1.
MV ICE RINK
0.01

2.
CU FEET, PAN UP TO BEATRICE HUSTIU SKATING (2 SHOTS)
0.38

3.
CU INSTRUCTORESS
0.40

4.
MV CANADIAN TEAM PICK UP SKATER
0.46

5.
CU HUSTIU
0.48

6.
CU RUSSIANS PROTOPOPOV AND BELUSSOVA SIGN AUTOGRAPHS
0.53

7.
CU BOTH
0.57

8.
MV AUDREY HEPBURN (LEFT) PEGGY FLEMMING (CENTRE)
1.02

9.
MV RUSSIAN COUPLE SKATE
1.29

10.
CU OLYMPIC SIGN ON SLEEVE
1.31

11.
CU RUSSIANS TALK TO HEPBURN
1.36

12.
MV SKATING
1.39



Initials EH/V/CT/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ON THE EVE OF THE OPENING OF THE 1968 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES IN GRENOBLE, SKATING CHAMPIONS OF MANY NATIONS MET DURING FINAL PRACTICE ON THE SPEED CIRCUIT, WATCHED BY INSTRUCTORS, RELATIVES, AND SPECTATORS; AMONG THE LATTER WAS FILM STAR AUDREY HEPBURN. BEATRICE HUSTIU OF RUMANIA - AT ELEVEN-AND-A-HALF ONE OF THE YOUNGEST COMPETITORS EVER TO APPEAR AT ANY OLYMPIAD - WAS A CENTRE OF INTEREST.

THE RUMANIAN PRODIGY - A FAVOURITE IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE - WAS WATCHED BY HER MOTHER DURING THIS FINAL PRACTICE SESSION AND GIVEN LAST-MINUTE ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT. BUT SHE FOUND TIME TO JOKE WITH MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN TEAM, WHOSE TALL AND BURLY STRENGTH PROVIDED A STRIKING CONTRAST TO HER TINY FIGURE.

OTHER COMPETITORS WERE BUSY SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS WHILE RESTING BETWEEN PRACTICE RUNS. AMONG THEM WEE THE RUSSIAN CHAMPIONS PROTOPOPOV AND BELUSSOVA. FILM STAR AUDREY HEPBURN MET THE RUSSIANS AND OTHER SKATERS - AMONG THEM U.S. FIGURE SKATER PEGGY FLEMMING - WHEN SHE VISITED THE SPEED CIRCUIT AT PRACTICE-TIME.