Remember The Devastating Moment Jane Saville Was Disqualified At The Sydney 2000 Games?
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Let’s never forget Sydney 2000.
Back in 2000, the former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch proclaimed the Sydney Olympics was the best games ever.
It delivered so many memorable moments: Cathy Freeman winning the 400m in front of a packed Stadium Australia. The Aussies smashing the Americans in the 4 × 100m men's freestyle relay. Goosebumps. What a high!
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And then this happened.
Australian Olympic Committee / Via smh.com.au
Australian race walker Jane Saville was disqualified just metres from entering a packed stadium where she was set to win gold.
This was the exact moment Saville was red carded and ultimately disqualified from the 20km race. Her face says it all. 💔
Australian Olympic Committee / Via smh.com.au
It’s a soul-crushing moment… but that image of a distraught Saville is one of the most iconic of the Sydney games. It’s immortalised in Australian sporting history.
Saville was disqualified after a third penalty for an illegal gait, or "lifting" in race walking terms, 200 metres from the finish line and in front of a home crowd no less.
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