This year marks the hundredth anniversary of Eric Liddell’s famous victory in the 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics – so understandably there is intense interest in the school’s most famous former pupil, particularly as the Olympic Games are again being held in Paris. Liddell’s rivalry with fellow athlete Harold Abrahams was memorably portrayed in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire which won four Oscars, including Best Film, and is hailed as one of the greatest British films of all time.
Now author Mark Ryan has published Chariots Return which reveals how relevant the film and its story remain – and offers new revelations both about Eric Liddell’s life and the filming of Chariots of Fire (the film’s producer, David Puttnam, who has spoken about the film a number of times at the school, has helped in the book’s production, as has World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, who opened the school’s sports centre in 1996). We hope to publish a feature by Mark Ryan in the October edition of Elthamian – in the meantime the book, which includes photos taken at the school, is available to buy at Book Mark.
