Most Canadians know where they were when Ben Johnson ran to a Gold medal at the 1988 Olympics and what happened next-the steroid scandal.About this Event
It’s fitting that Mary Ormsby's book, World's Fastest Man was published in an Olympic year since several themes in the book -- based on the men’s 100-metre final at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games -- have resonance in 2024. The Ben Johnson story touches on thorny issues that remain embedded in world-class sports today: Cheating, punishment, selective justice, supporting athletes’ rights, fair play, racism, role of governments and the seemingly hopeless task of preventing athletes from using banned performance enhancing drugs. In Mary Ormsby’s book, Johnson is portrayed as a polarizing figure in sport but is also humanized as a man who, despite his admissions of drug use, may have been a fall guy for his generation of elite sprinters. The central question in her book: Is it possible to railroad a guilty man? It’s a question that touches on athlete accountability, historic injustice and how Canada failed its greatest athlete when he was most vulnerable.
Bio: Mary Ormsby is a Toronto native who grew up playing as many sports – and reading as many books – as possible. A member of Canada’s national junior and senior volleyball teams, Mary attended the Ohio State University to play varsity volleyball and earn her journalism degree. She had reporting jobs at the Dayton Daily News newspaper in Ohio, the Toronto Sun and for 35 years, the Toronto Star. She was also fortunate to work in television and radio, most often as a sports panelist. Mary is married to former Toronto Star hockey writer Paul Hunter; they have four adult children and one grandson. Mary retired from the Star in August of 2020 and relaxed by writing her first book, World’s Fastest Man* The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson.
Event Venue
Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley, 1 College Way, Pembroke, Canada
CAD 0.00 to CAD 20.00