1985 Bislett Games - Steve Cram Mile WR

[@ovekkjlstad7703]

I was there. Standing close to the tracks. A marvelous experience. Ecstatic. The race was close to midtnight on a very warm summerday. A perfect day for a race. PS. The man with the hat in background of the interview is race director Arne Haukvik.

[@ericgeorge5483]

What a year for Steve Cram...UNREAL.

[@PNETriffid]

He peaked a year too late. Imagine if the Olympics had been in 1985.

[@joshhodkinson9305]

Even now, 36 years later, this performance still puts Cram 4th on the all-time list.

[@samhardy6319]

At his best, Cram was unbeatable.

[@redrum4100]

Still first for me, top three all on something.

[@rc2869]

@@redrum4100 and the 5th. El G was defo an EPOer

[@vincentvangogh8092]

@@samhardy6319 killer last 500m must have done some crazy training to bang his fast 500m off a decent pace

[@samhardy6319]

Balls. Cram was clean. Natural talent and hard work. He'd been a great junior.

[@No_One1_Special]

One of the most elegant runners ever… closed the final lap in just under 53 which is insane!

[@szymon6207]

10000m under wr 30 minutes women

[@tomcrowther3913]

I remember Coe saying that Cram was in a different world in this race. He knocked a second off the record in a slow race. That last lap was mental.

[@ynotnilknarf39]

A slower pace is better, this was the mistakes made back then and even now still happens particularl in the first 200metres! Negative splits are always the way to go for faster times, e.g. the insanity of 50 second first 400m in 800m races meant Coe never went sub 1:41 when he should have done. His second lap in Naples was 2.4sec slower than the first, the final 200m he flagged after going off far too fast! If Coe had run a 26.5s opening 200m (instead of a 24.5) followed by a 25 he would have deffo run near to or sub 1:41 IMO His 800m splits in 1981 were 24.5 (standing start)/25.2/25.3/26.7

[@Fontsman-14]

Cram's 85 season was phenomenal. He blitzed this world record.

[@shadowbannedbyyoutube415]

What a graceful runner Cram was.....truly wonderful style.

[@WAYNESWAYS-ib3cm]

I’ve always thought that He’s an such an Elegant runner ! As is Carl Lewis as a sprinter

[@_Myns]

Cram's style is majestic. His gesture of arms, body and head never breaks down, even when he knows what is coming behind him. The confidence with which Cram ran the meetings in 1985 was unbelievable.

[@rc2869]

Yep beat all 3 Olympic champions (Cruzz, Coe and Aouita) from previous year including 2 World Records.

[@APBCTechnique]

Golden boy of middle distances. Well capable of sub 3.44 in this new era.

[@scrumpymanjack]

The ultimate graceful runner. Sublime.

[@booklover3959]

When Cram said in the interview before the race that 3 min and 45 sec was in sight and then went 3:46.30 in the race, it makes you wonder what kind of training sessions he was doing that gave him that confidence. Obviously he was at the top of his game at the time.

[@mathematics5573]

.

[@mathematics5573]

I read he ran a road race 2 days before his mile WR.

[@bryancastillo8178]

Apparently he did really repeats anywhere from 200m to 800m with 15 sec rest for every 100m, so 30 sec rest for 200m and 2min for 800m. Maybe, 6-10x 400m with 1min rest in, well the time I have no idea

[@redd605]

The uneven pacemaking cost him and even better time needed a Tom byers in this race one of the greatest pacemaker in the sport of athletics.and so underated , his influence during the Coe Vs ovett battle

[@andrewdeacon8315]

The slow 3rd lap probably cost him up to 1.5 secs , this was to me his greatest performance even better and stronger than when he beat Aouitta a few weeks earlier

[@franciscocastanovazquez7703]

Great runner Steve Cram. An exceptional race. I remember the Golden mile in those years.

[@littlebobbystrong4143]

It's been a long time since I have heard Marty Liquori announcing a track meet.

