The story begins at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. Derek Redmond was a sprinter for Great Britain, seeking to overcome the injuries that had plagued him — he'd had five surgeries, including one on his Achilles tendon with less than four months before the Games. His Olympic dreams had been dashed four years earlier at the 1988 Games in Seoul when he tore his Achilles an hour before the race.
Redmond's pursuit of a medal in Barcelona in the 400 meters started off well, as he notched the fastest time in the prelims and won his quarterfinal heat.
