World Championships only started in 1983 and only took place every 4 years until 1993. Cram would have been one of the favourites if there had been a WC in 1985.
European Championships were also only every 4 years until 2012.
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Biiiig deal, that was Steve Cram's one short burst at the top, after that it was lose, lose lose.
Very briefly stole the limelight from Steve Ovett and Steve Coe, and then quickly lost it to Steve Crabb, Steve Elliott and Steve Auoita.
Steve Scott is the only one that never beat him, and Steve Spivey
Couldn't move up to marathon cause Steve Spence would have trounced him
Who is Steve Aouita? Or is that a weak joke? Cram was actually dominant for several years, but terribly injury prone due to his compartment syndrome coupled with his splayed feet when sprinting. Even Jim Spivey told him to get some orthotics, but he refused. Terrific runner from 800 to 2k. Running 1:42 the way he did may have shown some untapped potential.
Cram ate what he pleased. Imagine if he had the dedication of Kerr today? Or more altitude training? Then you'd hope better sports medicine and physiotherapy for his injury niggles, although on second thoughts it seems even worse in the UK today judging by all the middle-distance injuries.
What's so special about Cram's WR spree was that both the 1500 and mile were set in real races. Neither were real WR attempts either.
And let's put to bed the idea that Aouita would have beaten Cram if he had not let him get so far ahead, or if it had been 1505m.
Aouita was about to collapse at the line. He wasn't going to catch Cram. Cram still had something left. If Aouita had been closer to Cram at the bell, he would obviously have used up more energy and the outcome would have been the same.
What's so special about Cram's WR spree was that both the 1500 and mile were set in real races. Neither were real WR attempts either.
And let's put to bed the idea that Aouita would have beaten Cram if he had not let him get so far ahead, or if it had been 1505m.
Aouita was about to collapse at the line. He wasn't going to catch Cram. Cram still had something left. If Aouita had been closer to Cram at the bell, he would obviously have used up more energy and the outcome would have been the same.
Well, the mile WR in particular was a seminal moment. Had he set the race up as a time-trial he could have run 3:44.
Instead, he ran it like a final, somewhat sit-and-kick, and still broke the world record anyway!
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Funny you say that he would not be much of a medal chance today. I would like his chances against any runner today. Today's depth is much better, but at his peak he would have won every Diamond League 1500/mile so far this year and that's without making any adjustments to his training or considering the benefits of new tracks/shoes.
Cram was a great championship runner in the early to mid 80s.
Crams greatest performance - as opposed to his best run - was a non-WR race
It was that 1000m at Gateshead on a windy evening in August 1985. Into the howling wind and through 800 alone in 1:44.94 before turning into the headwind to close in 2:12.86.
That's still #3 ALLTIME.
Only behind Coes legendary 2:12.18 - also the peak of Coe's glittering career - and even now despite Arop and Makhloufi supershoes and wavelights still only behind Coe and the dubious Ngeny performance.
I haven't heard Cram talk about this astounding run in his interviews which all cover his Nice and Oslo WRs. But as Stitchimo knows at the time the TV - fronted by the very dubious Jim Rosenthal - claimed the race was staged at Crams request because he was hoping to set a WR on his home track.
But what a choice to make! The toughest of them all. And the wind was roaring into the sound pickups during race coverage. I can't help thinking if he had that set up the same season in Zurich or Koeln or Rieti with calm conditions he would have gone 2:11.
Cram ate what he pleased. Imagine if he had the dedication of Kerr today? Or more altitude training? Then you'd hope better sports medicine and physiotherapy for his injury niggles, although on second thoughts it seems even worse in the UK today judging by all the middle-distance injuries.
Cram actually came back ro dominate Bile in ‘88, then he was hurt again before the Games, and that was the true end. He went head head with Bile at ‘88 Dream Mile and torched him in the stretch. In a tight race, Wanyonyi reminds me of Bile with the drifting and leaning and elbowing.
It's not just the dead even 51.6's, it's the 38.0 final 300m where he just obliterates McKean and Peter Elliot. One of the most underrated "championship" 800m performances ever.
That's hilarious... people here think Aouita was doping and there's a pic in that IG of Cram out-kicking Aouita... ha!!!
Aouita was a coach and told one of his runners they needed to take drugs to reach the top. Sounds like the coice of experience. Yes, some guys need PEDs to compete with true outliers.