What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

[spammer]

Powell beating Lewis in 91. Just thinking about it psychologically. He watches Lewis outjump the World Record, then comes back and breaks the world record, beats him, and puts up a mark that will last more than 25 years. Wow

[dj]

Powell beating Lewis in 91. Just thinking about it psychologically. He watches Lewis outjump the World Record, then comes back and breaks the world record, beats him, and puts up a mark that will last more than 25 years. Wow

not in the Olympics

[kuha]

Mexico City was of course high altitude,

Ryun ill in 1968:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li22tlGp ... e=youtu.be

another year was 1967 in a non-altitude town of Los Angeles with a then healthy Ryun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2FZsduHv1Y

That second link is great--way more of the 1966 2 mile than I have ever remembered seeing before. AND it provides visual evidence of the famous throwing-of-the-hat. That said, it is amazing how Ryun totally dominated Keino in every one of their head-to-head meetings before 1968--even at distances, such as this, that should have strongly favored the Kenyan.

As for the original question here. With some reluctance--because I know exactly how problematic it actually is--I'd have to go with Beamon's jump. Despite all its "issues," the performance was astounding on an athletic level AND incredibly potent among the larger public. Everyone knew of it and everyone talked about it--for years and years and years. How many other great performances actually do this?

[mrbowie]

I don't know if it was the greatest, but Bob Mathias winning the Olympic decathlon at his tender age has got to rank right up there.

[berkeley]

Let's spice up this question a little - what was the greatest non-final performance in Olympic T&F history ?
I'll nominate Bert Cameron's 400m semi-final in 1984. He pulled up with a severe cramp at halfway (bad enough to knock him out of the final), slowed to a hobble, then picked it up again around the curve and qualified for the final.
Another candidate is Quincy Watts' semifinal in Barcelona - 43.71, the #2 time in history, in an event where you really ought to save yourself for the final.

[DoubleRBar]

He did. He ran 43.50 in the final.

[jdaman1998]

I am sure this will get laughed at, but I think Rafer Johnson defeating CK Yang in the '60 Decathlon was the most riveting performance by both athletes I can remember (9 yr old kid at the time).

[wallaby]

Let's spice up this question a little - what was the greatest non-final performance in Olympic T&F history ?
I'll nominate Bert Cameron's 400m semi-final in 1984. He pulled up with a severe cramp at halfway (bad enough to knock him out of the final), slowed to a hobble, then picked it up again around the curve and qualified for the final.
Another candidate is Quincy Watts' semifinal in Barcelona - 43.71, the #2 time in history, in an event where you really ought to save yourself for the final.

How about Mike Marsh cruising in the 1992 200 semi, basically jogging the last 10 metres, and running 19.73 - 1/100th off the world record (which had been set at altitude)?

As for best-ever, I always liked Gerd Wessig at the 1980 Olympics - setting a WR at the Olympics. I thought his style was the most attractive I've seen.

[bambam]

I am sure this will get laughed at, but I think Rafer Johnson defeating CK Yang in the '60 Decathlon was the most riveting performance by both athletes I can remember (9 yr old kid at the time).

Good choice. No way to laugh at that.

[kuha]

Let's spice up this question a little - what was the greatest non-final performance in Olympic T&F history ?

For sheer quality and crazy audacity, I'd say the 1972 Olympic 10,000 heats.

[norunner]

If you don't take "performance" too literally, the behaviour of Luz Long towards Jesse Owens in Berlin 1936 was one of the greatest "performances" ever. Owens was considered non-human by the nazis and Luz Long first helped, then befriended this "non-human" in front of Hitler. It took an incredible amount of bravery to do so.

[Olli]

Let's spice up this question a little - what was the greatest non-final performance in Olympic T&F history ?

For sheer quality and crazy audacity, I'd say the 1972 Olympic 10,000 heats.

Yeah, but there was one who had no need to shine too early and reckoned that if being fourth is enough to get to the final why waste more energy.

[Conor Dary]

Let's spice up this question a little - what was the greatest non-final performance in Olympic T&F history ?

For sheer quality and crazy audacity, I'd say the 1972 Olympic 10,000 heats.

Yes, if I remember right Bedford and Puttemans having a discussion about going for the WR, or maybe just OR, and Puttemans wisely advising caution. Shorter the first American under 28.

It was a shame Bedford even did the 10. Strategies completely out of whack for the 10, but would have been wonderful in the 5. Running 4:15 for the first mile, like he did in the 10, in the 5k would have set up an awesome race. And Yifter finds the correct gate to get in. One of the great what-ifs.