[@jeffallinson8089]

In 1985 Steve Cram was almost unbeatable.

[@alfaduc]

It was his golden year. He even took down Cruz in the 800m!

[@tgjolga]

An epic race!!! Hear the crowd!

[@backintobalance9542]

He was unlucky at the Olympics but an all time great Majestic in his stride

[@keithbate9405]

1980 too soon for him : 1988 too late he was past it 1984 - He had been injured over the winter 83/84 and missed months of winter training . He got fit enough to run at the Olympics. But lacked his usual long drawn out finish.

[@runcaz7802]

Been searching for the Marty Liquory version of this race for years. Finally found it. Great job calling this race!

[@nickcrawford8740]

Great commentary. Never heard him before but up there with David Colman

[@johnmc3862]

That was when Cram could put a spurt on 300m from home, fantastic.

[@sanderslongdrive]

No grimacing and head shaking (Zatopek), no dramatic collapse on the line (Bannister), no dressing up in long tight 'gay boy' shorts, just pure style and class, modesty, and a lovely character. Steve is one of those people you can't help but regret never having met.

[@bfc3057]

Long tight "gay boy" shorts - I don't regret not meeting a homophobe like you. Incidentally, his head goes left to right, as it always did.

[@hhbeck-ziegler9333]

Great to see and these days the shoes makes the difference what i believe why i keep these guys with Ovett the best there been. And i am a Finn who loved to see Pekka Vasala with nearly as beautiful style as Cram win the olympic gold in 1972 .

[@chrismac2234]

The Rolls Royce of runners. And from Cramlington

[@davidfrancis273]

Cram's greatest race. He totally blew them away. Steve Scott's pre-race comment 'there are other guys in the race' Really?😂

[@scrumpymanjack]

Well, Gonzalez got second so he wasn't wrong, was he!

[@tedallison6112]

& 37 years later we got 3:46:46 from another supernatural runner; Jakob Ingebrigtsen

[@paulbailey7641]

Yep with go faster shoes rabbits and track.

[@sunnydays5581]

The Jarrow Arrow

[@albertbrooksjr.1435]

I remember watching this race live on ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1985. The build up after the 1984 Olympic 1500 meters final rematch was incredible.

[@mathematics5573]

AGREED AND REMEMBERED

[@paulwhite2533]

when athletics mattered

[@dashercronin]

Cram was the absolute biz. Big, strong, fast. 1500 meters and mile most exciting events in man to man sport and Cram's achievements span the generations. Imagine having, Coe and Ovett competing in that era as well representing one country!!?

[@philipd4466]

And then the icing on the cake...Jim Rosenthal!

[@jeremyhomewood7740]

Cram was capable of 3:44 that night for sure !!!!!!!!!

[@mathematics5573]

.

[@backintobalance9542]

Francis Hooton agree

[@APBCTechnique]

Backinto Balance agree

[@jeffiles7953]

I remember 1985 very clearly when Cram was unstoppable.

[@mikearndt2217]

Yes in ‘85 he was..

[@ervineokuboh7459]

Majestic performance by Steve Cram

[@ufoools]

The crowd wanted something special and the people on the field could see this was special, everyone in the stadium was buzzing.

[@jamesellis3583]

Still the European record to today!! ✊

[@keithbate9405]

Josh Kerr broke this at Oslo last week (May 24)

[@crosslink1493]

Didn't Jakob Ingebrigsten run faster at Eugene Oregon in late-2023? 3:43.6 IIRC.

[@backintobalance9542]

So fast last 200m by cram, must have been a 25.5 I timed it. well capable to run sub 3.45 that day

[@simonedwards5564]

TRUE SO TRUE WELL SAID

[@luispastor8089]

All the races in this era have something in common, attrocious pacing. Its sad to think how faster they would have been able to run there had been better pacers at the time..

[@keithbate9405]

This long standing British Record , which was a world record at the time has just been broken by Josh Kerr at the Eugene GP (May 24)

[@trevorturner8037]

it was actually Eugene, not Oslo

[@keithbate9405]

@@trevorturner8037 Thanks Trevor have amended my post.

