Women's 3000m, 1984 Olympics

[Neontiger]

This epic race, which saw a collison between Zola Budd and Mary Decker and a silver medal for Wendy Sly, is recalled in today's Sunday Times:


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 04243.html


Interesting to find out what they're all doing now.

[kingmaker]

That girl was so abused and uesed by the Daily Mirror the editor should have been arrested and locked up

[Flumpy]

It was the Daily Mail.

[kingmaker]

thanx for correcting me

[nevetssllim]

Actually, Wendy Sly's blood clot almost was fatal. I apologise for my lack of scientific language but she travelled to New York soon after she was mugged at the train station and the high air pressure could have made it worse and ultimitately killed her.

I have footage of a Transworld Sports interview of Melinte, Ivan and Puica from 1994 and the Puica's moved to Spain before returning back to Bucharest. She planned to return for veteran competitions but I'm not sure that ever materialised.

[Interested]

Maricica did in fact compete as a veteran lady and set a number of (W35) age group world bests in the mid to late 1980's, over 1000m, 2000m and 3000m.

I remember her well when she was at her peak, always a fiercely competitive athlete. Last I heard she was coaching MD in Bucharest, but I have heard nothing of note in recent years. Hopefully, she has experienced the same success in her new career,

[nevetssllim]

She holds all of the V35 records from 1000m-2000m.

1000m-2:31.5A (1986)
1500m-3:57.73 (1985)
1 mile-4:17.33 (1985)
2000m-5:28.69 (1986 at Crystal Palace - WR)

She had some great battles with Mary Slaney and Zola Budd in 1985 and won European silver in 1986 and world silver in 1987. She dropped out of the heats of the Olympic Games with 200m to go and I think her bronze medal at the 1989 European Indoor Championships was her final race.

I heard that she attempted to make a comeback to veterans competitions in 1994 but whether that actually happened, I don't know.

[Interested]

Those are pretty impressive times too! Doina Melinte is another example of a fierce competitor. Any idea what happened to her after she retired?

[nevetssllim]

Those are pretty impressive times too! Doina Melinte is another example of a fierce competitor. Any idea what happened to her after she retired?

Definitely. For some reason, she is one of my favourite athletes but was always scary-looking! I have some great races of her against Kratochvilova over 800m, as well as her still-standing indoor mile record from 1990.

She retired after the 1992 season (I think her last race was a road mile in Edinburgh, where she finished last) and she had a baby. She was involved in politics and that could be what she is doing now. I heard that she was mugged last year as well and lost a lot of money.

[Interested]

Scary-looking! Haha! That is exactly how I remember thinking of her, but didn't like to say!

[Interested]

Nevets,
I have just retrieved a box of old AWs (1978-86) from my loft (I've retained more flexibility than I thought!) and will try to come up with a few contemporary news items etc concerning the likes of Melinte and Puica that might test your memory!

This may take some time as I also brought down an even larger box of Christmas pretties!!

[nevetssllim]

I have old AW magazines from 1980-1990 and according to an article, she ran the last lap of the 1500m at the 1985 Romanian Champs in 54.6 seconds! I know that she is a good kicker and could easily run sub-60 for a last lap but it would surprise me if that was true.

[Interested]

Nevets,
I have managed to dig out 46 copies of AW from 1984 but as yet haven't found any info regarding Doina Melinte's fast last lap in the Romanian championships. Nor have I found any evidence that she ran the individual 400m event at all, which might have given a clue as to the reliability of this particular information. Do you happen to know which issue of AW the article was in? (I'm assuming that is the source of the info...)

[nevetssllim]

Nevets,
I have managed to dig out 46 copies of AW from 1984 but as yet haven't found any info regarding Doina Melinte's fast last lap in the Romanian championships. Nor have I found any evidence that she ran the individual 400m event at all, which might have given a clue as to the reliability of this particular information. Do you happen to know which issue of AW the article was in? (I'm assuming that is the source of the info...)

That's because I said '85! I'll look a little later on.

Her 400m PB is 52.5. I'm sure I remember seeing a 400m result from somewhere in Japan in '84.

[Interested]

doh!

[nevetssllim]

It's in the edition with Darren Clark on the front cover, August 31st 1985, P6 in the international results (on the same page, there is an incredible side-on shot of Marita Koch) Melinte 4:06.98, Kovacs 4:08.50, Keszeg 4:10.38. Puica ran 8:40.16 to win the 3000m.-

Other results from that magazine include Zagorcheva 12.42 (100H), Khalifa beating Ovett in Lappeenranta; GDR Champs, Gohr 10.93, Koch 10.97/21.78, Drechsler 7.15; Bern, Cruz 2:15.11, Slaney 1:56.90; Donetsk, Povarnitsin 2.40m (WR); Zurich, 800m Cruz 1:42.88, mile Slaney 4:16.71, Puica 4:17.33, Budd 4:17.57, mile Aouita 3:46.92, 1500m, Deleze 3:31.75, Coe 3:32.13, long jump Drecshler 7.39m, Joyner 7.24m.

[Interested]

Nevets,

I have the same slight doubts as yourself regarding Doina Melinte's 54.6 last lap in the Romanian Championships, although the heading, 'Melinte's amazing kick' gives it some credence, I suppose. That's pretty amazing running off a pb of 52.5!! She probably had to go from the bell, though to make it possible.

