mump boy wrote:17 points Tirunesh Dibaba double 08
This should be one of mine. (Actually, I didn't save my picks, and now I don't remember all of them. )
Maybe some people picked the 10K race separately (I hope I am not the only one!), so I will just comment on the 5K and the importance of historic double.
As other people mentioned, the 5K race was a letdown after the epic 10K. But it was important because Defar was not in the 10K race. Defar was both the defending Olympic champion and the reigning world champion, and the second fasted woman ever in 5K. And beating her in head to head was very important in defining Dibaba's place in history. I expected Dibaba to win the gold in 10K, I was hoping she would win the gold in 5K.
mump boy wrote:Just you i'm afraid and it should say
Tirnesh Dibaba in 2008 10000m Final.
i must have made up the double bit !!
What?! No one else picked that epic race?
That race had everything. The fast pace, great tactics, sprint finish and the greatest winning the race in a grandeur fashion. How could any distance fan not to pick that race?
Kiplagat and Masai set the early pace, but I think what made that race really great was Abeylegesse's heroic attempt to drop Dibaba with a long, sustained surge. She came up short, not because she lost the steam, but because Dibaba unleashed a surreal kick after 9600m of high pace. She shifted into another gear as if she had been jogging for the first 24 laps.
It was a championship race on a hot and humid day, and the top two still managed the 2nd and 3rd fasted time of all time. If that race was not mind boggling, I don't know what is.
Deano in Sydney. A man barely fit enough to get on the team bus somehow came close to a medal. I was close enough to hear his scream as he threw the javelin.
Moses in Seoul. Like seeing Ali, Leonard or Hagler knocked down for the first time. Sometimes seeing a great champion in defeat makes you realise just how special they were. I especially loved the way he appeared to take a nap in his lane before the race.
Geb and Tergat in Atlanta. Sydney gets more acclaim but they were much better athletes in 1996. Tergat threw everything at him over the last 5k .
Christie’s 100. The moment he moves onto Mitchell’s shoulder and you know it’s all over (and I punch a hole in my Dad’s ceiling).
(Not yet included: Jonathan’s huge winning leap in the Atlanta final (round 5, I think). Only one person celebrated in the huge temporary stand on the bottom bend. The 2 or 3 seconds until the red flag appeared were amongst the happiest of my life).
Jonathan’s TJ in 2000. A moment postponed for 4 years and 2 months. The relief!
I remember Christie in 92 as well. For me it was the realisation that he was accelerating away from Burrell that signified he was going to win. They ran in the same semi, which Burrell won, but he seemed flat out whilst Christie seemed to be running within himself and that made me think he could win. I thought the race would be between those two. They had run against each other so often in the past, with Burrell usually winning, but Christie was a great championship performer and I knew he wouldn't blow his big chance.
Atlanta 1996 wHJ - Kostadinova v Bakoyianni duel. I was so happy Kostadinova won this; she lost gold in 88 to an inspired Ritter and in Barcelona she was underpar and finished 4th. It was starting to look like she would never get the Olympic gold her talent deserved.
The competition in Atlanta was superb, a real ding dong battle. Bakagiani started the 96 season with a PB of just 1.93. She improved to 1.96 indoors and the came to Atlanta and set PB after PB eventually finishing with 2.03, forcing Kostadinova to jump higher at 2.05. It was the Greeks only season over 2m and she never jumped higher than 1.95 again.
What was also great about this was Stefka’s genuine delight in seeing Bakagianni in the form of her life and challenging her. There was definite warmth there and I think Stefka thrived off this.