[@trevorturner8037]

@@keithbate9405 you’re good. its easy to get them mixed up. both monaco and euguene always has fast races😂

[@trevorturner8037]

@@keithbate9405 speaking of monaco tho, I believe that is today. I’ll definitely be watching it!

[@keithbate9405]

@@trevorturner8037 yeah and London on the 20th prior to the Olympics !

[@darrenjohnbryant51]

One of the best! Beautiful. Graceful. British.

[@chrissmurray255]

Summary of the commentator - WORST. EVER!!

[@APBCTechnique]

I don’t think any runner past or present could beat Cram on this night. Majestic

[@carlpeterkirkebo2036]

I think the 81-version of Coe would have a reasonable chance.

[@APBCTechnique]

@@carlpeterkirkebo2036 Coe was better at 800m that year his 1500m was still improving. His PB came in 1986 3.29. Cram in 1985 was so powerful I doubt anyone could’ve beaten him with his long 300m dive to home

[@carlpeterkirkebo2036]

@@APBCTechnique Coe probably could have run 3.28 in both 81 and 84. His PB in 86 came at at time when he was not as good at the 1500m as in 81 and 84. Unfortunately he was the victim of terrible pacing both in Stockholm in 81 and Zurich in 84.

[@richardmilliken5651]

@@carlpeterkirkebo2036 Coe, Ovett, and Cram were capable of running a 3:28 / 1500m in their prime!!

[@user-vt7fl8zr5n77]

The Best... Cram. Fantastik Run... 3.46.30

[@peterh1353]

Cram never won Olympic gold. The best that never did. The first sight of Coe reaching for something and not finding it. All things are relative, but just inches passed his best.

[@batumalairajakumar3450]

Not sure about Coe being past his best mate, the esteemed Coe historian @deano27671 claims Coe was word class up until 89 and could have won his 3rd Olympic gold in Seoul even though his won selectors thought he was not good enough to rep their country.

[@keithbate9405]

@@batumalairajakumar3450 Definitely . Coe ran a sub 1.44 800 m a few days after that 1500m final won by the unknown Rono ahead of Elliot . The latter was good but Coe was in a different league to both of them.

[@mattmoran4341]

@@batumalairajakumar3450 suppose both cases are true. Coe was past his peak here, but still world level. Just wish cram had peaked in an Olympic year 😢

[@richardmilliken5651]

@@batumalairajakumar3450 Coe was in his absolute prime in 1981 and that Coe would've challenged Cram in this race! It would've been very interesting with a prime Ovett in the race as well!

[@cashcrop70]

Nearly midnight? Not the best time to run any race. Was this to suit US tv?

[@daveorange2379]

Steve Cram always had such a fabulous, smooth running style, truly graceful and elegant!🤗🤗🤗

[@scollyer.tuition]

I had completely forgotten about this race - I had no idea that Coe was present when Cram broke his world record. Cram was absolutely dominant here against an exceptional pack - Coe, Walker, Scott, Wessinghage, Deleze, etc. Must have been one of the finest line ups of all time, which puts Cram's achievement into some perspective. And the interviews remind me that I always felt a little sorry for Steve Scott back then - without Coe, Cram, and Ovett, he probably would have been a world record holder, and probably Olympic champion. Still, I'm a Brit, so musn't grumble. The 80s were a fine time for athletics (and music, and being young and carefree. Where's Emmett Brown when you need him, eh?)

[@markfox1545]

You don't think the quality of the line up pushed him to a good performance?

[@LorenScott69]

Cram even eased up a bit over the last 10m.

[@nicholashernandez4367]

Race starts at 4:38

[@stoolpigeon4285]

Coe would go from 100, Ovett from 200, Cram from 300, El Guerrouj from 600 or even 800M

[@richardmilliken5651]

El G would start his kick from 600m out!! One time he started it 800m out and he was clocked at 1:46 in the last 800m.

