FOUND IT!! 1996 OLYMPIC 5K

slaps wrote:

I've been to several NFL playoff games in sold-out stadiums but when Kennedy took the lead I never heard anything like the noise in that stadium. the longer he held the lead the louder it kept getting.

I never had tears in my eyes from watching a track race but that evening I did.

The world was perfect for about 300 meters.

THANK YOU! I'm just sorry I can't get the Rome 1500 to play...

HEY ROOKIE BIACH!!!! you obviously know nothing about the past oh i dont know 20 years of distance running.

I agree, whether he got hammered or not is irrelivent. He ran an inspired race that night, doing everything he could to win in a smart way. Can you imagine what it felt like to take the lead like that with 2 laps to go, the crowd going completely nuts, at an F-ING TRACK MEET!!!?? I almost teared up watching the video.

You have to take that moment in the context of the times.

Up until about 1990 there were several western or "caucausion" contenders. Then seemingly over night the floor fell out and a new era in distance running began. Kennedy was the sole whitey out there (ok and Dieter) that could even hang close.

In 1991 I ran several big road races and I was only a 28:30 hack but I could hang in some races and grab top 4 and the next year you see 12 Africans that look like freaks of nature show up and sweep top 10 in a lot of races.

Kennedy gets down to 13:03 when the WR is 12:55 and all of a sudden Geb blasts a 12:44. Grand Prix meets suddenly become 18 Africans and a couple of Westerners that place near the back. Runners of the day were intimidated if they were 5-10 135 lb guys when it looked as if genetics weren't in their favor any more.

I think the guys like MOttram and Webb and Teg don't know any different. Their era that they know was dominated from the start by Africans and they just keep pushing. In the 90's it was a little different. Westerners grew up seeing similar types succeed and all of a sudden it was a new day.

So Kennedy actually being a factor very late in the Olympics was a huge moment.

SCREW YOU wrote:

HEY ROOKIE BIACH!!!! you obviously know nothing about the past oh i dont know 20 years of distance running.

I don't? I didn't realize not appreciating this moment in 1996 proves I know nothing about the "past oh i don't know 20 years of distance running[sic]". I just said it wasn't as amazing as some people made it out to be, it is still, however, I still think it is incredible how good Bob Kennedy actually was at that point in time. I just think that taking the lead for 300 meters was not the pinnacle of American distance running like some people on these board would believe.

Maybe the past 10 years, but even then, you're still incorrect.

The goal is to win, not to lead 300 of the last 800 meters.

so you think if bob had just sat in there until 400 to go he wouldve outkicked the africans? yea, that woulda worked...

He knew he didn't have the footspeed to outkick the Africans, so his only chance was to attack from 800 out and hope that their surging during the race had worn them out.

It was a smart move AND a ballsy move. He couldn't have run a smarter race.

Go Bob Go!!! My fisrt time to see the race. Goosebumps!

there was a very slim chance, probably no chance of for him to win the race but when he went was probably the perfect time for him to give himself a chance at placing higher. kennedy going then gave him a chance at the lead and a chance to get the home crowd to go crazy, get his adrenaline going and maybe pull out a medal. he wasn't going to have another chance at the lead after that, and probably doesn't get the crowd going as much if he just stays back and then gets dropped

he should have waited until 600 and gave it everything. he might have got a medal. he would have done better than 6th thats for sure.

I have had that video for a while, i was unaware so many people were looking for it.

DublAK2

who are you? i just want to know cuz i like to know the local guys visiting SCTNF

Let me know if you guys are looking for anything else in particular. that is not even 20% of my collection. i have around 400GB of Videos but only 15GB of space on SCTNF

What are some other races that you have?

I had never seen the '92 final and no matter what you believe Baumann did with his toothpaste he ran an incredibly confident race. I love how he dropped back to get clear and then blasted through. He was pretty near good enough to win three consecutive 5k finals and in his comeback after suspension he just gets outleaned by the 2000 Champ.

Check out joffroirunning.com and see if you have other videos that he doesn't. This is good stuff!

Bob doesnt really "look" like a good runner, his stride isnt nearly as good as those kenyans, but its still awesome to see him race like that.

i usually end the video with one lap to go

Hey SCTNF How about the Olympic 10000m final for the year 2000?