@rockape63. I trust you are referring to the wonderful Steve Ovett there?

You were either Coe or Ovett and I was a big fan of Coe. It was just soo exciting watching him run, and having not one, but two changes of pace in the last 150m. 1980 was epic!

Here’s another one:

Bit of a tool at the time, but his will to win and never give upness….inspired me!

And….The Great White Shark

Fearless attack minded golfer.

Ronnie Peterson for me too, Dorset Knob.

When we played F1 on our bikes as kids, I was always Ronnie Peterson.
Well……..until he died 🙁

Whilst I don’t mean to denigrate anyone’s childhood heroes, you could explain Nigel Mansell to me from now until, oooo, the end of time and I’m still going to say “I don’t get it”.

I didn’t nominate him and without looking up his record, he was massively popular not just because he won, but how he won. Fearless racer, when so few were. His attempts to get past Senna at Monaco will go down in F1 folklore!

Why is Mansell a surprise? British, successful, and to a child the ‘lack of personality’ isn’t a major consideration.

TBH, i can’t even recall hearing Supermac speak as a kid, but he was a Newcastle number 9 and therefore in my eyes, walked on water. I couldn’t tell you what he was like.

Whilst I don’t mean to denigrate anyone’s childhood heroes, you could explain Nigel Mansell to me from now until, oooo, the end of time and I’m still going to say “I don’t get it”.

My mum thought he was wonderful but I could never warm to him. Too ready to whinge about about mechanical failures.

But after Jim Clark died I figured out even heroes die and I never had another. Only people I admire – of which there are and have been quite a few.

Love that pic of Robbie Naish. I think I pulled the same move at Aberdovey on Tuesday. I also got in that boat of Dennis Conner’s a few years back. A bit primitive compared to today’s Americas cup boats.

Coe is the only man to retain the Olympic 1500m gold, held more world records than you can shake a stick at and his 1:41 in Rieti is one of the most impressive 800m’s ever run.
He was a hero of mine.

Back on Coe…he used to live close to me and I’d often see him running. about 18 yrs ago he was in the local paper shop and I couldn’t help but stop him and introduce my 5yr old daughter to my sporting hero! 😳

(she still remembers!)

Probably this guy.

Bob Haro.

John Bentley – fond memories of watching that era of ‘Fax as a boy, stood on the terraces at Thrum Hall with my dad.
Still have a programme autographed by him from the match when fax played the touring Aussie’s at TH in 1994. Even has a muddy handprint on the back

My Dad, that’s me on the right.

This guy (when I was playing snooker)

And him (when I was playing cricket – even had a bat that had been made for Beefy as I knew the guy who made them @ DF):

My Dad, that’s me on the right.

Are you Damon Hill, Taxi?

Are you Damon Hill, Taxi?

Wish I was RA then I’d have a F1 world championship as well. The old man had a passing resemblance to Graham Hill but he drove the even scarier early 70’s F5000

Denis Law, Jim Clark and Fred Trueman for me (and I’m not from ‘that’ side of the Pennines!)

Paul Elvstrom

Saw both his fights with Henry Cooper live on black and white (ironic) TV. Parents thought he was an uppity black.

Early indication that parents were full of sh1t, as later proved to be the case…

Kevin Keegan. Used to love Superstars

When I was a kid – Sheene, Boycott and Bremner

Later on, got to be Ari Vatanen, especially after a night out with him.

“dear god” 🙂

Particularly when he was a properly sharp bowler who swung the ball miles.

David Bedford.

Parents thought he was an uppity black.

Although I guess they have may expressed it rather differently. Sadly.

My uncle Mike, who played for GB against the USA at ice hockey in the 50’s. At the time he was 16 & was the youngest player ever to play for GB.

Stirling Moss came next.

Don Whillans

Oh well, of course Don. Goes without saying.

James Hunt
Still remember the astonishment watching the tv and he won the title in the rain in Japan

Polar opposites I know but I couldn’t pick between them.

When I played Rugby (2nd Row) Both Bill & JPR

Took up Cycling and King Kelly

My dad beat James hunt in a race during his prime. I was too young for him to be my hero but a true legend he was

Probably a few transient ones, but Stephen Roche. Amazing talent, fiesty, and a humble gentleman.

La Plagne

Who’s Don Whillans?

(Sorry)

I’m just old enough to remember England going to Mexico in 1970, collecting the Shell coins and the plastic busts of the players – so Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton, Colin Bell are memorable.Then there was Pele to watch, Cruyff. Beckenbauer and Sep Mayer too as my Grandma was German.
I also liked Eddie Merckx, Jimmy Connors, Evil Kenevel.
I haven’t seen too many wimmin mentioned so I will throw in Chris Evert.

Tony hawk and the Powell peralta crew from in search of animal chin.

Who’s Don Whillans

Climber and mountaineer from the 50’s through to the 70’s. Renowned for a pugnacious approach to life and at the forefront of a wave of Northern working class climbers.

Graham Noyce

Willie John McBride

Who’s Don Whillans

Don and Joe Brown were great pioneers in British Rock Climbing putting up some ridiculously hard stuff for the day. Don also became a great alpinist and expedition climber. Amongst the phrases attributed to him is “so I ‘it ‘I’m” and “it’s not that it’s ‘ard, it’s that you’re no bloody good”.

Shaun Thomson https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fshauntomson.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F02%2FDivine-321×321.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fshauntomson.com%2F&docid=6ylz-Id8ypnUNM&tbnid=Spp27yRhIGI5dM%3A&w=321&h=321&hl=en-gb&client=safari&bih=460&biw=320&ved=0ahUKEwjnkvLQ6ozNAhVKD8AKHTIiC9MQMwhEKBwwHA&iact=mrc&uact=8h