RojBomb with the memory fail. It wasn't last to first, it was first to last to first, and it was at commonwealth games, not world champs. Get it together RojBomb.
Reckon the silver medalist has kicked himself a few million times in the last 50 years?
He ran the best race he could on the day and according to the tactics expected of him. But Wottle was better - even with his having to catch the field.
Dave Wottle and Frank Shorter lit it up at these Olympics. Going in, I was super excited about Jim Ryun and Pre, but these other guys brought home the bacon. I was 15 and just starting with Track and XC, after their victories, I was ON THE BUS.
Somewhere there is a video of this race with Wottle commentating (Olympiad Series maybe?). Anyway, he speaks about how utterly nervous he was at the start and why his 1st 200 was so slow. Much of his mid race tactics and surge was just to "save face". Somewhere around the 600 or so he says, 'maybe I can medal" and so on.
Somewhere there is a video of this race with Wottle commentating (Olympiad Series maybe?). Anyway, he speaks about how utterly nervous he was at the start and why his 1st 200 was so slow. Much of his mid race tactics and surge was just to "save face". Somewhere around the 600 or so he says, 'maybe I can medal" and so on.
I'm not sure this is the same video you were talking about, but he sat down and did a commentary about the race in a youtube video in 2020. He even brings out The Hat. Worth a watch:
#TOADLYFESTAND BY FOR THE KICK OF DAVE WOTTLE! RELIVE THE BEST KICK OF ALL TIME FOR THE USA'S ONLY OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN THE 800M!We catch up with Dave befor...
Watching it live from the UK, Wottle was by no means a surprise. We loved him for his hat, and his reputation as the 'head waiter'. He was far better regarded than Pre was. I remember after the race, we all agreed that not only was he the best in the race, but he was very lucky not to have blown it. He could easily have got boxed in.
It was a thrilling race, but not a fluke by any means. People often forget he had tied the WR in our Trials. I just wish his knees had been better and he'd gotten more of chance in the 1500m, which was probably his better distance. And if Ryun hadn't been tripped...
1.45.86. I see that 18 year-olds run that now and it was a good 3 or more seconds slower than what championship runners are doing today. It must be the "shoes". Or Wottle and Arzhanov, Boit and co hardly trained.
I can't tell if you are trying to make an actual point or not.
1] yes the combination of today's shoes and tracks are almost definitely ,at the very least, a small advantage for runners today vs those of yesteryear. So yes factor that into any comparisons from now to the past.
2] what was the last Olympic final won in? [ pssst.... not much faster than Wottle! Lol]
3] Coe and Cram and Cruz would throttle today's current crop of 800 M runners. They were running those tunes nearly FORTY years ago.
4] especially factoring in the shoes they ran in and the tracks they ran on Ryun and Snell from nearly 60 years ago would without a doubt be right in the mix of any championship finals today.
When I was in college, Wottle came to my University to speak, and he showed that video, of course. He joked that he came in first if you ran it (the TAPE) forward or backward.
1.45.86. I see that 18 year-olds run that now and it was a good 3 or more seconds slower than what championship runners are doing today. It must be the "shoes". Or Wottle and Arzhanov, Boit and co hardly trained.
I can't tell if you are trying to make an actual point or not.
1] yes the combination of today's shoes and tracks are almost definitely ,at the very least, a small advantage for runners today vs those of yesteryear. So yes factor that into any comparisons from now to the past.
2] what was the last Olympic final won in? [ pssst.... not much faster than Wottle! Lol]
3] Coe and Cram and Cruz would throttle today's current crop of 800 M runners. They were running those tunes nearly FORTY years ago.
4] especially factoring in the shoes they ran in and the tracks they ran on Ryun and Snell from nearly 60 years ago would without a doubt be right in the mix of any championship finals today.
So........DID YOU HAVE A POINT?
So despite the fact that when Wottle won he was only a second and a half slower than the then wr today's runners aren't really much faster than in Wottle's era (or even Snell's) - despite the frequent recording of times these days from 1.41 (Amos)-1.43. That appears to be your point. Do shoes now give a 3 sec advantage over this distance? I wonder what else it might be? (You apparently don't).
Whittle didn’t win with a big kick, he ran very even splits, just did t die like everyone else.
I think his fastest 200 split was his 3rd 200
Agree. One of the most overrated races ever. Weak field, perfect pacing, slow time.
M. Boit & R. Ouko went out first 400m in about 52.0 or 52.1 and slowed down if I recall. What was D. Wottle's 400m split, about 52.9? There are no real lessons to be learned from that race. If Kenyans go out in 52.0 or 52.1 1st 400m and slow down anyone can win. Is that the lesson? Mike Boit wasn't a weak 800m runner.
Agree. One of the most overrated races ever. Weak field, perfect pacing, slow time.
M. Boit & R. Ouko went out first 400m in about 52.0 or 52.1 and slowed down if I recall. What was D. Wottle's 400m split, about 52.9? There are no real lessons to be learned from that race. If Kenyans go out in 52.0 or 52.1 1st 400m and slow down anyone can win. Is that the lesson? Mike Boit wasn't a weak 800m runner.
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