Olympics 2008

It's fascinating what you unearth when searching for Olympic facts. Sorry, I'm already starting to sound like Alan Partridge and I'm only eight days into this marathon countdown...

Anyway, take Ann Packer's victory in the 800m at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for example.

The British athlete had already finished second in her favoured 400m and planned a shopping trip with fiance Robbie Brightwell before a last-minute change of heart, prompted by Robbie's failure to medal in his 400m race, saw Packer enter the half-mile race.

And in the final, which was only her eighth race over the distance, she used her sprinting speed to surge past the field in the last 150m and break the world record with a time of two minutes 1.1 seconds to become Britain's first female track champion.

The 22-year-old then announced her retirement and said she wanted to marry Robbie and become a housewife.

Elsewhere at the Games, British duo Lynn Davies and Mary Rand won the men's and women's long jump golds.

But spare a thought for 20km walk winner Kenneth Matthews - the only British athlete not to be awarded the MBE for his achievement.

But where does the number 93 come into it?

Well, the Tokyo Games, which, incidentally, were the first to be held in Asia, saw competitors from 93 countries in attendance.

And the Japanese fans had 16 gold medals to cheer - the most famous of which was won by wrestler Osamu Watanabe who ended his career undefeated by winning his 186th consecutive match - he is the only Olympian to be remain unbeaten throughout his career.

What are your favourite stories attached to Olympic winners?