Seoul 1988 w1500m - Ivan solo run thrasing the opposition I really admired how Ivan took the race by the scruff of the neck and won this the hard way. She’d been in great form on the GP circuit over 800 and 1500 and come Seoul she was expected to do the 800/1500 double. Instead she went for the 1500/3000. In the latter, which came first, she made her run for home with 300 to go but was overtaken in the last 50m by the preeminent stalker and tactician Samolenko. Come the 1500 and she didn’t want to fall prey to the Soviet’s finishing kick again and took the race out at near WR pace. Melinte tentatively led the field in pursuit, but despite the effort of Slaney and Samolenko to close the gap, Ivan’s lead grew and she finished with the 3rd fastest time of all time. It was such a gutsy, brave run, and perhaps had she had assistance she would have challenged the WR.
. Barcelona 1992 wLJ - Drechsler finally gets gold Obviously one of my favourites. I was so nervous watching the competition. She’d lost gold in 84 with the GDR boycott and in 88 a board-perfect JJK was just too strong; I was worried it would happen again.
Despite having her best season ever, Drechsler was just too tense in the final and got her run up all wrong jumping way below 7m in the first rd, while JJK and Kravets were over 7m. It took until rd 4 for Drechsler to wrestle the lead from Kravets and I remember the tension in the last rd where Drechsler had to wait for JJK and Kravets to take their final jumps. She looked like she couldn’t believe it, she’d finally won that gold.
During the anthem at the medal ceremony, I remember seeing Heike close her eyes and almost shake her head – disbelief and emotion or was it partly due to the FRG anthem being played and not the GDR one? This win finally allowed her to relax and enjoy her jumping again.
I have forgotten if we defined "moment" and this may be nit-picking but..... Owens four Golds at Berlin 36 was truly "momentous" but does it fit the definition of "moment"?
What would be a moment is Lutz Long advising Owens in the 1936 Oly broad jump... if it really happened......or it is a feel good anecdote repeated until accepted as gospel.
My question is: This was not JO's first rodeo, why did he need to be advised to move his mark back if he was consistently fouling?
Gabriella wrote:Atlanta 1996 wHJ - Kostadinova v Bakoyianni duel. I was so happy Kostadinova won this; she lost gold in 88 to an inspired Ritter and in Barcelona she was underpar and finished 4th. It was starting to look like she would never get the Olympic gold her talent deserved.
The competition in Atlanta was superb, a real ding dong battle. Bakagiani started the 96 season with a PB of just 1.93. She improved to 1.96 indoors and the came to Atlanta and set PB after PB eventually finishing with 2.03, forcing Kostadinova to jump higher at 2.05. It was the Greeks only season over 2m and she never jumped higher than 1.95 again.
What was also great about this was Stefka’s genuine delight in seeing Bakagianni in the form of her life and challenging her. There was definite warmth there and I think Stefka thrived off this.
This was on my long list, the contrast between the little Greek and the tall elegant Kostandinova added to the drama.
Gabriella wrote:Seoul 1988 w1500m - Ivan solo run thrasing the opposition I really admired how Ivan took the race by the scruff of the neck and won this the hard way. She’d been in great form on the GP circuit over 800 and 1500 and come Seoul she was expected to do the 800/1500 double. Instead she went for the 1500/3000. In the latter, which came first, she made her run for home with 300 to go but was overtaken in the last 50m by the preeminent stalker and tactician Samolenko. Come the 1500 and she didn’t want to fall prey to the Soviet’s finishing kick again and took the race out at near WR pace. Melinte tentatively led the field in pursuit, but despite the effort of Slaney and Samolenko to close the gap, Ivan’s lead grew and she finished with the 3rd fastest time of all time. It was such a gutsy, brave run, and perhaps had she had assistance she would have challenged the WR.
Also on my long list. When was the last time someone did this at a champs in 1500m ? Rogachova had a valiant attempt in 92 but i can't think of anyone since
lonewolf wrote:I have forgotten if we defined "moment" and this may be nit-picking but..... Owens four Golds at Berlin 36 was truly "momentous" but does it fit the definition of "moment"?
What would be a moment is Lutz Long advising Owens in the 1936 Oly broad jump... if it really happened......or it is a feel good anecdote repeated until accepted as gospel.
