He didn't raise his fist - but he did lend a hand

IT REMAINS the defining image of the 1968 Olympics: the American 200m sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who have just won gold and bronze medals, giving a black-power salute with gloved fists on the victory podium while the silver medallist, Australia's Peter Norman, stands beside them impassively, looking straight ahead.

In fact, Norman, who died yesterday (Oct 3rd) at 64 after a heart attack while mowing his lawn in Melbourne, was not at all fazed by the Americans' protest. On the contrary: he knew it was coming and gave it his tacit support by wearing an American human rights badge on his tracksuit during the medals ceremony.

"Because I was sympathetic to their cause I became part of it," Norman said in an interview last year. With apparent pride, he quoted Smith as saying of him that while he may not have raised a fist on the podium he did lend a hand.

Norman often told the story of how it was he who suggested that with only one pair of black gloves available, the two sprinters should share them. It was why Smith had his right arm raised and Carlos his left.

Norman is the last Australian male sprinter to win an Olympic medal. He was a 200m specialist, a strongly built runner famed for a powerful finish.

Raelene Boyle, a teammate of Norman's at those Games and, coincidentally, waiting to receive her silver medal from the women's 200m, witnessed the medal ceremony from a holding room under the stands.

It was, Boyle said yesterday, "the most highly dramatic moment in an Olympic Games charged with drama".

Jim Webster, who covered the 1968 Games at Mexico City for the Herald, said: "Norman really didn't get wound up until he was 40m from the tape. Then he moved into another gear." In the final, Norman trailed at sixth as the runners entered the straight, then produced his usual finishing surge. According to Webster, Carlos eased off slightly when he realised that Smith was going to win, apparently unaware that Norman was closing rapidly. In that moment, Norman powered past him.

"Carlos heard Norman coming, but it was too late for him to re-accelerate," Webster said. "Norman cleaned him up in the last 10 metres."

Smith's time, 19.83 seconds, was a world record. Norman clocked 20.06 and Carlos 20.10. Thirty-eight years later, remarkably, Norman's time is still the Australian 200m record.

Smith and Carlos were made to pay for their protest: they were expelled from the Olympic village and suspended by the US Olympic Committee. Their use of an Olympic podium to make a political statement was widely condemned in the US, not least because many Americans believed they had given a Black Panther salute. Both also received death threats.

Norman was reprimanded for his role, minor though it may have been. He was cautioned by the Australian Olympic official, Judy Patching, but, unlike Smith and Carlos, he did not have to leave Mexico City. He always maintained he was proud to have been part of it all.

Norman kept in touch with the two Americans until the end, most recently by email.

Last September, he flew to the United States to attend and speak at a ceremony at San Jose State College, the university both men attended, where a statue of the two was unveiled.

Originally a teacher, Norman worked for the Victorian Department of Sport and Recreation. He was also in demand as a speaker at sports functions. His death followed a recent triple bypass operation.

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Carlos pays tribute to rival Norman

American sprinter John Carlos has paid tribute to his great Australian rival Peter Norman as a man who never flinched.

Carlos and countryman Tommie Smith, the bronze and gold medallists respectively from the 200m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, both flew to Melbourne to be part of Norman's funeral on Monday.

The three men will be forever remembered for the black power salute by Smith and Carlos on the medal podium in Mexico City.

They both bowed their heads and raised a black gloved fist to the sky as the US anthem was played as a protest against racial discrimination in their home country.

Norman, who died last week of a heart attack aged 64, supported their protest, wearing a human rights badge on the medal podium.

"Peter never flinched, he never turned his eye or his head," said Carlos.

"When I looked into his eyes I saw nothing but love."

Smith said Norman's spirit would prevail.

The two Americans were sent home from the Mexico Olympics in disgrace the day after the famous black power protest.

Norman was also heavily criticised on his return to Australia although he remained steadfast in his belief that what he did was right.

The funeral was attended by several hundred family members, friends and admirers at Williamstown Town Hall in suburban Melbourne.

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