The day a drop goal brought a nation back from the brink

For many, the most memorable sporting moment came on a rugby pitch in Johannesburg in 1995. The Rugby World Cup Final was won by South Africa in extra time, thanks to a drop goal from Joel Stransky. The nation, rebuilding after a difficult period, rejoiced. President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey, celebrated as well. It was a memorable moment that, for many, transcended sport.

A Cold War match that boiled over

At the height of the Cold War in 1972, Russia and America’s basketball players met in the Olympic final in Munich. It was to prove a pulsating match, and one of the most controversial sporting battles ever to take place. The Russians officially won the match by a single point, but arguments continue to this day about the legality of the result. The US team have never collected their silver medals.

The Rumble in the Jungle

Heavyweight boxing in the 1970s was a supremely glamorous sport, and no fighter was as charismatic as Muhammad Ali. In 1974, he fought World Champion George Foreman in Zaire. Ali had been written off as too old, but he soaked up all of Foreman’s punches before launching a ferocious attack in the eighth round, stunning the world with a superb knockout win.

The four minute mile

At a rather unassuming athletics track in Oxford in 1954, Roger Bannister achieved something that many people thought was simply impossible. Aided by pace-setters Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher, he sped to a new record time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. After crossing the line, he collapsed with exhaustion, having made history.