Eddie Eagle Edwards

EDDIE EDWARDS. Born Michael Edwards (1963) better known as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards. British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski-jumping. At the time, he was the British ski-jumping record holder (a record later broken by others), the world number nine in amateur speed skiing (106.8 mph) and the stunt jumping world record holder (10 cars / 6 buses). Finishing last at the 1988 Olympics in the 70m and 90m events, he became famous as an example of an underdog or "heroic failure" and of perseverance & achievement without funding. In 2016, his story was the subject of the biographical film Eddie The Eagle starring Hugh Jackman.