Whilst scanning The Guardian website's home page I came across a link to this piece on great sporting moments. Top of the list was a moment I have a real personal fondness for - The 4x400 Mens Relay Final at the 1991 World Athletics Championships.
It's not for any great love of athletics I can assure you (I've been completely indifferent to the recent Commonwealth Games, despite the odd snigger at the organisers misfortunes) only that I remember watching it with my Dad, live on television, and being drawn into the excitement of that final leg, run by none other than former 'Record Breakers' presenter and 'Question of Sport' regular, Kris 'Awooga' Akabusi.
The likes of Roger Black and John Regis had been hot on the heels of the US team for the entire race, but it was only at the exit from the final bend into the home straight that Akabusi was able to pull out onto the shoulder of the US athlete and fight him to the line for the gold medal.
It was genuinely thrilling to see him taking it to the favoured Americans and, inexplicably, both my Dad and I found ourselves rising to our feet and cheering him on for all we were worth - "Go on, Go on, GO ON!!" - in a crescendo of encouragement that somehow channelled from our living room in Carshalton, through the television, to that sweaty stadium in Tokyo.
As Akabusi crossed the line, just a shade in front of his rival, we were jubilant beyond even our own expectation. It was the joy of having unexpectedly, on a sleepy Sunday morning, been party to a wonderful sporting contest, the thrill of an underdog victory and a rare instance of Britain 'getting one over' on our friends from across the pond!
I expect Mum wondered what all the noise was about as she pottered around upstairs. Then again, she may have just resigned herself to the fact that "boys will be boys".
It's not for any great love of athletics I can assure you (I've been completely indifferent to the recent Commonwealth Games, despite the odd snigger at the organisers misfortunes) only that I remember watching it with my Dad, live on television, and being drawn into the excitement of that final leg, run by none other than former 'Record Breakers' presenter and 'Question of Sport' regular, Kris 'Awooga' Akabusi.
The likes of Roger Black and John Regis had been hot on the heels of the US team for the entire race, but it was only at the exit from the final bend into the home straight that Akabusi was able to pull out onto the shoulder of the US athlete and fight him to the line for the gold medal.
It was genuinely thrilling to see him taking it to the favoured Americans and, inexplicably, both my Dad and I found ourselves rising to our feet and cheering him on for all we were worth - "Go on, Go on, GO ON!!" - in a crescendo of encouragement that somehow channelled from our living room in Carshalton, through the television, to that sweaty stadium in Tokyo.
As Akabusi crossed the line, just a shade in front of his rival, we were jubilant beyond even our own expectation. It was the joy of having unexpectedly, on a sleepy Sunday morning, been party to a wonderful sporting contest, the thrill of an underdog victory and a rare instance of Britain 'getting one over' on our friends from across the pond!
I expect Mum wondered what all the noise was about as she pottered around upstairs. Then again, she may have just resigned herself to the fact that "boys will be boys".
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