by Rob Leachman Part One – Randy Matson “Frankly, the event didn’t excite me too much,” Randy Matson offered regarding his first experience with the shot put. In his first track meet at the age of twelve, after winning the 50-yard dash, the 100-yard dash, the high jump, and the long jump, he could muster … Read more
by Rob Leachman In this series, the author takes a historic look at the men’s shot put in an effort to identify the greatest in the history of the event. With the recent meteoric rise of Ryan Crouser, Leachman uses a set of criteria to determine whether Crouser or the greatest shot putters of the … Read more
Five Athletes Linked by One Race by Rob Leachman From the “Great Rivalries of Olympic Track and Field” Series In the decades following their meeting on the Olympic track in Los Angeles, the five main characters in that fateful event, Slaney, Budd, and the three medalists, each in her own way lived a successful and … Read more
“Aftermath: Seeking a Return to Normal“ by Rob Leachman From the “Great Rivalries in Olympic Track and Field” Series In the hours and days following their momentous 3,000-meter clash, the experiences of Mary Decker and Zola Budd were vastly different. And under very different circumstances, each quickly headed for home. After being examined and receiving … Read more
“An Unlikely Rivalry” by Rob Leachman From the “Great Rivalries of Olympic Track and Field” Series While young Zola Budd was experiencing emotional turmoil as the Los Angeles Games approached, the more seasoned, two-time world champion Mary Decker was experiencing her own challenges. The “Double Decker” naturally increased expectations, with many American fans now hoping … Read more
“The Tragic Rise of Zola Budd” by Rob Leachman From the “Great Rivalries of Olympic Track and Field” Series While eight-year-old Mary Decker was going to school and playing with her friends in New Jersey, Hendrina Wilhelmina “Tossie” De Swardt was giving birth to her sixth child. But things at Bloemfontein Hospital in South Africa … Read more
“Little Mary Decker” by Rob Leachman From the “Great Rivalries of Olympic Track and Field” Series Some rivalries are made for the media, storylines of perpetual quests for Olympic glory, or battles of perceived good versus evil serving to drive up ratings and circulation. In the case of Mary Decker’s tragic encounter with Zola Budd … Read more
Great Rivalries in Olympic Track and Field Series Every four years the greatest track and field athletes in the world converge on the highest, most pressure-packed stage in sport in the Olympic Games. Given the relative infrequency of these quadrennial competitions, even the greatest of these athletes typically have available to them one or maybe … Read more
