1988 Seoul

Seoul 1988

This spectacular, comprehensive record of the first Summer Games to be held in South Korea offers a feast for the eyes, notably in the Opening Ceremony (the last to take place during the day), which is recorded by aerial cameras and close-ups in the stadium. Lee underlines the significance of hosting the Games for his compatriots, showing spectators at the many venues and in the streets and temples of the metropolis. The film includes coverage of minor sports that are revered in South Korea: archery, table tennis, weight-lifting and shooting. Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter, is seen at Incheon airport, leaving Seoul in disgrace after failing his drugs test for the 100 metres.

**Lee Kwang-Soo | 1988 | 139' | 2004 IOC Restored version**

Seoul 1988 | Olympic Games

Originals

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Seoul 1988 Official Film | Seoul 1988

Weightlifter Naim Süleymanoğlu made his Olympic debut in Seoul by taking the eyes of the worked. He was quickly nicknamed “The Pocket Hercules” for the combination of his short stature (1.47m or 4ft10in) and incredible display of strength.
 
Born in Bulgaria to Turkish parents, Süleymanoğlu obtained Turkish citizenship in 1986 and was now representing Turkey in the weightlifting competition at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games.
 
“The Pocket Hercules” lifted 190.0kg in the clean and jerk; and 152.5kg in the snatch, reaching a total of 342.5kg. This result gave him both the Olympic gold medal and new world record, by an impressive 30kg.
 
Naim Süleymanoğlu would still be back at the Olympic Games in Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 to win two more Olympic gold medals and have his final Summer Games at Sydney 2000.

Naim Süleymanoğlu

Highlights

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Süleymanoğlu breaks the World Record to take gold

Anthony Nesty becomes a Suriname hero as he shocks the American favourite to win swimming gold at the Olympic Games in 1988.

Anthony Conrad NESTY

1988 Olympic 100m Butterfly gold medal winner Anthony Nesty of Suriname during training on 1st March 1992 at the University of Florida in Gainsville, Florida, United States. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Getty Images)

Nesty Swims To An Epic Gold Win in Seoul 1988

Greg Louganis suffered a concussion after his head struck the springboard during the preliminary rounds. Then, he wins the gold medal.

Gregory LOUGANIS

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Greg Louganis | Seoul 1988 | Take the Mic

Wrestling legend Karelin explains how he overcame injury and fatigue to win his first ever Olympic gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Games

Aleksandr KARELIN

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Karelin explains how he won dramatic gold in Seoul with a signature move

Seoul 1988 - Overview Mosaic

At the 1988 Seoul Games, in his first Olympic appearance, Aleksandr Karelin won gold in the super heavyweight event of Greco-Roman wrestling. He then remained undefeated in the four years between Seoul and the next Olympic Games in Barcelona.
 
 
 

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Seoul 1988 Wrestling Greco-Roman men 100 - 130kg (super heavyweight)

The stage was set. Yugoslavia had beaten Australia, while the USSR had won against the reigning champions team USA in the semi-finals. 
 
The two final teams had already met in their very first match in the 1988 Summer Games. In that Group B match, the Yugoslavian team had won by 92 – 79. But now the stakes were higher with the Seoul 1988 Olympic gold medal to be won.
 
Yugoslavia, led by Moscow 1980 Olympic gold medalist Drazen Petrovic, had an impressive start getting to a 24 - 12 lead before the end of the first half. However, The USSR weren’t going to give away the gold medal that easily and, by half-time, had taken the lead in to their hands with a 31 – 26 score.
 
Back in the game and ahead in the scoreboard, the Soviet team kept its cool in the second half. With Sharunas Marchulionis and Arvydas Sabonis scoring over 20 points each, the USSR maintained a minimum 9 points lead until the final 76 – 63 score gave them their second Olympic gold medal.

Basketball

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USSR vs Yugoslavia - Men’s Basketball Final

In Seoul, Greg Louganis was a veteran of his sport and faced a number of upcoming younger rivals. Yet despite striking the board with his head in the springboard, Louganis dramatically retained both his Olympic titles. Watch all his performances from Seoul, Montreal and Los Angeles!

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Seoul 1988 Diving men 10m platform, Diving men 3m springboard - Greg Louganis

Watch the full women gold medal final between Graf and Sabatini.

Tennis

Replay

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Seoul 1988 - Steffi Graf v Gabriela Sabatini (Full Match)

Follow as Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins the Gold for the USA and Sabine John and Anke Behmer claim the Silver and the Bronze for East Germany in the women's heptathlon competition at the Seoul Summer Olympic Games in 1988

Athletics

Great Olympic Moments

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Heptathlon | Seoul 1988 | Great Olympic Moments

Seoul 1988 Overview Replays

159 countries and 8391 athletes participated at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

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Opening Ceremony | Seoul 1988

The ceremony was held at the Olympic Stadium in the southeast of Seoul.

