1980 IAAF World Cross Country Championships (last 1/2 mile)

Craig Virgin winning the 1980 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Paris, France. Craig is the only American man in U.S. history to win a World Cross Country championship and he's done it twice!

[@nancydavis2986]

A rather interesting side note to that is that Craig almost went down in the mud in the early going. Nick Rose grabbed him as he nearly fell and righted him.

[@JohnBrown-be6re]

Craig Virgin took the phrase "finishing like a train" to a new level, amazing.

[@ptduff]

I've never seen that before. That's an awesome video. Rivals the Billy Mills finish in the 1964 10000.

[@sky2315]

Man... To even run on the same course he won the IHSA state titles on is just... Wow...

[@Werner824]

many thanks for that video, old memories...

[@kmkfox12]

You never hear color commentators like this...the commentating is really pulsating!!!

[@tommytempo1]

Great commentary by the late Ron Pickering.

[@seanofafrica]

100% right! The worse culprits were our 4x400m lads back in the 90s. People like Jamie Baulch would seemingly attempt to break their pb for the first 200m, then wonder why they run the last 100m in a time equivalent to that of a girl guide. The point of any race is to get to the finish in the shortest possible time, and that requires understanding your own pace judgment, not whinging that someone else has done this very act better than you.

[@Tommy1198S]

Wow, what a kick!!

[@officerdepfife]

equates to 4:44 pace/ml over the 12580meters (7.8mls.)

[@MultiCgp]

Well, my heart's out to Nick Rose and to anyone who leads a race from start to the last couple of hundred metres....then finishes 3rd.....those of you who race, how often has this happened to you...too many times for me ...

[@patmccloskey8488]

"It's not where you start, it's where you finish"

[@5277088]

@kmkfox12 @ultimateklay Good comments. One of the great sports clips, period.

[@donalowens1114]

I counted 4 'tragedy's in that commentary. It seems to have been US, UK, Western Europe back in the day.

[@357MagnumBob]

So where are the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners? in 2015, Kenya's entire team of 6 and Ethiopia's top 5 runners all finished ahead of the top Asian (Turkey-22nd) top North American (USA-24th) top Australian (28), top European (Esp-53) and top South American (Ecu-54).

[@ClassicRocker30]

@cicirunner I concur its not very similar to the mills race but strictly because virgin wasn't exactly a no name runner such as mills was.

[@ClassicRocker30]

@cicirunner I concurr its not very similar to the mills race but strictly because virgin wasn't exactly a no name runner such as mills was.

[@HutchDT]

He means Steve Plasencia's supposed time of 30:08, not 38:08...

[@seanofafrica]

Where's the typo? If you mean Guy Arbogast, that's his name!

[@cicirunner]

@ptduff rivals? I disagree, but it is reminiscent.

[@123starbaby321]

how long was this race? those are long times... lol

[@steveklayco]

Why can't we imports British commentators like we import Kenyan collegiate runners? Reminds me a bit of Mitchell and Webb's Snooker commentary. Look it up.

[@backintobalance9542]

Those commentators are dead and replaced by steve cram and steve ovett past Olympians and world mile record holders

[@ksanborn42]

typo at 5:34 haha

[@cesarcoelho7227]

What a victory. Great runner Craig was. But sincerely he would NOT GET a medal at the Olimpics. Africans and drug finns would out kick him