the long jump, Debbie Meyer's triumphs in the swimming pool, and Dick Fosbury's revolutionary “flop” technique in the high jump. There is superb coverage of the water polo, as well as of the diving competitions.

Official Films

Originals

1964Mexico

Mexico 1968 Official Film | The Olympics in Mexico

In 1968, Mexico City introduced a new modern vision of the host country through their innovative Olympic design program.

Artistic Gymnastics

Design Focus: The Olympic Games

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Design Focus: Mexico 1968

One of the greatest moments in Olympic Games history sees Bob Beamon's era-defying leap win long jump gold at Mexico City 1968.

Bob BEAMON

The Olympics On the Record

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Beamon Soars To Long Jump Record in Mexico 1968

High jumper Dick Fosbury surprises the world and revolutionises the jump with his "Fosbury Flop" at the Olympic Games Mexico City 1968.

Athletics

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Fosbury Revolutionises High Jump in Mexico 1968

Mexico City 1968 - Overview Mosaic

Dich Fosbury's technique truly changed the sport at the 1968 Mexico City Games. Despite scepticism from judges and coaches, Fosbury cleared every height up to 2.22 metres without a miss and then achieved a personal record of 2.24 metres to win the gold medal.

Richard Douglas FOSBURY

Mexico 1968 | Olympic Games

Highlights

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Mexico 1968 Athletics High jump men

The basic facts don't tell the story. John Stephen Akhwari was a marathon runner who represented Tanzania in the marathon in 1968. He didn't win a medal. In fact, he came nowhere near. But, in defeat and in pain, he came to represent something much more profound and enduring than many sportsmen achieve in illustrious careers.

John-Stephen AKHWARI

John Stephen Akhwari crosses finish line at Olympic marathon in 1968

John Stephen Akhwari - Marathon men - Athletics

Sawao Kato began his Olympic career in 1968 in Mexico City, where he won three gold medals (floor exercises, individual and team combined exercises) and a bronze medal on the rings. He is unquestionably one of the greatest medallists in Olympic history. With 12 medals, eight of them gold, at three different Olympic Games, the Japanese athlete made his mark on sporting history.

Sawao KATO

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Mexico 1968 Artistic Gymnastics men rings

The final was dominated by America's Madeline Manning, who led from the front to win by some 10 metres, breaking the Olympic Record. Manning was the first truly  world-class female 800m runner to come out of the United States and her victory was cherished. At the age of 20, she had already established herself as a multiple national champion by the time she arrived in Mexico, but Olympic competition was another step up entirely.

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Madeline Manning - 800m women - Athletics

Al Oerter won the men's discus for the fourth time in a row, with perhaps his most remarkable performance. Despite having won the Olympic gold three times in a row, Oerter wasn't even the top American thrower going into this competition.

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Al Oerter - Discus throw men - Athletics

Debbie Meyer's Olympic record is astonishing. She competed in only one Games – Mexico City 1968 – and was only 16 years old at the time. She retired from her sport when still a teenager, yet by then she had made an indelible mark on swimming.

Debbie MEYER

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Debbie Meyer - 400m Freestlye women- Swimming

Mexico City 1968 Overview Replays

Cycling Road

Cycling Track 

Hockey

Swimming

Czech Rep.

France

Japan

Kenya

Pakistan

United States

USSR

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Mexico 1968 - Closing Ceremony

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Mexico 1968 Highlights

Coxed by 14-year-old Günther Tiersch, West Germany’s rowers scored their first Olympic men’s eights win at Mexico City 1968. Relive their thrilling victory in our video.

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West Germany - Men's Coxed Fours - Rowing

Sergeant Reuben Jones of the Royal Horse Artillery enjoyed his finest hour on 21 October 1968 in Mexico City, jumping a clear round on his mount, The Poacher , to win team eventing gold for Great Britain.

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Sergeant Jones - Jumping - Equestrian

Roland Matthes is quite simply the greatest backstroke exponent in the history of the Olympic Games. Watch our exclusive archive footage of the East German in action as he claimed the first of his four individual Olympic titles, in the 100m at Mexico City1968. 
 

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Roland Mathes - backstroke - Swimming

Relive the thrilling battle for gold in the first ever men’s Olympic 100m butterfly final, at Mexico City 1968, where American swimming legend Mark Spitz was beaten to the touch by compatriot Doug Russell.

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Mark Spitz - 100m butterfly - Swimming

The triple jump competition was spectacular. The world record had stood for eight years but, at the jumper-friendly conditions of Mexico City, it was broken not once – but by five different people.

Viktor SANEEV

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Viktor Saneyev - Triple jum men - Athletics

Most sports evolve over a long period of time. Rules are changed, patterns of play alter, techniques are adjusted. Only rarely does a sport take a great leap forward at one point. But in Mexico, the world of high jumping changed for ever. And for that, we can thank the American Dick Fosbury, the man who revolutionised his sport by introducing a new style to the world – the Fosbury Flop.

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Dick Fosbury - High jump men - Athletics

While the men were producing performances of great calibre, there was no doubting the star gymnast of these Games, because she was probably also the most popular female athlete. She may not have been Mexican, but Věra Čáslavská, the Czech gymnast, became a global star on the back of the 1968 Olympics.

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Věra Čáslavská - Gymnastics artistic

The women's 100m was a particularly competitive event, led by three excellent athletes from the United States. In the first round each of them – Wyomia Tyus, Barbara Ferrell and Margaret Bailes – equalled the Olympic record with times of 11.2secs.

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Wyomia Tyus - 100m women - Athletics

Like his countryman Kip Keino, Kenya's Naftali Temu came to Mexico intent on pursuing a punishing schedule of three events. In Temu's case, it couldn't have been harder – he plumped for the 10,000m, 5,000m and marathon, despite the heat and altitude of Mexico City.

Nabiba Naftali TEMU

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Naftali Temu - 10000 m men - Athletics

The outstanding cyclist of these Games was the Frenchman Pierre Trentin. He was 24 years old, and had been competing in the sport for a decade. For years, he juggled two passions – on the one hand, the training and preparation needed to be a top cyclist; on the other, the similar effort that he put into becoming a leather craftsman.

Pierre TRENTIN

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Pierre Trentin - Cycling track

James Hines, known as Jim, was competing in the American national championships when he clocked a hand-timed 9.9secs in winning the final. He had actually set a time of 9.8secs in the heats, but that was not considered a record as the wind assistance was too strong.

James Ray HINES

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James Hines - 100m men - Athletics

American Jim Ryun had not been beaten over the distance for three years but was hindered by illness and by the altitude. Instead, an uncoached Nandi tribesman from Kenya, Kip Keino, emerged as a serious contender. He had played rugby union before taking up athletics.

Kipchoge KEINO

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Kip Keino - 1500m men - Athletics

The long jump in Mexico featured an outstanding field. All three medallists from the 1964 Games had returned, along with strong challengers from East Germany, Australia and the Soviet Union. The narrow favourite, though, was another newcomer – the American Bob Beamon, from New York.

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Bob Beamon - Long Jump men

Many athletes come to the Olympics focused on just one event. A few might take part in two or even three. Swimmers might do more, but very few get to the stage of being good enough, and fit enough, to manage eight. That, though, was the schedule that faced the great Soviet gymnast Mikhail Voronin when he arrived in Mexico.

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Olympic Games Mexico City 1968

Mexico City 1968Highlights & Replays

Mexico City 1968 Overview Replays

All Replays