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Survivor
Survivor
Nov 14, 2024 6:34 AM

Author:Fatima Whitbread

Survivor

Fatima Whitbread had the worst possible start in life. Abandoned as a baby, she spent much of her childhood in and out of children's homes. A brief, disastrous stay with her birth mother saw her raped by her mother's drunken boyfriend - while her mother held a knife to her throat to 'quieten her down'. Fatima was only twelve at the time.

Athletics was her saviour: local athletics coach Margaret Whitbread took the young Fatima under her wing, eventually adopting her. Fatima competed in three Olympics, winning bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. In 1986 she set a world record, and the following year in Rome became world champion and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. But then Fatima faded from the public eye, leaving many to wonder where she had gone.

After the cheering stopped, Fatima faced prejudice, penury, scandal and heartbreak. Survivor describes how she defeated all her demons to rise triumphantly from the ashes once again, this time as queen of the jungle. Almost 13 million people watched her on I'm a Celebrity, and after surviving 20 days in the Australian heat, she has millions of new fans eager to know more about Fatima the woman: the forthright, focused, slightly bossy, charismatic single mum who knows how to transform even the most devastating experiences into lessons in life. This is the unforgettable story of a true champion, who triumphed against the worst hardships imaginable.

Reviews

This book is an honest and often troubling insight into the mind of a woman whose achievements in sport pale into insignificance compared to her triumph over her desperate beginnings.

—— Rob Crossan , Sunday Express

Incredible… It’s a stunning, fascinating and ultimately heartbreaking piece of work that has done so much to further the understanding between mental illness and sport. It is also a reminder that, for all the status and all the luxury which come with being a professional footballer, those lucky enough to make a career from the game are still human beings, too

—— Tom Hopkinson , People

An intensely moving book that transcends football

—— Raphael Honigstein, Guardian

Deeply affecting

—— Ian Hawkey , Sunday Times

A tragic book, but a brilliant one. Reng's is one of the best sports books to have been published in years

—— Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung

These men were monumentally strong. They were not just sporting heroes but heroes in terms of human endeavour

—— Peter Radford

Whitaker paints a compelling picture of a world in which the virtues of old-fashioned professionalism and decency overcome class and race barriers... engaging, surprising and...affecting

—— Alexander Larman , Observer

Both men invite Moore into their homes: a privilege that clearly took some badger-like tenacity to secure. But it was worth the effort as Moore gains fresh insight into the rivalry

—— Scott Dougal , East Anglian Daily Times

The stars are, inevitably, Hinault and LeMond themselves, both with their own memories of what did and did not happen. But they're almost outshone by three of the supporting cast... How true was Hinauolt to his word in 1986? Was he just stirring it up or did he actually try to give the French what they wanted from him, a sixth Tour victory? Well that's the story Richard Moore tells in Slaying The Badger. And some stories you really do have to read for yourselves

—— Podiumcafe.com

The tale of the spectator Lemond-Hinault rivalry over the roads of the 'greatest ever' Tour de France in 1986 is hardly unknown for most cycling fan - and yet Moore magnificently offers a fresh perspective, bringing alive this supreme tussle by resorting to some vintage toilet humour... His book is a gripping read

—— UK.eurosport.yahoo.com/blog/blazin-saddles

[Moore] entertainingly unravels the complexities of the relationships within the peloton

—— Richard Williams , Guardian

One of Bike Radar’s favourite books of the past 12 months

—— Bike Radar

Moore unearths a dazzling array of detail through interviews and anecdotes, telling a tale that holds suspense even for those who know the ultimate outcome of this epic battle. As racing books go, Moore’s book just might be “the greatest ever"

—— Kent Petersen , Outside Magazine

The measure of a great book is a great start.Richard Moore’s introductory anecdote in Slaying the Badger set a new standard in cycling literature

—— Cycle Sport
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