Running with Fire : the True Story of Chariots of Fire Hero Harold Abrahams

Immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams remains one of the all-time great British Olympians, but in many ways his true story is even more dramatic and moving than as portrayed on the big screen. Now, in this powerful and painstakingly researched biography, Mark Ryan vividly recounts the sprinter's struggles and triumphs, his private heartbreaks and his drive to win. He shows Abrahams' courage in the face of intense competition and prejudice, culminating in the BBC's extreme reluctance to send him - a Jew - as commentator to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin for fear of offending H. Read more... Abstract: Immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams remains one of the all-time great British Olympians, but in many ways his true story is even more dramatic and moving than as portrayed on the big screen. Now, in this powerful and painstakingly researched biography, Mark Ryan vividly recounts the sprinter's struggles and triumphs, his private heartbreaks and his drive to win. He shows Abrahams' courage in the face of intense competition and prejudice, culminating in the BBC's extreme reluctance to send him - a Jew - as commentator to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin for fear of offending H Content: Cover Title Page Dedication Table of Contents Foreword by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh PROLOGUE : USAIN WHO? PART I : GIFTED, ABUSED, ENGAGED AND CROWNED CHAPTER ONE : LEFT FOR DEAD CHAPTER TWO : BORN TO RUN CHAPTER THREE : A JEW AT REPTON CHAPTER FOUR : THE CAMBRIDGE FRESHMAN CHAPTER FIVE : FROM QUEEN'S TO ANTWERP CHAPTER SIX : CHRISTINA CHAPTER SEVEN : A PIVOTAL DECISION CHAPTER EIGHT : RUNNING SCARED OF ERIC LIDDELL CHAPTER NINE : GREAT BIRD AND OLD SAM CHAPTER TEN : BRAINSTORM AT THE BRIDGE CHAPTER ELEVEN : PARIS CHAPTER TWELVE : LAZARUS AND THE TOWER. CHAPTER THIRTEEN : NOW OR NEVERCHAPTER FOURTEEN : LIDDELL'S REPLY PART II : LOVE, HITLER AND LONDON CHAPTER ONE : FALLING FLAT ON HIS FACE CHAPTER TWO : A PIONEER'S PATH TO SYBIL CHAPTER THREE : BREAKDOWN ON THE ROAD TO BERLIN CHAPTER FOUR : FEAR AND ACCUSATION CHAPTER FIVE : HITLER, OWENS AND LOVELOCK CHAPTER SIX : UNDERMINING ADOLF CHAPTER SEVEN : WAR CHAPTER EIGHT : LONDON '48 -- THE FUTURE PART III : BANNISTER TO CHARIOTS CHAPTER ONE : BANNISTER CHAPTER TWO : STOPWATCH ON EVEREST CHAPTER THREE : THE FALL-OUT CHAPTER FOUR : MIRROR IMAGE CHAPTER FIVE : DRAWING UP THE FUTURE. CHAPTER SIX : TRAGEDY STRIKESCHAPTER SEVEN : MEDALS CHAPTER EIGHT : TALKING MOVIES CHAPTER NINE : CHARIOT FOR 'MR ATHLETICS' POSTSCRIPT : CELEBRATIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS HAROLD ABRAHAMS CAREER STATISTICS -- HIGHLIGHTS Plates Copyright. Immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams remains one of the all-time great British Olympians, but in many ways his true story is even more dramatic and moving than as portrayed on the big screen. Now, in this powerful and painstakingly researched biography, Mark Ryan vividly recounts the sprinter’s struggles and triumphs, his private heartbreaks and his drive to win. He shows Abrahams’ courage in the face of intense competition and prejudice, culminating in the BBC’s extreme reluctance to send him – a Jew – as commentator to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin for fear of offending Hitler. Running with Fire also reveals for the first time how Abrahams and fierce rival Eric Liddell were actually highly critical of each other’s running style, and uncovers the key role Abrahams played in Roger Bannister’s historic four-minute mile.