The Accidental Hero of Moscow 1980 | On the Line

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Prior to the Moscow 1980 Olympics, Allan Wells had to decide to follow the boycott or compete at the Olympic Games. Once in Moscow, he surprised the world by winning one of the most emblematic events: the Men's 100m. We interview Alan Wells (GBR), Silvio Leonard (CUB) and Peter Petrov (BUL) about that race and everything around it.
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[@neildsouza3085]

I just love Allan Wells....what glory in his running.

[@Videogamestwin]

That was a great call from the BOA to let their athletes decide if they wanted to go or not. Countries that boycotted the 1980 games should've also had that choice because i'm pretty sure that, for a lot of the athletes that were denied participation from their country, it was the only time that they had a chance to go.

[@Hever73]

Same case here in America with marathon runners! (Bill Rodgers)

[@bulllea]

that was the most stupid boycott ever . for what ? for CCCP invading Afganistan ? how many countries US invaded after WWII ? the '84 boycott from Los Angeles Games was a direct result of Moscow's boycott . only one communist country showed up at LA Games in '84 . Romania .

[@DeepPastry]

Yea, besides it's been over 30 years, so no one remembers how awful the Soviet Union was anymore.

[@MontgomeryMall]

After winning gold in the 100 meters final at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Alan Wells was asked whether he won it for Harold Abrahams, the last British winner at that distance in 1924. Wells, a Scotsman, replied, "no, I did it for Eric Liddell". The lives of Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell were depicted in the Oscar winning film "Chariots of Fire". Liddell, a devout Calvinist, refused to run a 100 meters heat because it fell on a Sunday. He would have been the odds on favorite at that distance.

[@wonjubhoy]

I did a speech at toastmasters on Eric Liddell around the time of the rio Olympics. He was a good man.

[@robertj.simpson354]

A true sportsman.

[@anilpandey6923]

Make more videos of 'On the line'. We love it.

[@carlmorrow1600]

Alan wells was a beast at that time

[@malligrub]

Yep, that's what they all say. As well as packing on slabs of muscle in the blink of an eye he became aggressive and angry during those years. I wonder what happened lol...

[@richardtarter4781]

Carl Morrow steroids.

[@seanseanston]

Yeah, pity he wasn't a natural sprinter. Like Usain Bolt xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[@jugganuat6440]

Lol ok

[@forgive7449]

@@seanseanston Dr Ledingham says Wells took drugs aswell

[@PatriPastry]

The first time I watched this was without subtitles. Yeah. I was *really* confused when the Bulgarian came up.

[@paulmerrell4360]

Classical soft

[@holoholopainen1627]

There is NO SUBTITLES on This !

[@michaelhayes4231]

@@holoholopainen1627 press the [CC] button in the bottom right hand corner for subtitles

[@francescovalente1963]

Not to mention the absolutely Epic 200 m final, won by Pietro Mennea. What a race: head to head 'till the finish line

[@martintownsend6694]

How was he the accidental hero? In what way? He raced the americans striaight afrer and beat them and again in rhe world cup! The best American at the time said wells wud of beat him too

[@reverseside7387]

Top Tip: *turn on subtitles/captions* or you'll be frowning if you can't speak Russian and Bulgarian!!! 😄Love the video, really enjoyed the story and, like Linford Christie got vindicated beating those great runners who didn't make the final.

[@davgat79]

if you watch it after drinking a half bottle o' whisky it all makes perfect sense!!

[@elidoubleday8080]

yes you need to turn on subtitles

[@mapleleafer74]

Leonard, jesus christ mate, "the Englishman"? Never call Allan Wells an Englishman. That's like saying whiskey is from England. He's Scottish. SCOTTISH! Got it?

[@mapleleafer74]

@@adelef8280 pff

[@mapleleafer74]

Don't underestimate Scots

[@stevennicholas4160]

Yet Wells has lived in England for 40 years.

[@michaeldevaney5728]

@@stevennicholas4160 yes but he was born in Scotland thats the equivalent of a saying because a dog was born in a stable that hees a horse

[@sgu02nsc66]

@@michaeldevaney5728so you’re arguing the dog is not a horse, therefore Wells is not Scottish

[@twinstu50]

That day he won, he ran with champions, that day he won, he was not running with cowards, (politicians).

[@kranithra]

Its a pity when the leader of the boycotters did the same thing after twenty years

[@jotindersingh1]

very confusing style of video making

[@Yakkityyak248]

Watched it live. Remember hearing Alan's wife screaming from the stand

[@johnsbox]

The Moscow games were riddled with politics all along, so Alan ruined the 100m script.

[@marguskiis7711]

No they were not. Britoins were very successful there.

[@ivanhoesanchez2606]

LEYENDA

[@johnstirling6597]

The person raking the long jump pit in the 1970 Commonwealth Games................ Alan Wells!

[@paulwilliams8389]

Apparently that is a myth, though Wells was a steward at the Games and got to chat with his hero, long jumper Lynn Davies while the Welshman was having a training session.

[@bestit5315]

the starting comment...OMG

[@edoardobonetti7410]

perche non avete intervistato Pietro Mennea?

[@tedcameron9438]

What sort of joke production was this?? Hurt my eyes...... Story was interesting though but the video itself was jarring

[@texabara]

Puerto Rico, a US colony, compete breaking boycott!

[@elfrank333]

The last white man to win 100 metres Olympic gold HAHAHA

[@jugganuat6440]

Enjoy because their will never be another

[@wonjubhoy]

I am Scottish and was so excited when wells won. He made a choice to race against the top Americans just after the Olympics. He won. That showed he would have won anyway.

[@marguskiis7711]

In Tokyo one Italian won.

[@gratefuldead3750]

@@jugganuat6440 if some italians, germans or greeks start to go on training in jamaica and stay there for some years, its possible.

[@malligrub]

Now one of the many with serious and reliable testimony stating they were known major steroid users...

[@darrenshaw767]

Malligrub 1 i would not consider Drew Mcmaster reliable

[@billj696]

Is there anyone from that era you could not at least accuse of steroid use? Including Russians and Americans.

[@stevennicholas4160]

@@billj696 That era? Yes because the 9 and a half seconds guys now are very very clean. :)

[@tickleberry1291]

Can I get a Hoya

[@DylanFan]

hoya

[@whscotsman]

Which goes to show. Keep politics out of sport

[@joanrohret5898]

Saw Dahl Health Ashl W Ok Ok W Rod decostelo

[@chobson8602]

doper

[@BackFromTheMadeUp]

You guys really don't get how to KZbin do you?

[@jugganuat6440]

Duh if 65 countries boycotted put an asterisk next to his name

[@paulwilliams8389]

He beat all his American rivals in the meetings after the Games (and bear in mind he was tired after multiple races while they were fresh) and again in the Golden Sprints in 1981.

[@ayturkefendi6158]

Seventh

[@dominicweber]

Fourth