| DOURO | Harsh introduction to Olympics for European runner |
| RHONE | Run perfect for European runner (5) |
| LOIRE | Nothing in old money for European runner |
| RHINE | Run hard, in the end, to match an important European runner (5) |
| MECIR | Czech tennis player won men's singles gold medal when tennis returned to Olympics 1988 (5) |
| WESER | Again stitch up European runner (should it be Neckar in this grid?) (5) |
| GAMES | Olympics, for instance, has a role in sending a message (5) |
| LABAN | Swimmer Josh ___ was flagbearer at the 2008 Olympics for U.S. Virgin Islands (5) |
| ENDER | Kornelia ..., four-time swimming gold medallist at the 1976 Olympics for East Germany (5) |
| LEADTURNEDINTOGOLD | Winner sold pencils to get to Olympics, tabloid-style |
| OUTDOORGAMES | Skipping and chasing gets gateway to Olympics (7,5) |
| SILVERMEDAL | Small diver surprisingly collecting European runner-up award (6,5) |
| FIELDEVENT | There's no time for this in the Olympics, for example (5,5) |
| LYDIARD | Legendary Kiwi coach guided Peter Snell, Murray Halberg to Olympics glory (7) |
| BRONZEMEDAL | Award for third place in the Olympics, for example (6,5) |
| BEANPOLE | Mountain without a European runner climbing here |
| ODER | European runner taking part in a modern pentathlon (4) |
| ESPADRILLE | European runner wearing short suit and casual footwear (10) |
| ROWING | European runner collects outstanding coat this makes fit (6,7) |
| MACHINE | European runner collects outstanding coat this makes fit (6,7) |
