Track & Field 1983 US Outdoor Championship Featuring Carl Lewis & Edwin Moses imasportsphile

[@gakaface]

Thanks for posting this video. 16:56 - Carl Lewis' 19.75 200m here was outstanding, were it not for the sheer stupidity of his in celebrating before the finish, and failing to capture the world record. Looking at this closely in slow motion, you can clearly see that at 16.6 seconds he looks around to his right, realises he's got the race won, and goes into celebration mode. At 18.0 seconds, he starts raising his arms, and then takes a further 8 full strides to reach the finish. Just on that basis, he should have run 19.60 here. But if we consider that he might have stopped pressing at 17 seconds, that is, before we see visually that he had stopped trying, he could easily have made 19.55, or even 19.50, and blown the 200m world record out of sight for 13 years. Instead, save for his Olympic title in 1984 and silver in 1988, he blew his legendary status somewhat, in the 200m, by never holding the 200m world record.

[@poppopartist3870]

gakaface sprinters have emotional exuberance and BIG EGO..its part of being fast...slow talking humble types run distance.

[@gakaface]

@@poppopartist3870 - That's true! I hadn't really thought of that. On reflection, when you look back at many of the top sprinters, that does hold true. But when you look at those that did take the record - Michael Johnson first taking it to 19.66, and then shortly after to 19.32 in the 1996 Olympics, and Usain Bolt in the 2008 Olympics, and World Champs a year later, if you watch them, they left all their performance on the track - they ran full-out all the way to the line. Actually, it's so interesting what you've said, because Johnson and Bolt were a lot less arrogant than Lewis - confident, yes, but arrogant, no.

[@poppopartist3870]

gakaface there not AMERICAN...We learned from Ali in the hood.

[@Swav.Zielin]

@@gakaface this is my first time watching Carl's early races. Just unbelievable how he let the 200m WR slide in favor of celebrating and looking good. Also the LJ, all he has to do is make extra effort to stick lead foot up, but won't look pretty, for WR. He seems to want to look good over final performance. SMH.

[@DeanMk1]

I remember watching this race, in 1983. I remembered it as the World Championships, so many thanks to dick tingly for setting the record straight. Lewis's pre-mature victory celebration in the 200 is a classic teaching tool to young runners to remember to finish the race before you start to celebrate. Many world class sprinters who've come along since, cite this event as a reminder to them to do just that. You can see that Lewis slows down and basically jogs across the line. As gakaface so intricately pointed out, he would've easily blown the then WR out of the water. Personally, I think if he'd kept up through the finish line, his time would've likely been between 19.60 and 19.65, but like others have said over the years, its all speculation. What really happened, happened. ...and this feat (or what it would've been) takes nothing away from Michael Johnson's amazing feat at the '96 Olympics, or Usain Bolt's later demolishing of that record at the '09 World Championships.

[@jjgreen5206]

Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt. The best to ever do it

[@gazzelle4]

Evelyn Ashford...last of the clean champions!

[@ameliabedelia7018]

No. Flo Joyce was.

[@gazzelle4]

@@ameliabedelia7018 no way...

[@waynehentley4332]

@@ameliabedelia7018 You must be dreaming!!

[@ameliabedelia7018]

@@waynehentley4332 oh yeah? Well you must have asked Scottie to beam you up.

[@waynehentley4332]

@@ameliabedelia7018 Look at Flo's physique here and in 1988. She had 5 years to get it right. See a difference?🤔🤔🤔

[@oyassan1969]

懐かしい！日本でも録画放送されていた。 Nostalgic! It was also recorded and broadcast in Japan.

[@cornellstephenson2946]

Thanks for this post!!!

[@pronatewithnate]

Incredible athletes. Assume that all the champions were doped. Read “Speed Trap” by Charlie Francis

[@BreuckelensFinest]

This is Carl Lewis before his 👃 job! 😂

[@michaelmooney7341]

He lewis..could have made it 19.5 ...and too bad Ashford didn't run the 200 in 84 and 88 Olympics. She seemed hurt alot.. Wow..look at florence here..look at her in 88..And it's funny less than a year later VBH wins women's 200 and 400. Literally came out of no where. Not a trace of her at this meet? Not sure.

[@waynehentley4332]

Valerie was just coming back from giving birth to her son in 1982.

[@ameliabedelia7018]

Why is Dwight Stone wearing panty shorts?