The Fastest Loser
28th August 2012
"What a great novel! It makes me wish I were back in the Village!"
- Kieran West MBE, British rowing Olympic Champion
The Fastest Loser by Gideon A. Mailer
A novel, taking place in the world's latest Olympic village
Published by Matador, priced £6.99
Interesting fact and the Olympics: the London 2012 organisers LOCOG will give away 150,000 free condoms to athletes, more than at any previous Games. The practise of giving out free condoms for athletes at Olympic Games began in 1992 when supplies ran out onsite. It was reported that at Sydney, 70,000 were used in 2000, followed by 130,000 at Athens in 2004.
The Fastest Loser tells Herman's story. After witnessing the senseless deaths at the Munich Olympic Village in 1972, he aims to find sporting heroes, with different nationalities and ethnicities, who are willing to conceive and raise a child. In essence, to make new life from love and bridge ethnic divides. What better place to do so than in the Olympic Village, a place where the world's youth assemble in their sexual and athletic prime.
The book incorporates references, images and allusions to real and historical athletes, from international Olympic Villages of the past. These range from British runner Derek Redmond to Chinese diver Fu Mingxia, American track and field athlete Bob Beamon to British Swimmer Sharron Davies, and Swiss tennis professional Roger Federer to British sprinter and hurdler Sally Gunnell. The charismatic sports journalist Claire Balding even makes a cameo!
For more information or to speak to Gideon Mailer please contact Claire Richman
