Enriqueta Basilio, a hurdler, created history in these Games, but not because of her athletic prowess. To her credit, she made history by lighting the Olympic cauldron as the first woman to do so.
What You Want to Know?
Athletics At The 1968 Summer Olympics – Women’s 800 Metres
Basilio, a young Mexican runner of only 20 years old, showed tremendous potential. She ran in the 400-meter, the 4×100-meter relay, and the 80-meter hurdles, but it was her appearance at the opening ceremony that made her a household name.
A young cadet brought her the Olympic torch outside the stadium. After that, she ran into the arena’s main entrance with the torch in her hands, where she was met with cheers by the arena’s capacity crowd of 100,000 and the athletes assembled inside for the ceremony.
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She sprinted up the stadium’s main staircase and onto the platform holding the Olympic cauldron. Basilio aimed the flame at the cardinal directions before setting fire to the cauldron.
There have been several women who have lighted Olympic cauldrons after Basilio, but she was the pioneer. Her athletic prowess wasn’t quite as impressive, as she was eliminated in the first round of every event she entered and never returned to the Olympics.
An Overview of the Games
Elevated Position
Because of its high altitude above sea level (2,300m), the decision to hold the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City was met with some criticism.
Short-distance running (up to 800 metres), leaping, throwing, and weightlifting all benefited from the higher altitude as the Games were held for the first time in Latin America.
However, the athletes participating in longer-distance and middle-distance endurance activities, such as running, swimming, and cycling, found the rarified air to be devastating.
Statistics Fall
As a result of the high altitude, new world records were set in the long jump, triple jump, and all 400-meter and shorter men’s events. Bob Beamon’s incredible 8.90-meter long jump set a new world record that stood for 22 years and was easily the most impressive performance.
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History-Making Achievements at the Olympics
At the Opening Ceremony, Mexican hurdler Enriqueta Basilio made history by lighting the cauldron for the first time. American sprinter Wyomia Tyus made history by becoming the first woman to repeat as 100-meter race champion.
A revolutionary jumping technique, later dubbed the “Fosbury Flop,” helped Dick Fosbury win the men’s high jump, and for the first time ever, medalists were required to take a drug test (narcotics, stimulants).
