An incredible feat in the post-doping era
Chang W. Lee/The New York Times — Tianna Madison, from left,
Carmelita Jeter, Bianca Knight and Allyson Felix paused before
celebrating a world record in the 4x100-meter relay Friday.
Setting Record, and Setting Record Straight
By JERÉ LONGMAN, NYT
Published: August 11, 2012
LONDON — Far from the London Games, in the eastern German town of Jena, Marlies Gohr watched television Friday as the United States broke one of track and field’s oldest and most suspect records in the women’s 4x100-meter relay.
When the time flashed — 40.82 seconds — even the Americans were stunned. Most sprint records are sliced onion thin, set by hundredths of a second at a time. This one was slashed by more than half a second from the 41.37 run by Gohr and three East German teammates on Oct. 6, 1985, in Canberra, Australia.
On Saturday, Gohr, now 54 and a psychologist, said by telephone that she was not surprised the record had fallen. “Twenty-seven years is a long time,” Gohr said. “The Americans put on a very strong performance.”
That East German record had been set on one of the most infamous days in track and field. Another East German, Marita Koch, ran the open 400 in 47.60 seconds that October in Canberra. No woman has since come closer than 65-hundredths of a second to that mark. Koch’s record seems likely to remain unapproachable for years.
(More here.)
Published: August 11, 2012
LONDON — Far from the London Games, in the eastern German town of Jena, Marlies Gohr watched television Friday as the United States broke one of track and field’s oldest and most suspect records in the women’s 4x100-meter relay.
When the time flashed — 40.82 seconds — even the Americans were stunned. Most sprint records are sliced onion thin, set by hundredths of a second at a time. This one was slashed by more than half a second from the 41.37 run by Gohr and three East German teammates on Oct. 6, 1985, in Canberra, Australia.
On Saturday, Gohr, now 54 and a psychologist, said by telephone that she was not surprised the record had fallen. “Twenty-seven years is a long time,” Gohr said. “The Americans put on a very strong performance.”
That East German record had been set on one of the most infamous days in track and field. Another East German, Marita Koch, ran the open 400 in 47.60 seconds that October in Canberra. No woman has since come closer than 65-hundredths of a second to that mark. Koch’s record seems likely to remain unapproachable for years.
(More here.)
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