My question is: This was not JO's first rodeo, why did he need to be advised to move his mark back if he was consistently fouling?
Which is why it's already been posted as a singular moment
Only have time for six of eight of mine gone so far:
#20: Robbie Grabarz, 2012 HJ bronze I never even heard of this guy in 2011 and then here he has this amazing season in 2012. He ups his PR a few times and scores a medal at a home Olympics!!! Who cares that he shared it? This guy just seems like he's having fun. And quite the decent last name for a HJer!
He also won the Europeans in '12, won the diamond league, set his PR and equaled the British record!!! Come on, I thought there were some Brits on this board! I'm American and the only one to vote for him. Admittedly, my votes are skewed towards the recent Olys, and London is still fresh in my mind. Most of my picks are from '96 on as Atlanta is the first one where I was truly into the athletics scene.
#19: Shalane Flanagan, 2008 10K bronze I was still focused on American sprinters as far as the track went back in '08. I knew who Shalane was but didn't think she had a snowball's chance. The winners would all be from Ethiopia or Kenya, right? Why even watch? But, I did watch, and to see the look on her face as she crossed the line and then the realization that she had WON A MEDAL was priceless! For me, it signaled the improvement of American women's distance running. One medal can be a fluke, but now we've had Kastor, Kara and Shalane.
#18: Milt Campbell, 1956, Decathlon This choice was influenced by Mr. Campbell's recent passing. I love the Decathlon and for some reason, Milt Campbell stood out to me.
I love reading about Johnson and Yang's battles. Bob Mathias grew up not too far from where I live now and still has that All-American boy image in my mind. Bill Toomey and Jenner represent "hard work" paying off. Dan, Bryan and Ashton gave me thrills following their accomplishments "live", but Milt still stands out in his own quiet way. I also love that he won a silver medal and then came back next Olympiad and won his Gold! (as did Americans Johnson and Clay)
#17: Carolina Kluft, 2004, Heptathlon Being a fan of the Decathlon, I never really got into the Heptathlon until Caro. I knew about JJK, but didn't get to follow her Hept career until it was over. Watching Kluft dominate in Athens the way she did was awesome. I just knew that she would repeat in Bejing.
#14: Roman Sebrle, 2004, Decathlon Another Silver-Gold Decathlete, it's always nice to see the reigning WR holder win his deserved Oly Gold. I could have put all the Decathlon gold medal winners in my top 20, but Roman was "The Man" when I really started to get into the 10-eventer and so makes my list even though looking back, I'm surprised Dan O'Brien didn't.
#12 Virgilius Alekna, 2000, DT I started throwing the discus regularly myself as a sub-master in '99, so I was naturally extra drawn to the event at the Olympics.
Two I didn't vote for, but impressed me, are Paula Ivan and Robbie Grabarz.
Ivan won the Olympic 1500 by over 6 seconds with an incredible display of commitment. She had been outkicked by Samolenko in the 3000, when the Soviet had run probably the best 3000 of all time up to that point, yet looked easy. Ivan knew Samolenko was the World 1500 Champ as well. She obviously felt her best chance of victory was to run flat out and all credit to her for doing so. For some reason the women's 1500 usually disappoints in major champs - not this time. Compare the 2000 or 2012 races to Ivan in 88, and I know which one impresses me.
I think come 2016, Robbie Grabarz could be the face of British athletics. Of all our stars he appears to be the one with most potential to improve. He is immensely likeable and has great competitive temperament. I think when Mump runs this poll in 4 years time there's every chance he'll do better (Robbie that is, not Mump, who's doing a great job, as ever!).
Btw - UK readers, did you see Robbie in the Superstars competition over Christmas? He showed a great turn of speed in the 100, but what happened to him in the javelin?!!! You'd have thought he'd have done well in that event, with his height and strength!
Smoke wrote:I am completely lost on the points system LOL
However I love the history you nuts hang on to.