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Closing Ceremony | Seoul 1988

Seoul 1988 Ceremonies

Canoe Sprint

Diving

Swimming

Weightlifting

Argentina

Germany

Great Britain

Jamaica

Mexico

P. R. China

Portugal

Slovenia

Suriname

Türkiye

Ukraine

United States

USSR

Yugoslavia

G: A. Nesty (SUR)
S: M. Biondi (USA)
B: A. Jameson (GBR)

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Men's 100m Butterfly  - Swimming | Seoul 1988 Replays

G: G. Louganis (USA) 
S: X. Ni  (CHN)  
B: J. Mena (MEX)

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Men's 10m Platform - Diving | Seoul 1988 Replays

G: G. Louganis (USA)  
S: T. Liangde (CHN)  
B: L. Deliang  (CHN)

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Men's 3m Springboard - Diving | Seoul 1988 Replays

Rosa Mota becomes the first Portuguese woman to win gold.

Rosa MOTA

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Rosa Mota wins Women's Marathon | Seoul 1988

Merlene Ottey was the 1st Caribbean woman to win an Olympic medal. She's the only track and field athlete to participate in 7 different Olympics, where she represented Jamaica in the first 6 and Slovenia in Athens 2004. She went on to capture a total of 9 medals (3 bronze in the 200m, 2 in the 100m, 1 in the 4x100m relay, and silver in the 100m, the 200m and the 4x100m relay). Merlene Ottey (JAM, SLO) - Athletics - Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004

Merlene OTTEY-PAGE

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Merlene Ottey's Amazing Olympic Achievements

During Birgit Fischer’s Olympic career she claimed 12 Olympic medals (8 golds and 4 silvers), and competed in 6 different Olympic Games.

Birgit FISCHER

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Birgit Fischer Becomes an Olympic Kayaking Legend | Sydney 2000 Highlights

Injuries to leading long jumpers Mike Powell and Iván Pedroso allow an in form Carl Lewis to thrill his home country with a gold medal winning jump in Atlanta. His leap of 8.50m is 21 cm better than Jamaica’s James Beckford and he becomes the third Olympian to win the same individual event on four occasions.

Carl LEWIS

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Athletics Men Long Jump Final Atlanta 1996 – Lewis

Sergey Bubka of the Soviet Union clears 5.90m to claim gold and sets an Olympic record. In ten years of competition he broke the world record 35 times, mostly his own. In Seoul, his fellow Soviets Rodion Gataullin and Grigoriy Yegorov join him on the podium. Athletics Pole Vault Men Final - Olympic Record (5.90m) - Seoul 1988 - Sergey Bubka (URS), Rodion Gataullin (URS), Grigoriy Yegorov (URS)

Sergii BUBKA

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Bubka of the Soviet Union Sets Another Record

In the 100m butterfly at the Seoul Olympic Games, Biondi was the favourite. However, he had to settle for second when he was beaten by just 0.01 seconds. Biondi successfully channelled his disappointment. He entered five more events, winning gold in all of them and setting world records in four. Watch his performance in the 4x100m freestyle relay!

Matthew BIONDI

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Olympic Games Seoul 1988

Seoul 1988Highlights & Replays

Seoul 1988 Wrestling Greco-Roman men 100 - 130kg (super heavyweight)

USSR vs Yugoslavia - Men’s Basketball Final

Seoul 1988 Diving men 10m platform, Diving men 3m springboard - Greg Louganis

Seoul 1988 - Steffi Graf v Gabriela Sabatini (Full Match)

Heptathlon | Seoul 1988 | Great Olympic Moments

ceremonies

Opening Ceremony | Seoul 1988

Closing Ceremony | Seoul 1988

All Replays

Men's 100m Butterfly - Swimming | Seoul 1988 Replays

Men's 10m Platform - Diving | Seoul 1988 Replays

Men's 3m Springboard - Diving | Seoul 1988 Replays

Seoul 1988 - Steffi Graf v Gabriela Sabatini (Full Match)

Rosa Mota wins Women's Marathon | Seoul 1988

USSR vs Yugoslavia - Men’s Basketball Final

Süleymanoğlu breaks the World Record to take gold

Merlene Ottey's Amazing Olympic Achievements

Birgit Fischer Becomes an Olympic Kayaking Legend | Sydney 2...

Athletics Men Long Jump Final Atlanta 1996 – Lewis

Closing Ceremony | Seoul 1988

Opening Ceremony | Seoul 1988

Seoul 1988 Diving men 10m platform, Diving men 3m springboar...

Seoul 1988 Wrestling Greco-Roman men 100 - 130kg (super heav...

Bubka of the Soviet Union Sets Another Record

Seoul 1988 Swimming men 4x100m freestyle relay