An incredible story of a man with unbelievable good fortune, you won't believe unless you see it. Winning a Gold medal at the Winter Olympics or the Summer Olympics is no easy feat but this man had them judges scratching their heads.
I was watching the Japanese Olympics when I came up with this idea for my new free full documentary, I hope you enjoy this hilarious video. If you did be sure to like, subscribe, and share to you friends to amaze them too.
#Olyimpics #Goldmedal #SportingHistory
Australia has never done too well in the winter Oylimpic games, this is mostly due to Australias lack of winter, the main prerequisite needed to pratice for the.. you know winter Olyimpics. But that has never stopped them, and today I have a truly incredible story of how they won they're first ever gold medal at the winter Oylpimics, and it's one that you'll find hard to believe...
Salt lake city 2002. After qualifying for the Men's short track speed skateing, a nervous Steven Bradbury lined up to the quarter finals, an ice skate repair guy who simply worked out of his backyard, and at 30 years old, he was much older than all the other people he was competing against,
Competing with him, Apolo Anton Ohno, American Super star and crowd favtorie tipped to win gold, and Marc Gagnon of Canada, the curent world chapion.
Out of the 4, only 2 could go onto the next round.. and after the match the results were in: Bradury third place. As most expected it was clear that he was going home, until... The jugdes suddenly declaimed Gagon disqualifyed from the race due to a techincality. And incredibly enough Steven was somehow back in the race.
In the semi-fainals it was noted that every single opponent he was up against had times much quicker than Bradbury so it was an assumption that he would be going home after this round, his opponents had a very impressive resumes With Kim Dong-sung of south Korea: 4 time world speed skating champion. Li Jiajun of China: A holder of 5 Olympic medals in speed skating and: Mathieu Turcotte: Canadian. I've you've ever watched a game of ice hooky you'll know what I mean.
During my research I found that it was reported even his coach told him to hang back from the pack knowing he'd never be able to keep up with them, how's that for instilling confidence.
And not long before arriving to Salt lake city, he survived a near fatal accindent on the ice where he broke his neck.
Never the less, here he was, and Steven knew that sport isn't all about winning, so he lined up already knowing full well every single racer on that track was faster and younger than he was, the gun shot sounded annndd next thing you know Steven managed to qualify yet AGAIN and he was going onto the finals, only this time he actually finished FIRST.
As it turns out following his coachs words, as motivating and helpful as they were, actually won him first place, In classic Hair and turquoise fashion, every single person on the track crashed, and it simply left Mr Bradbury with nothing else left to do but finish the race in an orderly fashion
So this man from a small country town in Australia, managed to fluke his way into the final at the fucking Olympic games. Might I remind you, that this was no Sunday morning sporting league, he was racing against the best Ice skaters in world, all of which come from cold countries and have been skating since before they could walk, and he has managed to beat every single one of them up to this point.
All bets were off, this man wasn't even suppose to make it past the first qualifier, and yet here he was about the face off against the worlds eleite at the Oylpic games final. In an usaly turn of events, he was racing against 4 others instead of the normal 3, something that would later turn out disartuous.
With him were:
Viktor An – A man who went on to win the world chamiponships ships 6 times.
Li Jiajun – 5 time Olyimic medal winner
Apolo Ohno: Arugably the single most decorated winter oylmian of all time.
Mathieu Turcotte – Still Canadian....
They say there's no luck in sports, and it was safe to assume this mans hot streak was about to come to an end.
And would you believe it...
He won, he was coming last by a whole freaking lap, the guy in front was coming out of the very last corner of the race before the finish line and crashed, bringing down everyone besides MR Bradbury, he was actually so far behind everyone else, he missed the crash entirly, our hero coasted over the finish line and into sporting history as a modern folk hero, earning Australia’s first and only gold medal in the winter Olympics.
He then immediately retired from speed skating, and “Pulling a Bradbury” became another pharse in the Australian Vocabulary.
18 years later, and He is now a motivational speaker who has toured the world teaching others about his "last man standing" mantra. What a guy.
