Zola BUDD

Zola Budd, though born in South Africa, competed for Great Britain - the birth place of her grandfather. In 1984 at the age of seventeen she broke the women's 5,000 metres world record whilst living in South Africa but the record was not accepted by the IAAF. She then applied for British citizenship, which was granted, the objective being to compete at the Olympic Games, from which her country was barred because of it's undemocratic government's racism towards non white people.

She duly competed at the Games in Los Angeles but not without controversy. During the race she clipped the heel of Mary Decker who tumbled to the ground and out of the race in which the American was expected to contest a medal. As the result below shows Zola also failed to win a medal. Two years later, in a much faster race, Zola also missed out on a medal at the European Championships in Germany. Although she failed to some degree on the track, over the Country she was far more successful, winning two World Championship titles.

The first in 1986, when she beat Ingrid Christiansen and her second the following year. In 1985 she did set an official world record for the 5,000 metres (then not an event contested at the major championships) running 14m 48.07 seconds in London. It was Ingrid's record she beat but the following year the Norwegian regained the record. Zola, after several years out of athletics returned, to South Africa and ran for that Country at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona in the 3,000 metres, but failed to reach the final.

In 1985 and 1986 she won the World cross county championships.