Of course Tasha is mine. I will try to keep it concise. Her bronze holds more meaning than any medal on that stand! In 04 we got pregnant and blew a very solid chance at stardom and that podium. She received undue criticism from some surprising corners, and harsh criticism. Yet, she was encouraged by unforeseen sources which led to her refocusing, and finding a higher reason to comeback. Yes she wanted to prove the doubters wrong (they said she would never comeback), but she always searched for more than vengence or glory, what she found was she was an inspiration to people. Other women and children alike looked up to her now. Her journey started with an appearance at the 05 3A's to show the CW selectors she was alive. 3 weeks of proper training and she ran 57 secs. By March of 06 she was the CWG bronze. Made the Euro final and we set our sights onward. In 07 she made the final in Osaka running her second fastest time ever. Beijing was on deck. 08 started with a trio of 800s, her first ever. 2:06 let us know our base training was paying off. By the summer we were battling a hot hamstring, and sore achilles. Not exactly the dream season it looked like 3 months prior. At trials she lost! PSD had burst on the scene but more importantly Tasha ran a dead race. Thank you UKA and BOA!!! A trip to the doctors and the discovery of a recent viral infection helped explain the performance and sway the selectors. She was 2 seconds ahead PSD and the only woman with the A standard. Selection assured we set about the business of running fast to set up Beijing. Another hurdle, her hamstring. It stayed hot, never allowing her to complete a full session and forcing us to cancel 3 races. We were going to the Games cold turkey! A brilliant camp in Macau and we were anxiously ready. Long story short, 3 season best later, capped by a pr and a bronze all was worth it. The decision to have Jaden, the move to skip the prep races, all came to one shining moment. Yeah, it is personal but still a great story nonetheless. Well I think so but hey I am biased!
This was brilliant and so unexpected for all the reasons you've noted.
Thank god CVC wasn't in charge in 08 or PSD would have been selected for in her place
Gabriella wrote:Seoul 1988 w1500m - Ivan solo run thrasing the opposition I really admired how Ivan took the race by the scruff of the neck and won this the hard way. She’d been in great form on the GP circuit over 800 and 1500 and come Seoul she was expected to do the 800/1500 double. Instead she went for the 1500/3000. In the latter, which came first, she made her run for home with 300 to go but was overtaken in the last 50m by the preeminent stalker and tactician Samolenko. Come the 1500 and she didn’t want to fall prey to the Soviet’s finishing kick again and took the race out at near WR pace. Melinte tentatively led the field in pursuit, but despite the effort of Slaney and Samolenko to close the gap, Ivan’s lead grew and she finished with the 3rd fastest time of all time. It was such a gutsy, brave run, and perhaps had she had assistance she would have challenged the WR.
Also on my long list. When was the last time someone did this at a champs in 1500m ? Rogachova had a valiant attempt in 92 but i can't think of anyone since
Names better off left in the past. Ayhan at the 2002 European Champs and 2003 World Champs and the Russians in a lot of the majors between 2004-08.
Paula Ivan had an amazing run. I recall being completely stunned at seeing a 3:53 (the quickest before then - all on telly of course - was her own 3:56 in Zurich that year) and equally amazed that Chris Cahill just missed a bronze!
Rog wrote:Two I didn't vote for, but impressed me, are Paula Ivan and Robbie Grabarz.
Ivan won the Olympic 1500 by over 6 seconds with an incredible display of commitment. She had been outkicked by Samolenko in the 3000, when the Soviet had run probably the best 3000 of all time up to that point, yet looked easy. Ivan knew Samolenko was the World 1500 Champ as well. She obviously felt her best chance of victory was to run flat out and all credit to her for doing so. For some reason the women's 1500 usually disappoints in major champs - not this time. Compare the 2000 or 2012 races to Ivan in 88, and I know which one impresses me.
