Mary Decker | America's Running Superwoman

American women weren't exactly at the top of the food chain in the distance running world, as the with the introduction of middle distance events at the Olympics, the Soviets and Germans were the premiere powerhouses. One prodigy though, became a complete standout in her country, and through historical times after another, became one of the most revered and somewhat controversial figureheads in American distance running today.
Special thanks to Leah Ramsay for the VO.
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[@DubYuhGChoppa]

I think it's awesome you're making content this detailed and captivating on a sport I've never cared about before, and I really hope you continue

[@SNTMadeMe]

fr

[@Highland_Moo]

Mary Decker. Watching her clip and spike Zola Budd in 1984 and falling down as a result will always stick in my mind. Her behaviour after has ruined any positives I felt for her.

[@shadowby]

Yes, unfortunately, Mary's unsportsmanlike post-race behavior revealed her true nature, and was prescient of her future banned substance use as well.

[@Cnsalmoni]

Maybe, but they became good friends and traveled together. They felt the whole thing was media hype.

[@HyperFocus410]

@@shadowby She was already on PEDS before 1984. Look at her races in 1983, you'll see her blowing past the other women at the homestretch when all the other women are ragged and exhausted, but Decker would just stroll past them like it was nothing. Also, her boyfriend then was a strength athlete - Discus, and they are notorious for taking PEDS. Very likely, she was already using some of his testosterone shots then.

[@javierfrias2423]

I love your detail for these videos. I haven’t ran in almost 10 years but I still love the sport of running from sprints to the marathon and seeing your videos especially these longer ones soothes that inner runner in me. Please continue to do these.

[@unreservedly9850]

I was honestly surprised by how low your sub count was when I first discovered you because of the quality of your videos.

[@Philobiblion]

That is a brilliant documentary; the most thorough examination of Decker's career I have seen, and I have been hunting around for sources in order to compare Tuohy to her. The Decker-Tuohy comparison is complicated by the fact that while Mary did attend U Colorado-Boulder for 'two seasons', apparently less than two years, she does not appear to have made an impression as a collegian, probably because of injuries. Decker is probably the greatest all-time US woman distance runner, but comparing her to just about anybody is hard because she achieved all of her personal bests between the ages of 24 and 27. She continues to hold U.S. women's records in the 1500 (3:57.12), mile (4:16.71) and 3000 (8:25.83).

[@castlerock58]

She is remembered for what she did to Zola Budd they way OJ Simpson is remembered for his crimes rather than his career in sports.

[@marypagones6073]

Loved this documentary, but I do agree the "superwoman" title isn't necessarily appropriate. More of a complicated legacy. Please do a documentary on Alberto Salazar, another reckless and complicated legacy.

[@Aboxofpie]

This vid is 🔥 Keep up the good looks.

[@wesleytwiggs7687]

I seriously cannnot believe that this kind of content is free.

[@cotswoldcuckoo]

The only thing Decker took was, as we Brits say, the mickey ! American sportsmanship for all to see, once the gloss and hoo ha has been stripped.

[@Dezzy-e8b]

She's been tripping runners on the track for years, and then blamed the one she tripped

[@Dezzy-e8b]

She first pushed Zola, that's when Zola cut in, she actually tripped on Zola's back foot

[@Dezzy-e8b]

It's sad because zola would have won that race

[@midslam]

@@Dezzy-e8b Zola didn't cut in, Mary admitted it was her fault because she didn't know how to run in a crowd.

[@castlerock58]

@@midslam She defamed Zola at the time and ruined her life. Retched woman.

[@stereotypea123]

Wow I had never heard of her, what a wild story. She had all the potential in the world and a combination of plain bad luck and her own desire to be on top no matter how really hobbled her.

[@pitdicted]

I always wished MD would have gotten back up and continued. With all of that adrenaline running through her she would have gotten a medal.

