What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

[Tuariki]

In the "Historical" message board "Past AOY" thread I stated my opinion that Bob Beamon's 1968 jump of 8.90m was the single greatest individual performance in Olympic history.

Both noone and GH appear to disagree:

This observation is unlikely to help you gain admission to the Track and Field experts hall of fame.

Beamon is monstrously altitude-aided (for certain), and massively wind-aided (by all competent observers who were there)

So I thought that while every one is turning their minds to telling mump boy their most memorable T&FN Olympic moments perhaps you might want to tell us what you consider is the single greatest individual performance in T&FN Olympic history and why.

So to start.

The case against Beamon appears to be that his performance was:

1. at altitude; and

2. was wind aided, possibly substantially more than the official reading of 2.0mps.

The case in support of Beamon's is as follows:

1. Beamon increased the world record by 6.6 per cent from 8.35 to 8.90m. Is this the greatest increase of a world record?

2. Beamon increased the Olympic record by 9.6 per cent from 8.12 to 8.90m. Is this the greatest increase of an Olympic record?

3. Beamon’s winning margin of 0.71m was 8.7 per cent greater than Klaus Beer’s jump of 8.19m. Is this the greatest winning margin of all time?

4. Beamon’s Olympic record still stands after 44 years

5. Sports illustrated rated Beamon’s jump as one of the 5 greatest moments of sport in the 20th century

6. This very magazine, TnF News, named Beamon as 1968 Athlete Of The Year, presumably for his 8.90m jump at Mexico City, altitude or no altitude, wind or no wind.

7. Inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 in the first batch of inductees

8. I said so :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wind comments
The official reading was 2.0. I accept it is possible the wind was stronger and perhaps significantly so. However, the reality is that no one has verifiable evidence of this. A well-founded suspicion perhaps, but a well-founded suspicion is not evidence. And unless those competent observers were actually standing alongside the runway during Beamon's jump, with an anemometer in hand, then those long distant observations are irrelevant and meaningless.

Sports Illustrated’s greatest moments in 20th century sport
1. The 1980 Olympic hockey team stuns the Soviet Union winning gold, Feb. 23, 1980
2. Bobby Thomson's "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" to win NL pennant, Oct. 3, 1951
3. Mark McGwire's home run No. 62 to break Roger Maris' single-season record, Sept. 8, 1998
4. Muhammad Ali TKO's Sonny Liston in round 7 to win the heavyweight title, Feb. 25, 1964
5. Bob Beamon shatters the long jump world record at the Mexico City, Oct. 18, 1968

[aaronk]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

Greatest performance??
Putting aside the "controversial" ones (Beamon's and Flojo's), I'll go with one rarely mentioned.

Herb Elliott winning the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome with a WR, and CRUSHING his opposition in doing so.

Elliott had already slashed the WR in the 1500 prior to Rome, taking it from 3:38.1 to 3:36.0

As we well know about Olympic middle distance/long distance finals, WR's are quite rare!!
So for Elliott to take down his own WR (by 0.4, to 3:35.6!!), and to beat Michael Jazy by 2.8 seconds.....well, for me, that's the greatest performance in OG history in T&F.

There's a video of part of that race on YouTube.
It's 2:37 long, and has part of the race, plus Elliott talking to the camera about it.
But I can't get the link right.
Just google "Herb Elliott Olympics race" and you'll come to it.

[Master Po]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

Beamon's and Elliott's performances are certainly worthy candidates, imo. In addition, I would choose Bikila's two marathon victories, each significant beyond the "mere" fact of being OG gold medal performances.

[DoubleRBar]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

I'm not sure if it is the greatest performance in track and field Olympic history, but I believe that David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91 would have to rank pretty high on most people's list. I have been to a few Olympic Games and have seen several world records, but David's run in London was something special.

[Tuariki]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

Beamon's and Elliott's performances are certainly worthy candidates, imo. In addition, I would choose Bikila's two marathon victories, each significant beyond the "mere" fact of being OG gold medal performances.

Barry Magee of New Zealand took the marathon bronze in Rome in 1960. I recall reading when I was a kid somewhere that Magee and Arthur Lydiard, just before the race started, had looked around assessing the competitors while they were warming up and had immediately discounted some skinny African guy in bare feet. Of course that skinny African guy went on to win and become the greatest marathon runner in history (my opinion only).

