The Australians

Ron Clarke was an Australian athlete, writer, and the Mayor of the Gold Coast from 2004 to 2012. He was the best-known middle- and long-distance runners in the 1960s, notable for setting seventeen world records.
Marjorie Jackson-Nelson is a former Governor of South Australia and a former Australian athlete. She finished her sporting career with two Olympic and seven Commonwealth Games Gold Medals, six individual world records and every Australian State and National title she contested from 1950-1954.
Herb Elliott is a former Australian athlete and arguably the world's greatest middle distance runner of his era. In the 1500 meters at the 1960 Rome Olympics, he won the gold medal and bettered his own world record with a time of 3:35.6. After winning in Rome in 1960, he started a degree course at the University of Cambridge, England.
Betty Cuthbert was an Australian athlete and a four-time Olympic champion. She was nicknamed Australia's "Golden Girl". During her career, she set world records for 60 meters, 100 yards, 200 meters, 220 yards and 440 yards. Cuthbert also contributed to Australian relay teams completing a win in the 4 × 100 meters, 4 × 110 yards, 4 × 200 meters and 4 × 220 yards. Cuthbert had a distinctive running style, with a high knee lift and mouth wide open.
John Landy is an Australian middle-distance runner and state governor. He was the second man to break the four-minute mile barrier in the mile run and held the world records for the 1500-metre run and the mile race. Landy won silver medal in the 1954 Commonwealth Games and bronze medal in the 1956 Olympic 1500 meters. He was also the 26th Governor of Victoria from 2001 to 2006.

[@mikenealon4042]

that melbourne '56 torch was spewing like a volcano

[@nickhanlon9331]

I remember seeing Herb at Mass in a country town many years ago. My father quietly pointed him out to me. He was the perfect athlete.

[@alessandrodelmonte5765]

Ron Clarke one of my idol. So herb Elliot , winner in Rome 1960. Australian school of running has been glorious.😊😅 0:10

[@ZZSmithReal]

Bud Greenspan's The Olympiad was like the NFL Films of the Olympics, I loved these documentaries. Now there's too damn many events.

[@nickhanlon9331]

Landy and Jackson became governors of their respective states. It's only a honorific position in Australia. Clarke became mayor of the Gold Coast. Cuthbert sadly had Multiple Sclerosis and died from it. Elliott became a business executive.

[@trackandfieldarchive]

Where is Ralph Doubell?? He won the 800m in 1968 AND equalled the World Record.

[@jamiejempire1694]

Thank you for posting this episode of The Olympiad, as well as the other episodes that you have previously uploaded (The African Runners and The 1500 Meters). I don't know where you managed to get these episodes from, but they are appreciated. Do you have any other episodes from that series that you will be uploading?

[@PivotalRunning]

Thank you for watching as Bud Greenspan's storytelling work is truly art. Fellow running teammates of mine showed me these videos and I found a deeper appreciation for those who chase their dreams. More episodes to come.

[@johnstirling6597]

@@PivotalRunning How about a video on the New Zealanders, cant have our cousins across the water getting all the credit!

[@johnstirling6597]

How about a video on the New Zealanders? Lovelock, Halberg, Snell, Davies, Dixon , Quax, Walker and Willis, (and quite possibly Sam Tanner in the near future).

[@richardl69]

I really appreciate how Ron Clark admitted he pushed Billy Mills. Honesty is always respected.

[@PivotalRunning]

Ron Clarke (17 WRs & Olympic 🥉) and Mohammed Gammoudi (4 Olympic Medals 🥇 🥈🥈🥉). Billy Mills beat the best in the World! USA’s Greatest Distance Runner.

[@paulfhoffman]

It's the normal action in international racing when someone (Mills) tries to box you (Clarke) in behind lapped runners. In North America, the sport is more genteel. If Mary Decker knew how to protect her legs with her arms, she would not have been tripped up by Zola Budd. In Mills' case, the push caused Gammoudi to launch his sprint earlier than intended, and gave Mills the adrenalin shot he needed to go after him. One of the great 10k's in Olympic history, along with '56, '68 and '96.

[@msp5138]

@@PivotalRunning How old are you? Mills ain't even in the top 10 of US distance runners.

[@ozwunder69]

Billy moved in front of him.. it was a slight brush, nothing like the fakeness of the incident displayed in the Hollywood version

[@msp5138]

Training at sea level is an advantage if you run at a high altitude or sea level. Ron Clarke had 4 years to live and train at a high altitude for the MC Olympics. So stop making excuses. And, why didn't runners from high-altitude countries like Chile dominate?

[@charlesporter1148]

In case it hadn't crossed your mind Clarke wasnt like Todays pampered runners...he had a job to work at...

[@Quadrant14]

@msp5138 because fool he was a working man, married and thousands of miles away if he did ,

[@matthewlugg-wl6qh]

Don't forget though, Temu beat Clarke in the 6 mile event at the 1966 commonwealth games, Kingston Jamaica is at sea level. @@Quadrant14