[@sergelu]

@@richardmilliken5651Exactly!

[@WAYNESWAYS-ib3cm]

Crammy the man

[@andywallace1220]

Seb Coe 🤢

[@dean2663]

Amazing run! Terrible announcing by Liquori.

[@TheSecondWitness]

Agree on both! Great race by Cram - though Coe the greatest all time - but that call by Liquori was horrible!

[@backintobalance9542]

85/86 his two best seasons

[@martinhill9261]

What a run and as always what an atmosphere in Oslo.

[@bfc3057]

3:46.32

[@jacobanteau6020]

the amount of peds in this field must be through the roof

[@timsterrockstar]

He didn't looked winded at all when he crossed the finish line. If he hit the 3rd lap at 2:51 instead of 2:53 he would have ran a 3:44.

[@ynotnilknarf39]

Bollocks would he, it was the slower splits that allowed him to run the time he did, faster splits, particularl the first 200/400 would have meant not being as fast

[@musik102]

53 last lap. WoW! What is the fastest final lap in a mile or 1500m world record race?

[@richardmilliken5651]

49sec. by Coe & Ryun!

[@scrumpymanjack]

Not sure about the world record part of your question, but Mo Farah ran a 52-second last lap in a 10,000m so.....

[@musik102]

@@scrumpymanjack 1'm talking about the mile/1500m and at world record pace. Lots of athletes have run last laps faster than 52secs

[@tedallison6112]

Faster lap after a slower race? Who cares?

[@GOATAli]

The mile record is D record to own

[@francishooton3933]

about time someone ran 3:42 for a mile. Are you up for it Mr Cram?

[@andrewallen1083]

Coe was destroyed here ; was he unfit

[@ynotnilknarf39]

hadn't had a huge amount of racing I beleive from what the commentator was saying

[@peteralainszpiriev4750]

I was not able to watch it live (as chess player and chess trainer ) but all the athlets are my favorite.

[@samassek]

that was a great era for the Brits,but the king,the legend the one and the only is without a doubt El Guerrouj:)

[@michaeladrian2210]

El G was great but no one is best ever...all depends how you view a race... For example, El G's first 1200 m in a WR 1500 was 10 sec faster than Ryun years earlier. But their final 1200 m differed by " about 1.5secs"....so the seeds are there.

[@richardmilliken5651]

@@michaeladrian2210 Nobody could've beaten Cram in that race but nobody could've beaten Keino in the 1968 Olympic 1500m in Mexico at altitude and in 1967, Ryun would've outkicked even Coe as he was clocked at 11.6 for the last 100m. at Dusseldorf in 1967. And nobody would've beaten Coe in the 1500m at the 1984 Olympics!

[@ynotnilknarf39]

@@richardmilliken5651 Ryun ran a 59.4 first 400 then 59.2, 48.4, his last lap was around 54s, his negative splits allowed him to run so fast in that last 400.

[@charlottewilson8740]

Always disliked Coe now I know why Xx

[@simonedwards5564]

We don't care 😅😓🙂 FUKKIN FREAK!!!!!!!!

[@charlottewilson8740]

Ok no probs hunny Xx

[@mattmoran4341]

I disliked him more when he became a tory mp 🤣

[@johnpontes812]

Anyone notice that 3 British record holders Cram Ovette and Coe were all born around the same time of year.

[@johnjones9689]

I didn't see this Bislett Games but saw a few in the 80s and early 90s. Oslo was a great city then. Almost no crime, friendly people, homogeneous, a Scandinavian paradise. It's changed a bit since then. In 2018 the most popular name for newborn boys in the city was Mohammed. I wonder if there could be a connection?

[@seamusoriordan4536]

What bollocks!

[@nickyork8901]

Is 'homogeneous' your way of saying white, without admitting that you are a racist twat?

[@ovekkjlstad7703]

Keep your racism to yourself. And you are wrong anyway.