[@pauloivan6421]

Imagine if the 10000 and martahon were events early 80s mary would have done so well

[@TheZ1A900]

Mary was great , a true champion that got unlucky in her career !

[@Dezzy-e8b]

She screwed a lot of athletes chance's

[@johnandrews8590]

Blamed Zola and tarnished her Golden Girl status.

[@todallard8791]

Zola Budd should not have been in the 84 Olympics, Sydney Maree who was also from South Africa was not allowed to run in 84 and he set a world record in the 1500 in 83.

[@mikefaulds722]

Sydney Maree was allowed to run in 84 and he made the US team. He pulled out because he had an injury. Chuck Aragon, who was fourth place at the trials, didn't get to run because Maree pulled out too late.

[@Dezzy-e8b]

She was from British ancestry and could hold a duel passport

[@midslam]

🤣

[@Geoarc_1440]

Love this video, especially since female athletes dont get as much coverage as males

[@midslam]

They get more than men now, in 2024.

[@markjones195]

DQ for drugs - right?

[@Logans3Run]

Correct. Testosterone no less 😉

[@Joe-ej2lp]

😮

[@cartiinnit458]

First etienne

[@thegreatalyssa]

Some inaccuracies here.

[@Jeremy_Fisher]

Like what?

[@laurasands8322]

Has she stopped gurning yet?

[@RunningRefresh]

I have been loving the content RunnerBoi. I am a future history teacher, and I love the way you tell these stories that need to be told. You are providing content that the running community has been missing. It doesn’t go unnoticed. 👍

[@Castle-q1s]

She will never be great never be remembered if she doesnt apologize to Zola Budd. This will haunts her till death.

[@santinoramos7632]

You have to keep up this content it’s great and it will pay off!!! There’s currently a collapse in running KZbin and your content is the best I’ve seen besides maybe running productions.

[@johnandrews8590]

And biggest crybaby ever.

[@randywest7252]

Oh woe is me is Deckers legacy.

[@nro337]

Awesome coverage of this one, really enjoyed the deep dive!

[@Dezzy-e8b]

Unfortunately not a good sports women, especially when she tripped Zola bud and then blamed zola

[@mikerichardson60]

I remember what a whiny cry baby Decker was during this Olympics. This video just reinforces that opinion.

[@castlerock58]

She was a poor sport. That's all I remember about her. Her behavior is one of the low points in Olympic history. She injured Budd who was ahead of her an probably cost her the race.

[@randyevermore9323]

RunnerBoi, master of the malaprop. Listening to you try to use big words is hilarious. Keep it up.

[@Ash636]

21:03 she's just like me fr

[@paulbailey7641]

Wasn’t her husband a shot potter who was convicted for selling steroids to other athletes? Makes one think

[@goforho7257]

Superwoman? She was always hurt.

[@todallard8791]

Mary's strongest asset was also her downfall, she ran extremely hard refusing to back off and that kept her injured often. She went through coaches because of her over training refusing to run easy when needed. If Mary had trained properly she would have had a longer stretch injury free but it's possible that she would not have run as fast.

[@gbone7581]

Injury was her kryptonite?

[@midslam]

@@todallard8791 Her 'downfall' is spot on, she was legendary at falling down.

[@sharptoothtrex4486]

Even if Mary Decker did the Jean Nate After Bath Splash Commercial running in her Jean Nate Olympic track runner outfit makes me think an alternative to the female horse racing jockey scene.

[@onefoot7]

The Original Karen, bad for the sport, we don't need snobs, we need nice people

[@koreystephens]

LYNN JENNINGS next!!

[@onefoot7]

Doper

[@boblester8641]

Why is it hard to find her early races in the us ussr dual meets from the early mid 1970s

[@robmearkle4510]

Thank you for your work on this. That 1985 season was so impressive, and I hadn't seen much of the race footage you used. One note - the 1988 Seoul 3000m footage exists. Part is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoSniqKle9iNZtk . The whole thing is out there (used to be on KZbin) and it would fit well with your narrative, since she goes for it from the gun and pushes world record pace for the first 3-4 laps or so before fading. Thanks again!

