A sports fan travelling back in time to 1952
would feel right at home.
Many of the teams that dominate sports today
were already well established.
You wouldn't be surprised to learn, for example,
that the Canadian ice hockey team won gold
at the Oslo 1952 Olympic Winter Games,
or that the United States basketball team
dominated in Helsinki that summer.
But individual sports like athletics
have a way of defying our expectations.
Who could have predicted that
an event like the Olympic 1,500m final
would be won by an athlete from, say, Luxembourg?
Luxembourg had never won an Olympic gold medal.
With a population then of only 250,000 people,
the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
is squeezed into the heart of Europe,
a country so small you could walk across it in a day.
The country had won only one Olympic medal
in its entire history.
But in the 1950s, Luxembourg did have
a contender in middle distance running,
an athlete by the name of Josy Barthel.
Typical of his era, most of Barthel's competitive running
had been done in the army.
And while being the fastest runner
in the Luxembourg Armed Forces is impressive,
it does not necessarily buy you an easy ticket
to the world of international athletics.
Barthel had reached the final of the 1500m at London 1948
without ever threatening to win a medal. He finished ninth.
So Barthel already had at least one thing going in his favour -
low expectations.
Four years on, now aged 25,
Barthel lined up in the final in Helsinki.
Werner Lueg of West Germany was the pre-race favourite.
He warmed up for the Olympic Games
by matching the 1500m world record.
And Bob McMillen of the United States was the dark horse,
having switched from the steeplechase to the mile.
Among all these talents was Josy Barthel of Luxembourg.
All eyes were on the favourite, Lueg, at the start,
and as early as the first lap,
he was really showing his strength.
Lueg of West Germany leads, Rolf Lamers second,
Barthel of Luxembourg moves into third.
One lap to go!
Lueg is still ahead on the bend, but he's tiring.
Barthel has taken over in front from the favourite.
Bob McMillen of the United States is closing too,
but can Barthel hold him off?
It's going to be close as they head to the line.
This is going to be a remarkably close finish.
Barthel wins gold!
Barthel of little Luxembourg has won the 1,500m!
And that's a new Olympic record, too.
It became clear that something exceptional had just happened.
Barthel had won Luxembourg's first-ever gold medal
with a new Olympic record.
And you know what that means.
For the first time in Olympic history,
the whole world got to hear...
the wrong national anthem.
Games organisers couldn't find Heemecht,
the Luxembourg national anthem.
They even struggled to find the right flag.
The anthem had never been played at the Olympic Games.
So in honour of that great moment,
here is Heemecht. Enjoy.