I think come 2016, Robbie Grabarz could be the face of British athletics. Of all our stars he appears to be the one with most potential to improve. He is immensely likeable and has great competitive temperament. I think when Mump runs this poll in 4 years time there's every chance he'll do better (Robbie that is, not Mump, who's doing a great job, as ever!).
Btw - UK readers, did you see Robbie in the Superstars competition over Christmas? He showed a great turn of speed in the 100, but what happened to him in the javelin?!!! You'd have thought he'd have done well in that event, with his height and strength!
As much as I like to get behidn british athletes, I can't say there is anything particularly great about Grabarz that would make him the fact of British Athletics and I'm not sure he's on par with Ivan Ukhov who is jumping higher them him when it counts and is easily the most entertaining high jumper in terms of personality and his knack for incidents. Plus there is only a year appart between them and I'm not sure Grabarz will consistently better Ukhov anytime soon or have time after Ivan is gone to make a case for face of British Athletics. On top of that we still have Jessica Ennis who is without peer and roughly the same age as Grabarz.
The more likley faces of British Athletics in a few years and Okoye, Hitchon, Judd, Jack Green and Jodie WIlliams.
As much as I like to get behidn british athletes, I can't say there is anything particularly great about Grabarz that would make him the fact of British Athletics and I'm not sure he's on par with Ivan Ukhov who is jumping higher them him when it counts and is easily the most entertaining high jumper in terms of personality and his knack for incidents. Plus there is only a year appart between them and I'm not sure Grabarz will consistently better Ukhov anytime soon or have time after Ivan is gone to make a case for face of British Athletics. On top of that we still have Jessica Ennis who is without peer and roughly the same age as Grabarz.
I don't know about the future face of UK Athletics but don't sell Grabarz short. True, Ukhov beat him handily at the Olympics but Grabarz beat him 3 times out of 7 in 1912. Those 3 wins came in big meets and he clobbered Ukhov at Eberstadt. Grabarz is a year and a half younger than Ukohv, has had only one year at the top level. Technically he is as sound as Ukhov and given his progress last year I don't think 2.40 is beyond him this year. Then Ukhov will have his hands full. In no way am I writing off Ukhov who had a career year in 2012 and could go even higher this year. But it could be a very interesting year with those two + Barshim and possibly Kynard.
mump boy wrote:So near untill Laimute Baukauskaite (Sp) !! overtook at the last minute
Remember the medal ceremony? The got Baikauskaite and Samolenko the wrong the way round, and Samolenko just pushed past her compatriot and got onto the podium! Trying to prevent an embarrassment or really hoping they'd messed up and she was given silver? Methinks the latter!!
mump boy wrote:So near untill Laimute Baukauskaite (Sp) !! overtook at the last minute
Remember the medal ceremony? The got Baikauskaite and Samolenko the wrong the way round, and Samolenko just pushed past her compatriot and got onto the podium! Trying to prevent an embarrassment or really hoping they'd messed up and she was given silver? Methinks the latter!!
My memory is that Samolenko looked embarrassed - and Baikauskaite less than thrilled - but the two of them just had to grin and bear it. There's no doubt that Samolenko could have held her off for the silver, but she just didn't see her until it was too late.
mump boy wrote:So near untill Laimute Baukauskaite (Sp) !! overtook at the last minute
Remember the medal ceremony? The got Baikauskaite and Samolenko the wrong the way round, and Samolenko just pushed past her compatriot and got onto the podium! Trying to prevent an embarrassment or really hoping they'd messed up and she was given silver? Methinks the latter!!
My memory is that Samolenko looked embarrassed - and Baikauskaite less than thrilled - but the two of them just had to grin and bear it. There's no doubt that Samolenko could have held her off for the silver, but she just didn't see her until it was too late.
I'm with Rog: methinks they handed the medals out wrong. Fairly clear to me, because I was sitting on the finish line, about 10 rows up, and could see clearly who had won. When they marched them out onto the field for the VC, I ran down to the railing and started yelling at John Chaplin (who was an IAAF redcoat at the meet), to tell him to run out and switch them, but the stadium was so loud he couldn't hear me (and it was pre-mobiles days).
