Olympic archive

Swimmer Mark Spitz set a new record at the Munich Olympics, winning seven gold medals. 18 years later, he was back in the pool bidding to make the US team for the 1992 Barcelona Games.

After their Tour de France success, Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish will be stars at London 2012. How different from 1972, when Phil Edwards was living on his savings as he prepared for Munich.

At the 1964 Tokyo games, Mary Rand broke the world long jump record to win gold. But four years earlier, as post room worker Mary Bignall, she was just another Olympic hopeful.

Britain’s 1960 Olympic uniform showcased a “blue hopsack” centre-vent blazer, pinpoint trousers and blue suede shoes with cooling airholes. Eat your heart out, Stella McCartney.

After winning gold in the Melbourne 3,000 metres steeplechase, Chris Brasher, a US oil company employee, stopped off in the States on his way home – finally returning to the UK on 9 January 1957.

100 metres backstroke gold medallist Judy Grinham returned to London in the depths of winter after her 1956 Melbourne triumph. She was welcomed home by friends, relatives – and ITN’s John Hartley.

Teenager Terry Spinks had to take time off from his dustbin round to win flyweight gold at Melbourne. Reginald Bosanquet met him on his return at the family home in Canning Town.