News10 Aug 2004


On this day in Olympic Athletics History

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1984 Olympic 3000m Final - Sly, Puica, Budd (© Getty Images)

In our build up to the Athletics competitions of the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens, we recall some notable anniversaries.

On this day in Los Angeles (10 August 1984), there were a couple of dramatic incidents on the track.

In one of the most cruel ‘mid-race’ dramas of Olympic Athletics History, the medal hopes of the reigning women’s World 1500m and 3000m champion Mary Decker (USA) were extinguished thanks to a collision (just after 1700m) between her and Britain’s Zola Budd, which sent the American crashing to the ground and out of the 3000m final.

The race was left to a last 500m sprint between Romania’s Maricica Puica and Britain’s Wendy Sly, who had also been close at hand during the collision incident, with the Romanian taking the win in an Olympic record.

There was also a memorable incident in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase final when a bizarre-minded fan tried to join the race at the water jump on the second lap. Thankfully no one was impeded.

Kenya’s Julius Korir was later able to kick for home with 220m to go to claim the Olympic crown, which was then his country’s third title at the distance in Olympic history.

Women’s 3000m
1. Maricica Puica ROM 8:35.96 OR
2. Wendy Sly GBR 8:39.47
3. Lynn Williams CAN 8:42.14

Men’s 3000m Steeplechase
1. Julius Korir KEN 8:11.80
2. Joseph Mahmoud FRA 8:13.31
3. Brian Diemer USA 8:14.06

Athens Olympic Games -

LIVE 'Event by Event' Coverage

The IAAF’s internet team will bring you comprehensive coverage of all the news and competition from the Olympics as it happens, including Previews, Features, and Interviews.

LIVE 'Event by Event' coverage of the Athletics competitions of the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad will be provided as of Wednesday 18 August - from the Shot Put competitions in Olympia, and from Friday 20 August when the rest of the competition programme commences in the main Olympic stadium in Athens.

CLICK HERE for full competition news - at the end of every preliminary / qualification round, quarter/semi-finals, and final stage (ie. not after each individual heat) - from all Athletics disciplines.

IAAF

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