At the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, the world saw two talented skaters named Brian finish second and fifth. Four years later, the two would go head to head in one of the biggest sports showdowns in history: The Battle of the Brians. In watching their Sarajevo performances, Orser moved with speed, flair, and a bit of reckless abandon as he soared into flying sitspins and delayed axels. Boitano was a talented jumper but hadn't yet found his artistic point of view. At the end of Boitano's freeskate, Dick Button said something about how if Boitano could focus his skating in the next four years (finding moves that were different and unique), he could set himself up well for Calgary. The world had no idea just how well, as Boitano would leave that Games having established himself as one of the greatest skaters that ever was.
I love watching the progression of these two skaters from Sarajevo to Calgary and so, it's worth a look back at the 22 and 20 year old, receptively, who would develop into two of the sport's most well-known rivals in the four years that followed.
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