I grew up 3 blocks from where he was born, he was often called " El Elegante de las pistas " "the elegant of the tracks " ... Proud Santiaguero, his brother is a good sportsman as well but in Karate ..
Kinda fun watching this as I ran against both Joaquim Cruz and Johnny Gray in 1981 when I was in college at Southern Oregon State College in Ashland Oregon. We would run at the twilight meets in Eugene back in the day. Course, I got my butt kicked by both of them but they were both great friends, tenacious competitors and even greater champions.
Its funny what you remember..... Ovetts shirt disappearing into the distance at 300 to go in a 15 (Southern counties champs uk 84)...... its then you realise the reality of a god given talent..
I’ve met Cruz, Coe, Ovett, Walker, Peter Elliot and Baumann. All gentlemen. Cruz was the friendliest most giving of time and Peter Elliot was also a good guy to chat to. To be fair Baumann was on the same track as me and very focused by doing some 400 reps, I forget his rep times but do remember he was smoking round the track with fairly short recoveries.
Thanks for mentioning Peter Elliot, he would have got an Olympic medal in the 1500 (1984) had he been allowed to go and probably Gold as at that point he was better than Coe.
@@archiewoosung5062 I wasn't that quick at school and could run national level later. Some people are behind others. Coe never trained that hard really. Watched him in the gym and it was a lot of face pulling doing next to zilch. You only saw the magic on the track.
22.9 first 200...that is amazing...more like a rabbit ...they kind of ambushed Alberto, but it was still fun to see his finish...a proud Cubano! Johnny Gray finished 4th,,,,,the end of an era!
Yes, and had he not gone out too quickly, he probably would have won in '88. Unfortunately, his left leg was several cm shorter than the right, causing chronic foot injuries. He never again reached his '84 level, although he was perhaps at 80% in '85 and late '88.
This must be the fastest and deepest field of quality class runners and times in the World today in 2019~! This for the 800 Meters is Unreal and Super Fast. Such Gifted and Talented runners indeed.
@@Ruda-n4h he had had injuries starting in 1974, when for the first time he had to to go through a surgery in one foot which kept him away from tracks for several months into 1975. He was not a lucky athlete.
Nothing presents strength, grace, and endurance like the stride of Alberto....a once in a lifetime athlete....he started in basketball...Peter Snell was originally a tennis player....the competitive aspects of these two great athletes and role models was nurtured in their other sports activities. Only a few really race against each other...most just fall into the same pace regardless of the outcome...Dave Wottle....what a fluke gold medal! In his own world....Jim Ryan was a great competitor also!
Couldn't agree more. His nickname was "el caballo" or "the horse" because of his sheer size and power. He was definitely a freak of nature as it was unheard of for a middle distance runner to be built like that back in those days.
I actually talked with him last week, and he said he missed the '88 Olympics because he had been hurt. So maybe that injury had something to do with him going "downhill," but I'm pretty sure he still got gold in both '92 and '96
Juantorena's prime didn't last more than two years because of injuries even before Montreal 76. For 1984 his career had been already finished for several years. But he had no choice, even in the case he didn't feel fit, he had to participate in competitions if that was what the Communist Party decided.
@@juliomiguel6597 In Helsinki 1983 he broke his leg. I was a kid reading about this "great champion of the past whose career is probably terminated", but he came back, still showed class despite age.
@@scouter-xn6zi I was a kid back in Cuba when he was in his prime. The most beautiful 400 m and 800 m races i have ever seen. Despite his physical assets, he had a big handicap for an athlete. flat feet. This warranted him injuries from the very beginning of his career. In fact it is almost unbelievable he got to be the best athlete in the planet for two years.
Cruz was obviously determined to beat Coe's world record. 1984 was his best season and I think he went downhill after 1984. Cram beat him a year later in 800.
After the Olympic gold I think everyone thought the record was his for the taking...I assumed his falling off was because they couldn't care less about athletics in Brazil.
@@archiewoosung5062 Or maybe he was just had 1 outstanding season. He was still competing as late as 96. Coe didnt have this quality of field when he set the WR in 81.
Looks to me he did a fine job, Cruz was the only athlete to be able to stick with him and he brought him through to within fighting distance of WR. Didn't notice him drop out but was prob lined up for P/M role.
