Classic moments

[pegleg]

The count-down is more than half way through and there's just over 20 spots remaining. Who do you feel deserves a place in the top 20, and which athletic moment would you rank as the greatest?

Personally, I think the BBC poll's top ten wasn't too bad, and all of them deserve to be in the top fifteen at least (although with the order reshuffled for some of them). Beamon's 8.90m seemed to be ranked a little low, while Jonathan Edwards' 18.29m was surprisingly high. Difficult to look past MJ's 19.32 as one of the greatest moments ever.

What do others think?

[daisy]

I hate these polls as they are always too subjective and try to compare apples with oranges. they are good for generating great discussions, or should i say arguments. I agree with the 19.32. I was lucky enough to witness that race live. I had a seat that looked down the track towards the 100m start (i was near the 400m starts. i was high enough in the nose bleed to see the progression of the race). It was absolutely ridiculous How far ahead the first three were. And of course Johnson was way on his own. The classic moment was when they came around the bend into the straight. I'm sure we'll won't see another international race like it soon.

From a British perspective I still rank Thompson's LA win up there with the best. He had the charisma, he had the arch rival and he nearly it blew it in the discus. If you had scripted that competition for a movie everyone would have said it was unrealistic. Same with the 19:32 too.

The Powell/Lewis long jump must also rank high, especially for Britian since McColgin was getting her gold medal in the 10,000 during that event (unless my memory is going, which is possible). Greatest jumping competition I've ever seen, again made so great because it was a classic duel.

[PatC]

Obviously Beamon and MJ and Bubka and Oerter and Tokyo 91 LJ and Carl's LA quadruple and Bannister and Moses' streak etc., are BIG but I have one woman's performance and one man's to present:

1. JJK's 7291 - In 1988, she was near the top of the US lists in six of the seven events -200, 100H, HJ, LJ, SP, JT, plus TJ and 400H, and her 800 was a 2:08.

2. Uwe Hohn's 104m JT. It was so outrageous that they had to fundamentally change the event. How's that for being significant?

[kima]

Staying true to the "classic" part of the question I think the Lewis-Powell LJ comp in Tokyo was a truly classic moment. THE greatest comp ever for drama-and a WR to boot!
Then I would go with beamon's LJ and then MJ's 200m in Atlanta.

Bannister wouldn't make my top 5 but then I am too young to know much about him.

[daisy]

Bannister wouldn't make my top 5 but then I am too young to know much about him.

I have to agree with this, assuming you mean his oxford four minute mile. How many others broke four minutes that year? Landy for sure. He was not light years ahead and in a way was lucky to get there first. I would rate the race he had with Landy to win the empire games in 1954 much more highly than his first four minute mile. That was a great race. i don't remember the race but I saw the play by play on the CBC web site.

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-1303-76 ... nute_mile/.

Bannister had the perfect rabbit and used him well. Both under four minutes!

Let's not forget the US's big upset moment with Billy Mills. It's still talked about all these years later and that's in a country that does not really care too much for athletics. You can see a poor video of the last lap

http://www.christianrelief.org/2fps_1_.mov

The commentator goes absolutely berserk at the end.

[pegleg]

He was not light years ahead and in a way was lucky to get there first.

I agree. He was simply in the right place at the right time. Could have happened to any one of a number of men. And because he is British, it has been blown out of all proporton in this country ever since.

Can anyone convincingly explain what is so special about breaking four minutes in the mile? Why doesn't Bubka get as much recognition for being the first over 6m? Or Vilma Bardauskiene for being the first woman to break 7m in the LJ? They are both far more respectable performances, relatively speaking.

[kima]

Vilma Bardauskiene for being the first woman to break 7m in the LJ? They are both far more respectable performances, relatively speaking.

I have never heard of her.

I was either running around chasing toddlers at the time or drunk! Or both!

[pegleg]

Vilma Bardauskiene for being the first woman to break 7m in the LJ?

I have never heard of her

Which is exactly my point. Why does Bannister continue to get so much praise and attention for running a sub-4 minute mile (a time that several junior athletes better on a yearly basis), whereas Bardauskiene is a relative unknown, despite her 7m jump – a performance that would challenge for medals in most major championships almost 30 years later.

[kima]

Gald to be of assistance. My ignorance can be a good thing!

On my list of things to do today is to read up on her!

But what you say is very true.
But if the British people still remember and admire Bannister (and they seem to) then that does make it classic. And let's face it AW has got to think of its major readership first.
I am sure there are lots of debates flying around their office.

[Jon Mulkeen]

1. JJK's 7291 - In 1988, she was near the top of the US lists in six of the seven events -200, 100H, HJ, LJ, SP, JT, plus TJ and 400H, and her 800 was a 2:08.

