Going For Gold – 12 of the Best Sporting Biographies

Going For Gold – 12 of the Best Sporting Biographies

Have the Olympics got you feeling sporty? If so, why not take it further – here’s a list of some of the best sports biographies and autobiographies around. Some of the subjects of these books have been Olympic athletes, some have competed at the top of their fields, and some simply have great sporting stories to tell.

xopen_jpg_pagespeed_ic_zpqjS0twSoArguably one of the best sports biographies ever published, Andre Agassi’s Open is stunningly good. This is the story of his childhood, xbody-lengths_jpg_pagespeed_ic_C9oOghL9LBand a professional career that spanned twenty years, including the completion of the Golden Slam – all four single titles plus the Olympic Gold. Honest, thrilling and brilliant.

In Body Lengths, Leisel Jones tells her inspiring story of being an Australian sporting hero. From winning her first Olympic medal at 15, to then competing in the next three Olympics. Discussing body image and the enormous pressure she was subject to, she tells her story with humour, optimism and style.

Born to Fight is the story of UFC champion Mark Hunt. From growing up a Mormon family, to troubled teen years to unprecedented success in Australian and New Zealand combat sports, this fighter has had an extraordinary life.

Phillip Hughes the Official Biography is a celebration of the life and career of the boy from Macksville. It is an extraordinary tale of an extraordinary Australian kid playing the game he loved, only to lose his life to it, and a portrait of a nation who mourned the death of Hughes as it had never done before.

Cathy Freeman is one of Australia’s most famous athletes, and deservedly so. Her iconic win in the Sydney Olympics was the highlight of a brilliant career. Born to Run is a children’s book, inspiring kids to chase after their own dreams.

xfaster-than-lightning_jpg_pagespeed_ic_eh2NoHuOZpWhether you follow athletics, or even sport in general, you will have heard of Usain Bolt. Faster than Lightning tells the story in his own words – from humble beginnings in Jamaica to Olympic and World Champion success that led to international superstardom. And his career isn’t over yet…my-fight-your-fight

While Ronda Rousey is best known for being a UFC champion, she’s also an Olympic medallist in Judo. In the honest and inspiring My Fight, Your Fight, Rousey relives her greatest fights and shares her secrets for success and mental toughness.

A world-beater in and out of his wheelchair, Kurt Fearnley is a true Australian champion. He has won three Paralympic gold medals, seven world championships and more than 35 marathons. Then if that wasn’t enough, he competed in marathons and crawled the Kokoda track. Pushing the Limits is his inspirational story.

xbelieve_jpg_pagespeed_ic_6krlGEJyI3Sally Pearson was the first Aussie to win a gold medal on the athletics track after Cathy Freeman in 2012, running the fastest female 100m hurdles race in Olympic history. Believe is an inspirational story of aiming high.

Not an Olympic athlete, but Darren Lockyer is one of Rugby League’s superstars, holding the all-time appearance record for club, state and country. When this book was originally released, it came with a reversible cover – one of him in a QLD jersey and one in an Australian one, just in case NSW fans wouldn’t buy it! A story from one of the true champions of the sport. black-caviar

In Seven Deadly Sins, journalist David Walsh gives a gripping and moving account of the murkier end of professional cycling, detailing the 13 year battle to expose the real story of Lance Armstrong. This book takes the reader into a world of doping and lies, but shows there is always hope for a better future.

Black Caviar documents the career of a racehorse who transcended the track to become an Australian icon. Her feats on the track were legendary and she soon became invincible, making victories look effortless.

 

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  1. Jackie Tucker says:

    I am looking for the book Bowls biased and uncensored. Author: Ian Schuback ham