With the Winter Olympics in full swing, Americans have appeared to only just discover one of the most famous tales in Australian sporting history.
Australia has been in the spotlight at the Milano-Cortina Games thanks to the nation’s best ever performance on the snow and ice.
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Gold medals from moguls stars Jakara Anthony and Cooper Woods as well as snowboard cross gun Josie Baff, plus a silver medal for half-pipe sensation Scotty James and a bronze for flag bearer Matt Graham in dual moguls has Australia placed unexpectedly highly on the medal tally.
The green and gold is still above the likes of Great Britain and China, although Canada has finally overtaken us.
Australia’s ability to once again punch above its weight on the slopes has led many to question how a sun-soaked nation can perform so well on the snow.
That investigation has taken Americans on social media back 24 years to Australia’s first ever Winter Olympic gold medal.
‘Doing a Bradbury’ has been a part of the Australian vernacular for more than two decades after Steven Bradbury claimed speed skating gold in Salt Lake City in 2022.
Even though it happened in their own country, many Americans were unaware that Bradbury became an Olympic champion in the most extraordinary of circumstances – crossing the line first after all four of his rival competitors in front of him crashed out on the final lap.
Videos of Bradbury’s gold medal winning moment have gone viral on social media.
However they’re also pointing out the story is much cooler than you think.
“It annoys me that so many people are under the impression that this guy, Steven Bradbury, is some subpar goober who lucked his way into gold,” Charlotte Clymer tweeted.
“That could not be further from the truth.
“This is one of the most satisfying victories in the history of the Olympics if you know the full backstory.”
She explained how Bradbury was a genuine gold medal chance at the 1994 Olympics, but was illegally pushed by an opponent, and was unlucky to be involved in a 1998 Games crash, along with several horrific injuries which saw doctors tell him to stop skating.
Yet he worked out a plan in 2002, when he was past his prime, to remain back from the pack and take advantage.
“This victory was not some un-athletic schlub lucking his way into gold,” she said.
“It was a journeyman athlete who never gave up and played smart after a career of shitty luck and finally got his due after it being snatched away from him so many times.
“Hands down, one of my favorite Olympics stories.”
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