[@bert5ga]

Nice job

[@ThankGodForJesusChrist]

Mary Decker: Running Legend 🏃🏻‍♀️

[@castlerock58]

She is probably the most infamous poor sport in history.

[@ChubbyChecker182]

Nobody remembers Wendy Sly

[@unknown-lf6zx]

I do!

[@thomasholmes4985]

Mary, you are A CHAMPION.

[@jeffreykicia6534]

Mary Decker and I grew up in the same town in New Jersey==Glen Gardner. She was a natural runner period. Her ex-husband was Ron Tabb from the south. He was a 2:10 marathoner. I went on to become a World Class Runner as well. Hitting times like a 4:28.25 mile and a 9:38.40 two mile as a senior in High School and 14th in X-C state finals in Group lV = the toughest division. Made NCAA two time All-American, All-East, All-State, and All-Conference three times each. My P.R.'s were 2:18:16 @ Boston Marathon for 66th in the World at my second marathon ever, seven years earlier in NJ at age 18, I ran a 2:30:59 for 5th place @ Jersey Shore. Our team took second in the World @ Boston placing 11th Greg Meyers, 15th Randy Thomas, 43rd Robert Clifford , me in 66th, and Joe Higgins in 92nd place! This was out of nearly 7,000 Runners, and we placed five in the TOP 100! My PR's in College were 3:57.40 indoor 1500 meters, 14:01.64 5,000 meters, and 29:33.60 10,000 meters. Not bad hey?! Mary Decker was on a astronomical tier compared to me and was Olympic quality period. The BEST in the World in 1982,1983, and 1984. Her times were far ahead of her time by decades. She is married to an English shot putter and currently resides in the UK. He also was an Olympian!!

[@castlerock58]

Nobody cares about that after what she did to Zola Budd.

[@carterwilson4605]

It seems obvious from the tape that budd did not have a large enough lead to cut in.

[@dougerrohmer]

She was in the lead, Decker didn't like it and tried to spike Budd's bare feet - twice. Becker tripped herself, and then rolled around in fake agony to get sympathy.

[@srxt6758]

She got busted for PEDS later so does it rly matter? It wasnt even probable that shes gonna win that race. Made herself a victim and went on a tantrum like a spoiled rich b****.

[@carterwilson4605]

@@srxt6758 it does matter because there are rules that are supposed to prevent things like this. You would have to be a sociopath not to understand why it would matter when someone with legitimate medalinG potential misses Three consecutive Olympics for various different reasons and then finally has a chance in the fourth Olympics, after having trained for over a decade. She ran 8:34 the prior-year and 8:25 in 1985, so there is no reason she couldn't have won an 8:35 race in 1984. That subsequent controversy had to do with effects of birth control in the late 1990s and was over Ten Years After whatever happened here, when she was no longer a heavy Factor Anyway. If that's all you have to contribute, don't bother watching track and field videos and go inflict yourself on some other Arena that has piles of shit similar to yourself, where constructive, balanced, reasonable dialogue and commentary aren't expected or wanted. Go pollute some other environment with your crappy troll energy.

[@zavtparticles6828]

@@dougerrohmer where else was decker supposed to go, the lady behind wasn't gonna give her room that's for sure. she got boxed in. and crossing to the outside lane would have probably caused tripping there too, with more people involved. "fake agony" alright pal, you go and dead stop your body and face plant than come back.

[@dougerrohmer]

@@zavtparticles6828 Decker didn't have to go anywhere, she could have stayed right there because Zola was moving faster than her so space was opening. And if she wanted, she could have slowed down - the runner behind would then have to slow down too. But nooooo, we gotta spike this poor barefoot girl because ego. Fake agony indeed - she looked like a soccer player. The tears might have been real because her great big power play failed and that hurt her feelings.