Interestingly, the report of the England Women v Romanian Women on Sept 14 (published in the 28 September issue) gives the 1500m result as 1. Melinte (R) 4:24.91, 2. M.Keseg (R) 4:26.27, 3. B.Smyth (E) 4:26.31. The report states: "That 1500m is worthy of a mention, not for the fact that it was a good win for Melinte, but for the split times that were recorded - 77.50 (400m), 2:32.13 (800m), and 3.25.43 at the bell! It all played into Melinte's hands, who kicked at 300m to go for a 59.5 last lap and an easy win"

I'm going to settle for an Open Verdict, if it's all the same to you!

A similar, impressive photo of Marita Koch, this time in a 4x 400m relay made the AW cover a fortnight later, although the musculature appears less well-defined (!) in colour.

In that Sept 14 issue, in addition to the useful facts you noted, there is an article by Mel Watman covering the world record high jump performance (first man to reach 2.40m) by 'unknown' Russian, Rudolf Povarnitsin (previous pb 2.26m!!!) who was overlooked for an international place the following week...
news of Said Aouita's 1500m WR: 3.25.45...
and a scathing attack on a Frank Horwill article (What they say - System Coaches) by Chris Brasher: (This is nonsense - total, unadulterated nonsense.)

Horwill's article had concerned the coaching system, as he understood it, of Franz Stampfl. Brasher's response in a Reader's Letter (Putting Things Straight) describes, in broad terms, the training regime of Chataway and Brasher in the late 1950's and gives a good overview of periodisation in training methodology.

Well worth a read!

[nevetssllim]

She has a fantastic range - 52.5, 1:55, 3:56, 8:37 - the article, where I saw her PB's dubbed her the Said Aouita of women's middle distance running.

I love pouring over the results in the old magazines, particularly the A5 ones, edited by Mel Watman.

[Interested]

The fact that I have kept these copies for so long (1978-87) indicate that I was an avid reader of AW - although I recently disposed of a complete series from 1997- 2005 because I found them too bulky to store.

Regarding AW, my one claim to fame was that I won Letter of the Week 3 times! (Two pairs of running shoes and some T shirts...)

[Interested]

...incidentally, Frank Horwill responded to Chris Brasher's scathing dismissal of his article (in the 9 November issue of AW) by making several pertinent points to support his views. He asked for an apology for the abusive nature of the attack and, somewhat generously, I feel, concluded that he felt Brasher would make a good coach.

[Highlander]

Nice find. Very interesting to see how they are doing now. Oh and yeah these Romanian girls looked ummmm differant.

[nevetssllim]

I can't believe AW printed this letter! I was flicking through some old mags from the 80's and some guy was discussing about Jarmila Kratochvilova and one letter said that it was like watching a buffalo run against a pack of gazelles - or something to that extent

[Interested]

Ah, those were the days - pre PC!!!!! This seems to be one of those instances, though, when a likely response may well have been "Absolutely outrageous! But I can see what you mean..."

If I remember rightly, there was often a noticeable delay in published response time. I think this was the case in the Horwill/Brasher exchange I previously mentioned. This was perhaps due to the lack of present day technology...which led to (sometimes) more measured debate because by the time a letter was published, a lot of heat was lost from the response!
I'm going to have to traipse back up to the loft and look for the follow up to this one - did you remember to note the date of the issue?!

[nevetssllim]

I'm afraid not but if I have time, I can check but it was printed in 1984 and in one of the summer months (might've been June). It was quite funny because the week after that letter was published, he was ripped to shreds from repliers

[Interested]

Thanks, I'll check this one out and try to search the correct year this time!

[kingmaker]

But it was true.

[paulouk83]

on this race mary decker went on to continue to prove what a nasty spoilt brat she was and later a drug cheat!

there is an interview on you tube from the 90s between decker and budd! decker is rude, shameful and full of her own self worth! this race destroyed a quiet/shy zola and she never got back to her best! the american public was rude and the whole thing makes me angry!

any commentry you watch of mary says she cant run in groups she has to be alone, she knows deep down she ran a stupid race and she tripped. but zola was not to blame!

[Jackandrew]

But it was true.

yes i thing

[JimmyMack]

Regarding Puica, I had a some conversations with her grand daughter on YouTube a few years back. Although not running competitively on the Masters circuit, she was still very active. Her grand daughter says "she runs everywhere: to the shops, to the bank, it's impossible to keep up with her - she's amazing".

In Zola Budd's autobiography, she says that the reason the clash happened was because she moved to front to stop herself being crowded by Wendy Sly and Mary Decker. If you watch the race, after a very fast first few laps with Decker leading and Budd at her shoulder, the paces slows and the field starts bunching. Sly moves up on the outside, Budd responds, as does Decker, and the increase in pace pulls the three of them plus Puica clear of the pack.

It's Budd who eventually gets to the front, and when she gets there she slows the pace back down again. Decker runs up the back of her, and she ends up falling. So, they were both at fault, really. Budd wasn't clear enough in front to slow the pace down again, but Decker could have avoided running into her.

Had the race proceeded without incident, my guess would have been that Puica would have got the gold, Decker the silver, and Budd the bronze.

[mump boy]

She has a really horrible way about her doesn't she

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOwJGay1sxM