Table of Contents

14 THE 1984 OLYMPICS
he L.A. Games, if diminished as an athletic event by the Soviet bloc boycott, still will be a spectacle
by Jerry Kirshenbaum

22 GOLD MEDALS GALORE
That's the goal—and an attainable one it is—of America's stellar long jumper-sprinter Carl Lewis
by Gary Smith

42 TRACK AND FIELD: AN OVERVIEW
Having analyzed the competition in all events, SI's expert says U.S. men, in particular, should excel
by Kenny Moore

74 THE ALBATROSS WILL FLY
Michael Gross of West Germany, frequent breaker of world marks, should be the Games' top swimmer
by Craig Neff

94 SWIMMING: AN OVERVIEW
With the formidable Eastern Europeans staying at home, U.S. men and women both should be dominant
by Craig Neff

109 THE RICH PATINA OF OLD GOLD
Fifty-two years after their triumphs in the first L.A. Olympics, these victors of 1932 remain remarkable
Photographs by Brian Lanker

137 A STAR WAS BORN
A 10th of a second meant 1932 Olympic gold and a Hollywood career for U.S. swimmer Buster Crabbe
by William Oscar Johnson

162 LOS ANGELES
The land, the movies, the studios, the freeways, the deserts, the canyons, the plants and the flowers
by Daniel Fuchs

194 HE'S A PERFECT 10
To Daley Thompson of England, the decathlon is an event of such beauty he gladly gives his all to it
by Kenny Moore

220 A FEAST FOR THE EYES
Rhythmic gymnastics, which will make an Olympic debut of a sort in L.A., is a real sight to behold
by Brian Lanker and Bob Ottum

241 WHO WILL BE THE WINNERS?
The redoubtable Fraulein Doktor V provides her assessment of who will get gold medals—and why
by Anita Verschoth

286 MR. OLYMPICS
A profile of Jim McKay, ABC's anchorman for the Games, plus a detailed listing of when to watch what
by William Taaffe

310 LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
U.S. shooter Lones Wigger, twice a gold medalist, and teenager Deena Wigger are both right on target
by Robert F. Jones

336 IT CAN BE PONE
Even with the Soviets not on hand, there is a trio of teams that could beat the Americans in basketball
by Alexander Wolff

356 A MAN WREATHED IN GLORY
Marathoner Rob de Castella, a runner of rigorous habits and views, should put gold among his laurels
by Kenny Moore

378 A ROAD LEAST TRAVELED
No Canadian has won a boxing gold medal since '32. Willie deWit and Shawn O'Sullivan should alter that
by Pat Putnam

402 WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
And why don't they wear skirts? After all, they're playing that preppy girls' game called field hockey
by Steve Wulf

422 THERE'S GOLD ON HIS MENU
Japan's 5'11", 280-pound Yasuhiro Yamashita has an Olympian appetite—for both food and judo titles
by Gary Smith

444 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Italy's Klaus Maran, an ex-heavyweight, is thin as the air that may propel him to a boardsailing gold
by Sarah Pileggi

462 ONLY YOU, MARY LOU
Tiny Mary Lou Retton is a one-of-a-kind woman gymnast: She may win a gold medal for the U.S.
by Bob Ottum

480 NO ONE DOES IT BETTER
American diver Greg Louganis is so good that he gets extra points from the judges just for showing up
by Demmie Stathoplos

496 THE ULTIMATE WINNER
Dan Gable willed himself into being the world's best wrestler. Now he's driving the U.S. team to the top
by Douglas S. Looney

522 THE GREAT LEAP UPWARD
Aptly, Zhu Jianhua of China was born in the Year of the Rabbit, for no one has jumped higher than he
by Gary Smith

ISSUE DESIGNED BY THOMAS VANDERSCHMIDT

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY LANE STEWART

Credits on page 283

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