News for October 30, 1997


German 6 Day rider turns 90

Gustav Kilian, winner of 29 six days and still the person with the most sixday wins in the world, celebrates his 90th birthday today. After being a successful track rider before World War II, he became the coach of the track national team in the 1950s. Kilian formed a very successful team that won a lot of gold medals in Olympic Games and World championships in the 60s and 70s. He is still riding 50 kms on his bike every day!

Ullrich - Most Popular

Jan Ullrich is the most popular sportsman in Germany. In an article of the news magazine DER SPIEGEL about modern idols in our society, it was said that the new idols are all sportsmen. In a poll people were asked "Who’s the best german sportsman of all times?" - Jan Ullrich won clearly with 16 % ahead of Michael Schuhmacher (13), Max Schmeling (11) Boris Becker (10), Henry Maske (9), Steffi Graf (7) and so on. In a poll with the question "Who’s the most sympatic german sportsman?" Jan Ullrich won also clearly ahead of all the other big names.

Drug Positives

The recently completed Southeast Asian Games generated 4 positive tests for banned drugs: Indonesia's gold medal-winning cyclist Tonton Susanto, Burma's bronze medal body builder Khin Maung Htwe, along with shooter Kerdsumiran Nuawan and decathlete David Yinsumruay, both gold medalists from Thailand.

Tonton, who won the 40 km ITT, tested positive for the stimulant fencamfamine. He was stripped on the gold medal which was then given to the second-placed rider from the Philippines, Victor Espiritu.

Tonton also won the gold medal in the road race. He tested negative after that event and officials have not altered that outcome. Officials say that Tonton took some medicine before the ITT, without realising that it contained the banned substance, fencamfamine.

The Secretary-General of the Indonesian Cycling Federation, Didi Soedijanto, said that he thought it was an inadvertent error on Tonton's part.

Epic Ride

A Chinese journalist has just completed an epic ride through each of the cities where the Summer Olympic Games have been held. Bu Fanzhou traveled 15,000 kilometers on his epic, initially setting out in June 1996.

He completed the ride on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House and was greeted by Chinese consular officials and Australian Olympic chiefs. It wasn't only riding. He interviewed Olympic officials and sports stars in countries that he passed through.