[mump boy]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

Oi don't try an steel my thunder :P

Surely there's a lot of overlap. why not vote and we'll have a conclusive result from what might zs well be a "track and field experts hall of fame'

[Mighty Favog]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

There was a time when I would have nominated MJ's 19.32. So I suppose any of Bolt's WRs would have to be considered superior to that. Another sprint performance to put in that category is Hayes' 4x100 anchor leg in Tokyo.

My gut instinct, without having looked anything up, is either Rudisha this year or Nurmi's 1500/5000 double in a very short space of time in 1924.

[Tuariki]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

There was a time when I would have nominated MJ's 19.32. So I suppose any of Bolt's WRs would have to be considered superior to that. Another sprint performance to put in that category is Hayes' 4x100 anchor leg in Tokyo.

How one decides on their own ground rules for their choice I think you would be doing yourself a disservice by tying yourself to such a tight criterion. Such a criterion would more less rule out any performance that wasn't the current Olympic or World Record.

Like you, I also think Bob Hayes anchor leg remains the most awesome finishing leg of any relay in the history of the Games. I think you have to just a performance against its time and not against the future as we now know it.

IMO MJ's 19.32 was a greater performance when measured against the status quo of the time.

[steve]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

Kevin Young 46.78. Strange because his career doesn't hold a candle to the brilliance of Edwin Moses's. But this performance was unexpected and freakishly excellent.

[Jackaloupe]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

As y'all seem to be tossing out many a (just) 'memorable', some of them a bit obscure, I'll simply remind you that Alberto "El Caballo" Juantorena's 400/800 double in Montreal ('76) was plenty memorable. Can't recall the margin of victory, but it sure seemed dominant from the stands.

One unique "Performance" in Montreal was the Streaker at the Closing Ceremony who loped his way thru the "(+ or -) 100 Young Girrlls", as the local announcer had it, forming the Olympic Rings. Discrete Security waited until that number was completed to nab him, with a blanket.

[Master Po]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

As y'all seem to be tossing out many a (just) 'memorable', some of them a bit obscure, I'll simply remind you that Alberto "El Caballo" Juantorena's 400/800 double in Montreal ('76) was plenty memorable. Can't recall the margin of victory, but it sure seemed dominant from the stands.

While I previously suggested Bikila's performances (either, or both) as the greatest -- Juantorena's double also came to mind, so glad to see that one in this list. And of course, Rudisha (already mentioned, too).

So far, all the performances mentioned are on the men's side -- what would be the greatest on the women's side?

[gh]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

....
The official reading was 2.0. I accept it is possible the wind was stronger and perhaps significantly so. However, the reality is that no one has verifiable evidence of this. A well-founded suspicion perhaps, but a well-founded suspicion is not evidence. And unless those competent observers were actually standing alongside the runway during Beamon's jump, with an anemometer in hand, then those long distant observations are irrelevant and meaningless....

There's no "verifiable evidence" for the Flojo 10.49 either, and we all know it's a total crock of shit.

Sorry to tell you this on Xmas Eve, but there is no Santa Claus.

[Per Andersen]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

....
The official reading was 2.0. I accept it is possible the wind was stronger and perhaps significantly so. However, the reality is that no one has verifiable evidence of this. A well-founded suspicion perhaps, but a well-founded suspicion is not evidence. And unless those competent observers were actually standing alongside the runway during Beamon's jump, with an anemometer in hand, then those long distant observations are irrelevant and meaningless....

There's no "verifiable evidence" for the Flojo 10.49 either, and we all know it's a total crock of shit.

Sorry to tell you this on Xmas Eve, but there is no Santa Claus.

There is a difference. We know the facts around the 10.49 and logic dictates that the 10.49 was hugely wind aided.
But logic does not dictate that Beamon's jump had more than 2.0 wind. It's quite possible but not certain.
One question: What was your impression of the Beamon jump in Mexico, altitude and all? I mean when you saw it on TV?

For me it was the most stunning and shocking thing I have ever witnessed in sports. That jump and maybe Bolt's 100 WR in Bejing.

[rhymans]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

GH said -
Sorry to tell you this on Xmas Eve, but there is no Santa Claus.

I knew this ever since it was explained so cogently by Marx [Groucho not Karl]

[rhymans]

Re: What was the greatest performance in TnF Olympic history

One angle of the Beamon jump shows a large green flag some 5 metres past the pit by track side - it's at the 55 second mark on this video. The flag is showing the effect of a blustering wind - almost certainly more than 2.0 (and possibly around 3 m/s)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daFAvy2OOvw