Allan Wells pictured above at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, South London.
"The 1970s and late developments."
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Allan Wells was the Scottish junior triple jump champion in 1970 and
until his early twenties regarded himself as a long jumper. He leapt
over 24 feet (7.32m) during 1972 and it wasn't until 1975 that he
finally appeared on the U.K. ranking lists as a sprinter - a lowly 127th
on the 200metres list with 22.2sec. Things were to change in 1976 when
he had decided it was as a sprinter he would make his way in the
athletics world. He rocketed to the top with a time of 10.55sec. set at
the Crystal Palace (pictured above in wonderful old-fashioned shoes)
and dramatically cut his 200m. best to 21.42sec. to rank 8th in the
U.K. for the longer sprint.
By 1978 he was the Commonwealth 200m.
champion (winning with a wind-assisted 20.12sec.) after setting a U.K.
record of 20.61 in the heats and finished second to the great Don
Quarrie in the 100 metres: 10.03sec. to 10.07sec. in a 'gale' assisted
race aided by a +7.51 tail wind. He was less successful at the 1978
European Championships (10.45 secs) finishing 6th in the 100m. behind
Pietro Mennea who won in 10.27 secs. During 1978 Allan was clearly
moving to centre stage in world sprinting.
He had equalled Peter
Radford's 1958 electronically timed U.K. record of 10.29sec. for the
100m (fellow Scot Menzies Campbell had twice run hand timed 10.2 secs
during 1967) before improving it to 10.15sec. six days later. In 1979 he
set about improving his 200m. record and by the end of the year had
done so twice, but perhaps more importantly at that year's World Cup in
Turin he had beaten Pietro Mennea the double European Champion and world
record holder for the 200 metres.
What prospects would 1980 and the
Olympic Games hold ? (GH).
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George Herringshaw's shot taken on July 25, 1980 shows Great Britain's Allan Wells winning the
100 metres in Moscow, at the Olympic Games held there. ©
" Records and medals at 1980 Olympics."
The boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by the USA gave Allan Wells
a truly golden opportunity. The year before he had indicated that he
was now becoming a real force in world sprinting, with U.K. records of
10.15 sec. and 20.42sec. and despite being comparatively 'old' at 28 he
travelled to Russia intent on winning Olympic medals. By the 2nd round
of the 100m his ascendency to the very top was confirmed: a new British
record of 10.11sec. followed by a winning performance in the semifinal.
Could he now become the first Briton since Peter Radford (1960) to win
an individual sprint medal or better still emulate Harold Abrahams
(1924) by taking the coverted gold? Cuba's Silvio Leonard would ensure
he did not do so without a fight.
The 100m. final was as close a race as
is possible. Wells and Leonard, on opposite flanks (lanes 1 and 8),
battled neck and neck and appeared to have dead-heated as they both
crossed the line in 10.25 secs. But upon close examination of the photo
finish print the Scotsman was declared the winner. Photo above is minus Leonard !
He thus became the oldest ever Olympic 100m. champion. Could he now
become the first ever Briton to complete the sprint double? With the
confidence of a champion he coasted through to the final, clocking the
fastest time en route (20.59 in the 2nd rd) with world record holder
Pietro Mennea (20.60) also in sparkling form. The Italian, however,
saved his best for the final and despite taking an early lead Allan had
to concede defeat, even though he set a British record of 20.21sec.
Mennea's 20.19 was just too good.(GH). |
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Men's 100m. Final.
Commonwealth Games 1982
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| 1. Allan WELLS |
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SCO |
|
10.05 |
| 2. Ben JOHNSON |
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CAN |
|
10.07 |
| 3. Cameron SHARP |
|
SCO |
|
10.09 |
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Men's 200m. Final.
Commonwealth Games 1982
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| |
| 1.=Allan WELLS |
|
SCO |
|
20.43 |
| 1.=Mike McFARLANE |
|
ENG |
|
20.43 |
| 3. Cameron SHARP |
|
SCO |
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20.55 |