The greatest T&F performance you've seen in person?

gateshead 1985,

steve Cram had just broken 3 WR in 21 days, 1500, mile and 2k and he came back to Gateshead to try and break Coe's 1000m record, it was less than ideal, as usual the Gateshead track was windy, the race didn't start until about 11pm, James Mays (remember him, sweatbands and long socks) took him to 600 and he was bang on schedule, the crowd were going nuts and the place was jumping, he missed it by .2 of a second but it didn't matter to be honest, it was amazing. There was a lap of honour and a firework display, still feels like it was yesterday and I was only 9 years old!

Mine would have to be sitting in the athletes stand at the 82 DN Galen games and watch Alberto try to take the kick out of Rono and Koeich to no avail but he did set the American Record in the 5K...also the 84 Oly trials and watching Gregorick finish with a great kick to place third in the steeple...also at that trials the pole vault was awesome with Doug Lytle battling Joe Dial for a place on the team...also still one of my favorites was seeing Craig Virgin win the TAC 10K championships at Mt. Sac...no one hardly in the stands and he clicked off perfect splits to, I believe, set the American record...it was maybe the most impressive one person run I have ever seen...

still a lie unfortunately. He didn't win a relay gold either in '92

I haven't seen too many unbelievable performances in person, but one does stand out: the Olympic 5000m final in Montreal, 1976. I was quite far up in the crowd, but near the finish line. Just thinking about it makes the hair stand up on my arms.

Monty

Not a track race, but seeing John Ngugi destroy the field in the snow at the world cross championships in Boston in 1992 was pretty impressive. He nearly ran down the camera truck while running away from the field. Also, that same day-Lynn Jennings winning her 3rd straight world XC crown-great to be there that day.

Montreal

1976 5,000m Final

1600 Relay -- 2:55.74, Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis, United States, Aug. 8, 1992

cossy wrote:still a lie unfortunately. He didn't win a relay gold either in '92

Any chance you could see the difference between a lie and a mistake? Or are you just natually a silver-tongued smoothie?

you're right.

i have an image of him tearing down the backstretch in a usa uniform, but it was from the '93 worlds.

he was 5th at u.s. nats in '92, but the IAAF refused to allow him compete on the relay in barcelona. they even extended his ban several more months for "bringing the sport into disrepute." imagine if they did that with people today!

made the oly team in '96, but was injured in the semis, didn't run on the relay.

won gold in '88 on the relay.

Back in 90' the ex-Gators Tyrone Kemp, Calvin Long, Dennis Mitchell and I can't rember who else ran with them. Anyway it was in Gainesville and it was a 4X4. Tyrone Kemp was never the same he split a 43.9 as he anchored his all-star team to victory.

The Roc

Me too, I was a couple of sections away, but those Ethiopians enthusiasm was infectious! I've got some good pics of Geb draped in the Eth flag in front of the stands. And MJs gold shoes in a blur going by! Was the steeple that night as well? I went 3 nights to T&F events and they all run together, pun intended. But seeing Geb, his insane fans, and his HUGE smile, that was awesome!

Renaldo Nehehmiah at the 1979 Penn Relays, coming from way back to anchor Maryland's 4x2 and 4x4 to wins.

was anyone there for the last day of track at barcelona?

women 4 x 1 (u.s. in a close race vs. unified team)

mens 4 x 1 (u.s. world record)

mens jav. (zelezny)

womens hj (henkel

1500 men (cacho)

1500 women (boulmerka)

5k men (baumann's killer kick)

4 x 4 women (unified team in a close race vs. u.s.)

4 x 4 men (u.s. world record)

Was also there that night at the 1996 Games. MJ's 19.32 (I think) would be my pick. The 5000 final was pretty spectacular as well, and the Lewis jump was stunning.

Bob Hayes eating up the track--anchor leg - Tokyo

Billy Mills - Tokyo

Charles Dumas - first at 7.0 feet in the high jump -- Oly Trials -- '56

Joan, Julie, and Julie and the rest of the gang at the first marathon trials for women -- Olympia, Wa. 1984

Webb at the Prefontaine when he was still in high school

The long and triple jumpers at several of the Arkansas meets

The shot putters at the Pre meet 2002 -- big kids having fun

...wow...I have been fortunate...there are many more

Seeing Wejo win a pickup truck at Stanford last year. That was pretty cool.

My moment is the one that got me interested in running when I was 11 years old. It took place at the California Relays in Modesto, CA in May of 1963. Peter Snell was scheduled to race the best milers the U.S. had including American record holder Jim Beatty and Jim Grelle. Snell was allegedly not in top shape and ripe to be beaten.

Going into the last turn (165 yards to go as they finished in the middle of the straight) Snell was fourth about 10 yards out of first. Then he exploded by them all in a flash and was 20 yards ahead and pulling away after he came out of the turn.

I never seen such raw power and such fast milers so destroyed in a short span. Snell finished in 3:54 and change, the fastest mile every run in the U.S. then and just missed his own world record. Since that day the mile has always been my favorite event and I was lucky enough to find a video years later with that race on it.