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Eddie the Eagle to land in Calgary again

by ppeggy | January 30, 2008 at 07:51 am

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I'll never forget Eddie the Eagle at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. He was in the ski jumping competition, and he was absolutely terrified every time he had to go down the chute. It was both heart-breaking and hysterical to see the look on his face, coke-bottle glasses steamed up, teeth clenched, and body as rigid as a popsicle as he jumped, fervently hoping, he told us afterwards, that he would survive the fall. Yet somehow he brought a touch of humanity to the Games that had been missing for some time. We all loved him.

Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, January 30, 2008

It's been a wild ride for Michael Edwards of Cheltenham, England -- better known to Calgarians as Eddie the Eagle.

Two decades after he soared to fame as the last-place ski jumper at the 1988 Olympics, Eddie speaks with Herald columnist George Johnson about his Calgary experience and his life since he became an Olympic sensation.

"I was 24 then, in 1988," Eddie says. "Twenty years . . . doesn't seem possible. They've just flown by."
Michael Edwards, Eddie the Eagle, during his most famous moments at the Calgary Olympics.View Larger Image View Larger Image

The Eagle is set to land here again, returning Feb. 11 to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Calgary Games.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

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Nicole Billard

at 09:03 on January 30th, 2008

I loved watching Eddy! There are always one or two stories, each Olympics, that make you realize that everyone should at least TRY to achieve thier dreams. Remember that swimmer from Equatorial Guinea?! Such great moments in time.