He’s been called goofy, he’s been called inept but these accusations are unfounded. He has been called plucky and this is certainly true, Eddie was an inspiration.
He didn’t have the kit the other guys had, he didn’t even have the practice or experience the others had, oh boy though did he want to jump. This mans unfaltering determination in the Calgary Winter Olympics made him an icon of British spirit. This presumed spirit may not really be glowing within us all, but we’d like to think so. The terrific international response to his efforts could have verged upon patronising, it didn’t though, it was pure warmth, a true welcome into many bosoms.
While he reliably finished last in both his appearances as Britain’s first and only Olympic Ski-Jumper, he did pretty well in the charts with ‘Fly Eddie Fly’. Finland loved him more however when they granted him a number two spot with ‘My Name is Eddie’. He’s gone on to achieve many other great things, like jumping over a load of cars and buses to take a world stunt jump record. His great contribution to history, in my opinion would be that he challenged the spirit of the Olympics. The games are presented in a ‘taking part’s what matters’ mould, and they didn’t like it when it really happened.
The IOC were probably insulted by this peculiar hopeless chap throwing himself into it (literally). While they seemed to respect and celebrate him at the time, he was never allowed to re-enter. The rules were altered, competitors are now required to finish in the top half of an international competition to qualify. It’s been dubbed ‘the Eddie Edwards rule’. The rules changed and the elitist competitions continued, but Eddie had left his mark, on both the games and the international community. The loser is more famous than the winner, whoever that was. Eddie can count as peers in a similar realm, the Jamaican bobsleigh team, another beautiful effort. It really is warming to think of his efforts, a true inspiration.
