Third Time's The Charm

[DoubleRBar]

Happy 57th birthday today (Monday) to an Olympic champion who competed in four Olympic Games and won a total of one gold medal.

Our birthday athlete was not born in Africa, Europe, North America, or Asia.

This champion won a gold medal at the World Indoor Championships.

You might know that this athlete was fourth place in the first of those four Olympics and did not make the final in the fourth Olympics.

Since this is all the clues you will get, please name our birthday athlete for this second Monday of December.

[Pego]

A wild stab - Debbie Flintoff?

[DoubleRBar]

Not a bad guess, Pego, but incorrect. Our birthday athlete is a male.

[Tuariki]

Guessing Olympic Gold in 1988 or 1992. Born in South America, Caribbean, Australia or NZ. But no OGs from NZ , Australia or South America those years. Only Sotomayor from Carribean but he is too young.

Therefore likely to be a Caribbean born sprinter competing for USA, Canada or GB

[basslop]

Caribbean...well, it depends on what is reckoned as North America. Sometimes Caribbean is included in North America - at least from some countries here in Europe. So, DoubleBar we need a clarification to continue.

[DoubleRBar]

North America consists of 23 countries, including all the Caribbean nations. South America includes 12 nations, none of which are islands.

Tuariki, you are right about Canada.

[rsb3]

Mark McKoy

[basslop]

North America consists of 23 countries, including all the Caribbean nations. South America includes 12 nations, none of which are islands.

Tuariki, you are right about Canada.

Then we agree and I think rsb3's guess Mark McKoy is a good guess. He is born in Guyana which for sure is South America.

[tandfman]

North America consists of 23 countries, including all the Caribbean nations.

All of the Caribbean nations? Most Central American countries border on the Caribbean, as do Colombia and Venezuela.

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday last Sunday to Mark McKoy (57) and very good, rsb3. Yes, McKoy was born in South America and ran for Canada at the 1992 Olympics in Spain. I believe he took Austrian citizenship later in his life (he was still hurdling).

Yes, I believe all the Caribbean nations are part of North America. Some of the 12 South American countries do own islands which are part of their country. You may be thinking of Trinidad and Tobago which is closer to South America than it is to Mexico or the United States. Trinidad and Tobago is part of North America.

[tandfman]

It seems that we have different understanding of what constitutes a Caribbean nation. You seem to be saying that only islands, or groups of islands, can be Caribbean nations. To me, any nation that borders on the Caribbean is a Caribbean nation. Both Colombia and Venezuela meet that definition--they each have long Caribbean coastlines. And I think every Central American nation other than El Salvador borders on the Caribbean.

[Olli]

I believe DoubleRBar regards Central America as part of North America. I think that is the usual way to think in the USA. In many European countries, the usual conceptions may be a bit different.

[Powell]

And in the world of T&F (in terms of international federations, area records etc.), North America comprises only the US and Canada. CAC is considered a separate area.

[DoubleRBar]

It seems that we have different understanding of what constitutes a Caribbean nation. You seem to be saying that only islands, or groups of islands, can be Caribbean nations. To me, any nation that borders on the Caribbean is a Caribbean nation. Both Colombia and Venezuela meet that definition--they each have long Caribbean coastlines. And I think every Central American nation other than El Salvador borders on the Caribbean.

No, I am not saying that "only islands, or groups of lslands, can be Caribbean nations." What I am saying is that the island nations in the Caribbean Sea belong to North America. South America consists of the 12 nations (some may be bordering the Caribbean Sea) below Central America.

[DoubleRBar]

I believe DoubleRBar regards Central America as part of North America. I think that is the usual way to think in the USA. In many European countries, the usual conceptions may be a bit different.

Yes, Central America definitely belongs to North America, as do the several Caribbean islands nations.