17 July 2008

The baby face of Olympic boxer Steve Sutherland makes reporters think, he must be the youngest.

A usually accurate Sydney scribe wrote, "The 51 kg flyweight [Steve Sutherland] is easily Australia’s youngest-ever Olympic boxer."

Melbourne’s Sutherland (whom we dubbed Little England three years ago) turns 18 next month, August, for Beijing.

Older fellers remember Sydney’s Sid Prior. Sid was only 17 years six months when he boxed light-welterweight at Rome Olympics 1960.

A pro come 1962, Prior scored a tko 12 in his debut and tko 15 in his last. He lost only one bout and retired as Australian welterweight champion.

A terrific stayer was Sid. I saw him win his semi-final for Olympic selection - then take out a skipping rope and twirl for 10 minutes to warm up. (Or to get his weight down).

Do any old timers remember even younger Oympians?