Meeting a legend

Today I shook hands with Bob Beamon- a legend in his own lifetime, and Mrs Mover, a lifelong athletics fan had her photograph taken with him. He was in Torquay to open the Art of the Olympians exhibition at (artoftheolympians.org) Cockington Court, Torquay. He is the Chief Executive of the organisation and an artist himself.

At the Mexico Olympics 1968 Bob Beamon set a world record for the long jump with a jump of 8.90 m (29 ft. 2½ in.), bettering the existing record by 55 cm (21¾ in.). It remained the world record for almost 23 years until it was broken in 1991 by Mike Powell.

Bob was charismatic, friendly, charming - the olympic ideal.