I agree there. She's so often overlooked, mainly because hers wasn't a 'glamour' event (unlike the 100m or – dare I say – the mile ). But her 7291 is an absolutely awesome performance. To do it on the Olympic stage simply adds to its magnificence, as does the long jump title she won (with a 7.40m jump!) a few days after that. A true legend; a true classic moment.

[kima]

1. JJK's 7291 - In 1988, she was near the top of the US lists in six of the seven events -200, 100H, HJ, LJ, SP, JT, plus TJ and 400H, and her 800 was a 2:08.

. A true legend; a true classic moment.

Amen brother!

JJK does not get nearly the attention and accolades she deserves.
I have said it before and I'll say it again she is the greatest female athlete of all time in any sport.

Her WR Hep would be fourth on my classic moments list.

Gee that reminds me of a an avatar that would be cool here....

[slowcoach]

Why does Bannister continue to get so much praise and attention for running a sub-4 minute mile...

Maybe he does, but then again, he did lop two whole seconds off the world record. Forgetting about the "barrier", that is pretty good going.

All of the world records from 1954 are pretty mediocre now; but that isn't the point, is it? They're memorable when they happen. 4 laps in four minutes was the attraction. Try one lap in one minute next time you're at a track.

Everybody knows about Paavo Nurmi and Jesse Owens and Emil Zatopek, even though club athletes (maybe not in JC's case) or even women can beat their performances.

But for one day, or one period, they were top dog, head honcho, main man, king-o-the-hill, etc., etc., a la "Airplane".

[pegleg]

Maybe he does, but then again, he did lop two whole seconds off the world record. Forgetting about the "barrier", that is pretty good going.

So did Herb Elliott, Jim Ryun and Noureddine Morceli, but Bannister is more famous than all of those put together (even though Morceli's WR was some 12 seconds faster than Bannister's!)

4 laps in four minutes was the attraction.

But why was it such a big attraction? And why does Bannister continue to get praise for that 50+ years on, now that a four-minute mile has been put into perspective? Why wasn't "two laps in two minutes" such an attraction for women when Sin Kim Dan broke that barrier?

All of the world records from 1954 are pretty mediocre now; but that isn't the point, is it?

Hmmm... in some cases it is. I personally prefer athletes setting ground-breaking marks and being WELL ahead of their time (Owens, Beamon, etc) as opposed to athletes breaking 'barriers' suggested by people because they were nice round numbers. We then run the risk of making "heros" of athletes who were simply in the right place at the right time.

[Fleeter]

What about kenny stuarts 1.02 snowdon race or his ben nevis record?

[pegleg]

What about kenny stuarts 1.02 snowdon race or his ben nevis record?

We're talking about athletics moments here.

[Fleeter]

thats a classic athletics moment isnt it?

[pegleg]

thats a classic athletics moment isnt it?

It's a classic Fell running moment. The two are entirely different sports.

I repeat - ask Lamine Diack if you don't believe me.

[Fleeter]

whos that?

[pegleg]

whos that?

That says it all.

http://www.iaaf.org/insideIAAF/structur ... index.html

[brett]

He's a lightweight - only 15 children... pah!

[Fleeter]

sorry i didnt know.

[wilyvet]

What about kenny stuarts 1.02 snowdon race or his ben nevis record?

We're talking about athletics moments here.

Nice way to welcome fell-runners as though they might be lepers! Does that mean we might not now have to register with UK Athletics after the Foster report?

[Fleeter]

well they obviousley dont like fell running

[mountainrunner]

Kenny Stuart is a british athletics all time great. And many of his achievements would warrant inclusion in a list of classic athletics moments - but the BBC would not be able to include them in their TV programmes as there is probably not any video footage of his feats on the hills.

[mountainrunner]

Another phenominal performance is Billy Blands record for the Bob Graham round.

[penguin]

whos that?

That says it all.

http://www.iaaf.org/insideIAAF/structur ... index.html

only 15 kids with all the time on his hands you would have thought he could have doubled the kid count!!

Pegleg
if you want me to ask him let me know?

Penguin

[mountainrunner]

Lamine Diak is actually quite a fan of mountain running

[wilyvet]

I repeat - ask Lamine Diack if you don't believe me.

With a CV, a family and job-list of that size, he might be a little too busy to answer any questions especially from a humble fell-runner.

Classic moments? For me it would be way back in black and white when Ann Packer came from nowhere to win that 800 metres gold as a virtual novice at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

[pegleg]

JJK's 7291 - In 1988, she was near the top of the US lists in six of the seven events -200, 100H, HJ, LJ, SP, JT, plus TJ and 400H, and her 800 was a 2:08.

http://www.athletics-weekly.com/back-is ... 9-41-7.htm

[ecg]

for me it is johnathan edwards world record leap at the world champs. nothing has gave me as much adrenaline and goosebumps since.