T&FN's coverage at the time said, "They were inseparable enough that the readers of the finish photo confused them. The pair exchanged nervous glances, then switched positions to collect the wrong medals when the error wasn't corrected before the Victory Ceremony."
#9 Wilbur "Moose" Thompson When I went to California State University of Long Beach in the early 90's, Moose was an assistant track & field coach. I took a Track & Field PE class and Moose taught us how to shot put. Who can say they've been taught an event by an Olympic Gold Medalist? I fell in love with the shot put, but was disappointed when a skinny, wiry guy out threw me. I couldn't get my head around it. But then I out threw everyone else in the class by at least 30 feet in the discus and a new love was born.
Apparently, Moose still hangs around the campus. There was an online news story about him last July when he was 92.
I can't recall the source, but I remember reading that for the 1948 Olympics, there was some sort of contest for who performed the best out of all T&F athletes and Moose won that too.
#5 Lance Deal Yeah, there was someone who had him on their list. I was at Atlanta, but didn't see the HT. I was just in awe that an American could do so well at the hammer. I always wished that he would have won Gold though.
gh wrote:T&FN's coverage at the time said, "They were inseparable enough that the readers of the finish photo confused them. The pair exchanged nervous glances, then switched positions to collect the wrong medals when the error wasn't corrected before the Victory Ceremony."
I prefer my version! Please allow me a little hyperbole!
Paula Ivan - Like a few others have mentioned, I didn't vote for things that were 'before my time', but I absolutely love this race and the way she hammers out such a fast pace from the beginning. Someone said that Ayhan adopted similar tactics and as much as I hate dirty drugs cheats, I grudgingly give her some kudos. Ivan reappared very briefly in 2000 - anybody know more about her story?
And ones that I did vote for:
Greg Rutherford '12 - purely for the 'super saturday' factor. I wish I was a betting man, as I had a pretty strong feeling right at the start of the year that he would win. For some reason I've gone right off him and find him a quite annoying.
Ellen van Langen '92 - one of my favourite races of all time - I used to have this on video and watch it over and over again.
Maria Mutola '00 - my favourite athlete, in my favourite event. 96 was meant to be her year but she was ill before the race and also had Masterkova. When she was fit after the games she got beaten by Masterkova at 1000 in a WR race, and I always wonder if she was fully fit whether she might have beaten the russian in atlanta.
Rodal '96 was mine as well but I cant really remember why now.
m800 in 2012. It is very difficult to imagine a finer 2 minutes of world class athletes having their best performances of their lives on the same track in the same race(ok Kaki did not get a PB, just a seasons best).
vencio2 wrote:Paula Ivan - Like a few others have mentioned, I didn't vote for things that were 'before my time', but I absolutely love this race and the way she hammers out such a fast pace from the beginning. Someone said that Ayhan adopted similar tactics and as much as I hate dirty drugs cheats, I grudgingly give her some kudos. Ivan reappared very briefly in 2000 - anybody know more about her story?
I saw a snippet on Transworld Sports about the Romanians from the 1980s and Ivan said she retired because her coach (Puica's husband) moved to Spain with Maricica and she didn't want another coach. I think she had a few races in the USA in 1990 but that was it until 2000. It seems quite a strange rationale to retire though if you ask me.
Dave wrote:m800 in 2012. It is very difficult to imagine a finer 2 minutes of world class athletes having their best performances of their lives on the same track in the same race(ok Kaki did not get a PB, just a seasons best).
I have a feeling there may be an opportunity to to discuss this one later
)
This guy just seems like he's having fun. And quite the decent last name for a HJer!
Ayhan at the 2002 European Champs and 2003 World Champs and the Russians in a lot of the majors between 2004-08.
