2016 Rio Olympics
Today, 32 years ago, Zola Budd and Mary Decker collided during Olympics race─── 11:16 Wed, 10 Aug 2016
South African athlete Zola Budd taking part in an athletics meeting for her school, Hoerskool Sentraal. Photo: John Rubython/Gallo
American runner, Mary Decker, tipped the favourite to win the 3000m race in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics crashed out when she accidentally collided with Bloemfontein-born Zola Budd.
Decker fell off the tracks and injured her hip during the collision and was unable to finish the race for an expected podium position.
Video: Youtube/Luke Lawson
Budd, who was running under British citizenship due to sanctions enforced upon South Africa due to its apartheid laws at the time, finished the race in seventh place.
The incident is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Olympic Games.
Source: South African History Online
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