The worst performance to win the Olympic finals

Miruts Yifter won 1980 5000m final in 13:20 (PB 13:13). The Finn in 3rd place had PB of 13:20.

meet me in St Louis wrote:

The 1904 marathon was the worst performance in a running event.

Yes. This has to be the only gold medal awarded to someone who was carried across the finish line. The marathon was almost banned from the Olympics after the absurd spectacle of this race.

This is Jim Kiler wrote:

Any race Mo Farah was in has to be considered.

Please explain how any of his 4 golds were “bad performances” ? He showed up and won. What else do you want from an athlete. Like seriously no pacers no point in world record attempts never ideal conditions for a PR what were you looking for?

If you include the original Olympics then the answer must be the Emperor Nero. In the chariot race, Nero entered the four-horse race with a team of 10 horses. The race did not go well as he was thrown from his chariot and did not finish the race. However, he was proclaimed the champion on the grounds that he would have won had he finished the race.

Noah Hansen wrote:

What would be some of the worst performances to win the Olympic finals?

[Centro's] 3:50 1500 in 2016 has to be up there.

Now how did I *know* you would include that? God, some of you guys are so boringly predictable.

Centro's run might not count as one of the all-time greats but he was brilliant in holding off the best in the world--at least two of whom "should" have benefited more from the opening pace than he did.

Just Another Hobby Jogger wrote:

Steven Bradbury in short track speedskating.

This. Bradbury was seeded, I think, 11th? He only gets into the final due to a crash. He's in last place going into the final turn and comes away with gold. He wasn't even trying to place. He was just holding back and waiting for a crash.

Noah Hansen wrote:

What would be some of the worst performances to win the Olympic finals?

Centros 3:50 1500 in 2016 has to be up there.

What else?

Centro’s was one of the greatest. Controlled the race from the front. Beat like 6 sub 3:30 dudes. Definitely an all time great performance.

Only slow people worry about times.

Allan Wells is a convicted doper in the court of public opinion, not even close.

Ah, this reminds me of one of Trollie McSockpuppet's greatest trolling performances. I miss that guy.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=1949809

Stephen Bradbury. 1K Speed Skating Gold Medal.

Noah Hansen wrote:

What would be some of the worst performances to win the Olympic finals?

Centros 3:50 1500 in 2016 has to be up there.

What else?

Seriously. Get over it. The horse is dead.

This question could be taken a couple ways. Are we talking IAAF performance points? I assume not, because people definitely have done worse than whatever 3:50 is worth. People have run slower than 3:50 in previous Olympics (long ago).

That means the question is 'What is the worst performance across the entirety of the Olympic games since its founding, including every single event'.

If that's the question, then it could be in no way Centro's run because he beat the only 3:26 guy from the past decade, along with defending Olympic and world champions.

Rupp, obv

STEVE THE ADDICT^^^^^^""""-""""-'-"--^' wrote:

South Korea in Olympic baseball in 2008.

This just proves how useless America is at the sports they invented.

My immediate thought was Steve Bradbury in the 2002 short-course skating final. I see that two others have already mentioned that. It looked like the ultimate roller-derby fixed final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYUjmEH9NNk

Noah Hansen wrote:

What would be some of the worst performances to win the Olympic finals?

Centros 3:50 1500 in 2016 has to be up there.

What else?

If you think Centro's performance was anything less than a master class on tactical racing you need to follow our sport better.

Park Si-Hun over Roy Jones Jr. for the light-middleweight boxing gold in 1988.

Just Another Hobby Jogger wrote:

Steven Bradbury in short track speedskating.

This is definitely the correct answer. For those who haven't seen it, watch the video to understand how unlikely this win was. Skip to 4:45 to watch the race. Only lasts a couple of minutes.

Coevett wrote:

When you've just taken up sprinting in your mid-twenties? I don't know if Wells took drugs, if he didn't he would have been exceptional for not doing so as a sprinter, then as now, but the only 'evidence' that he did so is the say so from a bitter and jealous Scottish rival (Cameron Sharpe).

No, read the article. It includes recordings from the team doctor, McMaster, and an unnamed athlete. The doctor specifically is on tape saying he supplied Wells with drugs, he wasn't the only one and that everyone knew it. This is far more smoke and evidence than any of the numerous Africans you claim have doped.