'I'm always introduced as the guy who won the Dublin Marathon. I'm never introduced as the guy who's been to the Olympics'
Briefly

'I'm always introduced as the guy who won the Dublin Marathon. I'm never introduced as the guy who's been to the Olympics'
"Dick Hooper was surprised to discover around 15 years ago that he and his brother, Pat, were in the official film about the 1980 Moscow Olympics entitled ­- pause for effect - O Sport, You Are Peace! The Hoopers made history by becoming the first brothers to run the marathon at an Olympics and were among the featured athletes in this documentary, which became the Soviet submission for Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars the following year."
"Just as well they were dressed with distinction. The Raheny brothers didn't wear the official Ireland gear because it wasn't marathon suitable. They both wore trendy green and white striped shorts that Pat got in Boston, as well as dark green fishnet vests with a low neckline - think attire for a dance festival - that they bought in Dunnes Stores. Their mother, Maura, stitched the official Ireland crest on the front of the vests before her sons left for the Olympics."
Dick Hooper is a three-time Dublin Marathon winner who helped elevate the event's profile. He and his late brother Pat made history as the first brothers to run the Olympic marathon, competing at Moscow in 1980. Both brothers appeared in the official Olympic film O Sport, You Are Peace!, which became the Soviet submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars the following year. The Raheny brothers chose practical and distinctive attire instead of official Ireland gear, wearing green-and-white striped shorts and dark green fishnet vests with the Ireland crest sewn on by their mother, Maura, before departure.
Read at Independent
Unable to calculate read time
[
|
]