where she tripped the American favorite

That's very interesting. And so timely too. Didn't this just happen last weekend? Thank you. You may go now

Make sure you address Mary in proper fashion. american sweetheart/convicted drug user. I would hate to see her years of whoring herself left out of the title in some fashion as well but can't seem to work it in.

This I believe is in response to the quote from the news page where it states that Zola tripped MDS. Anyone who wasn't blind and/or poked in the eye by their american flag knows that the original post was correct. Slaney ran up the poor kids barefooted achilles and then laid on the track crying "she tripped me Richard she tripped me...." The fans booed the poor "Brit" who was so upset I believe it cost her the gold medal.

ray, You get it, also a perfect way to put into words what I have felt after all of these years. I was a MDS fan up to that race, afterwards I saw MDS as just plain bitter.

I agree with both of you. In 1984 I was young and naive and believed that it was a tragedy that Mary could lose a gold medal in that fashion. I thought Mary was wrong and handled it poorly on the worlds largest stage. I still somehow felt sorry for her. As I later found out how corrupt Nike and AW was I hated everyone involved. I found it ironic that when she tested positive Nike was shocked. I now look back on Mary sprawled out on the track crying and it makes me feel good. I only wish the same result will eventually fall upon Nike.

MDS wasn't used to following others and that's what led to her tripping over Zola's feet. You guys are correct that MDS tripped on her own. Marty Liquori had a fit on the broadcast, ripping into Zola as the culprit. He was as embarrassing as Slaney's reaction.

Similar to those that claim Budd tripped Slaney, I'm also put off whenever I hear that AWebb had a disappointing year at UM. He may've been personally disappointed but it was NOT a disappointing year.

My recollection...ZB in front, not quite on the rail ("half a person's worth" of space in inside of her), one runner off her outside shoulder. ZB running more or less straight line. MS, a natural frontrunner, a half step back, right on the rail, creeping up on ZB....not enough room to pass but MD creeps up some more...next thing you know MS is on the ground.

Whoever said he/she was glad to see MS in tears on the infield ... if the time comes that your lifelong dream -- one that you might realize within only a few minutes -- is crushed on live TV and you react with aplomb or coolness, THEN gloat. Tho I'm neither an ardent supporter nor a vociferous detractor of Mary Slaney, I don't wish that kind of sorrow on anyone.

Clarifying -- not on anyone in T&F anyway. Some criminals deserve a lot more grief and suffering than can be derived from losing a footrace.

footnote: Joan Hansen-Lester (now Iowa women's XC coach, I believe) went down equally hard in that same pile-up, got up, chased down the pack and finsihed about 6th.

I changed the front page. I forgot how much we take if for granted that Slaney was tripped when she really did it to herself from what I've heard. I think I saw the race but I was 10 and don't remember it.

As I recall, Mary had a prior history of stumbling and falling in pack running, and as a result usually went to the front immediately. I recall the incident as two front runners wanting to be in the same place at the same time, with Mary not giving proper right-of-way.

The really pathetic part was when her husband swooped in and carried her off in his huge chemically-enhanced arms, while she ranted and bawled her head off. Gone forever was the credibility as an athlete and tough competitor she had gained the year previous at the World Champs.

In general, elite women distance runners have more trouble running in a pack because they are so unpracticed at it. Unlike men, who routinely run elbow to elbow in large packs, elite women spend most of their developmental years way out in front of the field. Then when they come together, they're not as versed on the do's and don'ts of pack running. At the lower levels, the girls may run somewhat politely, but by the time you're up to the higher level, you've got a different breed of cut throats without developed skills - consequently the throat they cut sometimes is their own.

Good call wejo on the 'correction'.

In a nice segue, there's a nice article on RW Daily today about Budd. It's a far-ranging piece, wrapped around her upcoming London Marathon participation. From the article, this about the Oly collision:

In the event, the British Oly Assoc stopped the column (she was slated to write a journal for the Daily Mail) as a breach of amateur rules. The nadir came in the 3000m final when, just after half way, she collided with the American favourite (love the British spelling) Mary Decker who tumbled out of the race, leaving a wretched Budd to continue to a chorus of boos and finish seventh, forever branded Decker's wrecker (the British love rhymes).

They met again a few years ago at a race in Australia and managed some chit-chat. "She still blames me but has forgiven me. We don't keep in touch, she's not an easy woman to talk to."

Joseph A. McVeigh wrote:

Whoever said he/she was glad to see MS in tears on the infield ... if the time comes that your lifelong dream -- one that you might realize within only a few minutes -- is crushed on live TV and you react with aplomb or coolness, THEN gloat. Tho I'm neither an ardent supporter nor a vociferous detractor of Mary Slaney, I don't wish that kind of sorrow on anyone.

I agree with you on all clean athletes. She is another tested positive athlete and that is how she should be remembered. I also don't feel sorry for Ben Johnson.

If I am not mistaken, that's the number from Budd's back there in Mary's hand. Not that it proves anything, but it certainly implies she was behind at the times she was 'tripped.'

At the time, wasn't the argument from the Slaney supporters something along the lines that Budd tried to cut in before she had the required stride lead (or whatever the regulation/convention says you're supposed to have)?. It's been so long since I thought of this. I watched it back then too. From the film it wasn't clear who was right or wrong.

I think there's a good description of it in "The Silence of Long Distance"

"....she bawled her head off. Gone forever was the credibility as an athlete and tough competitor..."

As my tone above suggests, I am inclined to give her a free pass here. I've seen some tough dudes cry when they lose The Big One, or when they win The Big One -- For example..."Cinderella boy, outta nowhere, a former greenskeeper now about to become the Masters champion....tears in his eyes I guess"

DOH! If I'd been paying attention I would've said that you can link to the Budd story by clicking on the quote at the top of the opening page.