From Athens with Pride contains more than 300 pages of words, along with some eye-catching photos and images documenting Australia and its 120 years in the Movement which started with double gold for runner Edwin Flack at the first Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

Prior to Athens, Australian representation was present at a congress in Paris in 1894 which was led by founder of the Olympic Movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Since then Australia has competed at every Summer Olympics and all but four of the Winter Games since the first at Chamonix in 1924.

In that time the country has amassed 495 medals in total.

The country has also hosted the Olympic Games on two occasions, in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

Gordon, who has written 16 books and has been a journalist, editor, author and historian in a career spanning more than 60 years, was joined at the book launch at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President and International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-President John Coates.

Author and historian Harry Gordon (left) was joined at the book launch by AOC President John Coates (centre) and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott ©Getty Images




Coates revealed that he spoke to Gordon back in 2012 and suggested he needed to produce a new book after his last book Australia and the Olympic Games back in 1994.

This is an updated version of the 1994 edition and includes the stories, success and failures of Australia over the past 20 years.

"The book tells the stories of all our superheroes and all the Olympians," said Coates, who praised Gordon's coverage in the book of the AOC's decision to go against the Australian Government's wishes to boycott the 1980 Games in Moscow.

"He explains the culture behind these Olympians and it's going to be important for us as Olympians from the past, to pass the baton to future Olympians.

"This is a book that they can reflect on.

"It's important for the Australian Olympic Committee because it chronicles the two great events in our history.

"And that is hosting the Games in Melbourne and in Sydney.

"It also tells the story of the defining event, so far as I am concerned, in the history of the Olympic Committee here, and that is the rejection of the Government's request that we boycott the Moscow Games, which established once and forever that we are a National Olympic Committee that is independent of Government - and that's been so important."

Harry Gordon's first taste of the Olympic Movement came at the Helsinki Games in 1952 ©Getty Images




The book contains a complete list of Australian Olympians who have competed at every Games - Summer and Winter - since 1896.

One of those, Rome 1960 1500 metres champion Herb Elliott was at the launch and described how once he picked up the book he could not put it down.

"It's beautifully written and Harry shows us the Olympic Games through the eyes of the participants, the human experience of being in the Olympic Games," he said.

"Because every Olympian does have a story and every paragraph in this book could have been a chapter."

Now in his late 80s, Gordon spoke at the launch about some of the experiences he had and the enjoyment he got from his involvement with the Olympic Movement, which began with Helsinki 1952.

"Being here today in this company and a room of people like this reminds me of how rich and rewarding and fortunate a life I've had in terms of making lifelong friendships and watching breathtaking performances,"  he said.

"The history of the Australian Olympic Movement should make us all proud.

"It certainly should be known to more aspiring athletes and I believe it should be taught in schools.

"My book pays tribute to the Olympic pioneers."

From Athens with Pride, which contains a foreword by British Olympic Association (BOA) President and double Olympic champion Sebastian Coe, is published by Custom Publishing, University of Queensland Press, and will be available to buy in the coming weeks.

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