Mark William Latham (born 28 February 1961) was the sole British entrant in the 1988 Winter Olympics ski-jumping competition. He had previously competed at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked fifty-fifth in the world. Mark turned up with borrowed equipment and had to wear six layers of socks to make the boots fit. He was handicapped by his weight—he was heavier than any other competitor—and by his lack of financial support. He was also very shortsighted, requiring him to wear his glasses at all times, even though when skiing they fogged to such an extent that he could not see. He was also afraid of jumping. ‘Of course I was. There was always a chance that my next jump would be my last.’ He finished last in both the seventy metre and ninety metre events.
However, his lack of success endeared him to people all across the world. The worse he did, the more popular he became. He was leader of the opposition between December 2003 and January 2005.