Zola Budd gets hired as paid coach at Coastal Carolina

Good for her. I heard Mary Decker Slaney was also a finalist for the position.

Age 19 Mile-4:17.57 Zola Budd GBR 26 May 66 Zurich 21 Aug 85

Did she dope in her prime? Watched her put the total beatdown on a field at World XC on youtube recently, even as she slipped on the muddy course running barefoot. A sublime natural talent, or a Lance-like responder to PEDs?

muddyffast wrote:

Did she dope in her prime? Watched her put the total beatdown on a field at World XC on youtube recently, even as she slipped on the muddy course running barefoot. A sublime natural talent, or a Lance-like responder to PEDs?

Zola Budd in my mind is the least suspicious among World Class women as far as doping goes. She was small and frail and her short career didn't coincide with the EPO era that hit 10 years after her best running. She certainly didn't show evidence of steroid use.

That world cross win you watched was probably 1986 and back then the African women were not a factor.

She was a true phenom. Took the women's world record for 5000 down to 14:45 when she was 16 or 17 back in 1984.

I recall watching a 10k road race in America on tv and there were anti-apartheid protestors demonstrating against her being able to compete after being granted British citizenship right before the 1984 Olympics. She was just a young kid trying to fulfill her great potential and had to deal with a lot of crap for being a White South African when her nation was banned.

I will always be a big fan of Zola Budd,

The barefoot legacy:

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251721-D1-NCAA-XC-Championships-2014/video/753833-Coastal-Carolina-ladies-run-barefoot#.VfDmAWTBzGc

BitterSOB wrote:

Good for her. I heard Mary Decker Slaney was also a finalist for the position.

Budd tripped her up from what I hear.

George Atlas wrote:

She was a true phenom. Took the women's world record for 5000 down to 14:45 when she was 16 or 17 back in 1984.

Imagine if she had EPO and was a responder. Holy sh!t.

In the interview linked to that article that your Benevolent Dictator pasted up she talks about running as a child, barefoot a lot. She is small, absolutely adores running and built a terrific base in a safe way.

She still runs great as a 50-ish runner, trouncing students.... There is no way she is on PEDs, that would be nearly 40 years of PEDs if that was the case, as she has been fast almost her entire life.

One of my all time favorites. She recently came back from South Africa.

She turns 50 next year and wants to run Comrades again.

There are a few new videos of her on youtube in interviews. One is with her manager.

great news. If I were a hs runner, I'd def consider running for Coastal.

Great talent. Great person. She will be a great addition to this program. They could do worse.

Shame she got a spot at such a weak program, furthermore a weak college. I hope she can make some waves there.

luv2run wrote:

BitterSOB wrote:

Good for her. I heard Mary Decker Slaney was also a finalist for the position.

Budd tripped her up from what I hear.

Good one, but recall that there was no DQ even after extensive reveiw of the tapes.

Wendy Sly for Silver wrote:

luv2run wrote:

Budd tripped her up from what I hear.

Good one, but recall that there was no DQ even after extensive review of the tapes.

Mary Decker caused her own demise. Then whined like a skater.

If she won how were African women not a factor? She is African.