Zola Budd - World Cross Country Champs, Neuchatel, 1986

Zola Budd leading barefoot from gun to tape to win her second World Cross Country Title at Neuchatel, Switzerland in 1986.
Commentators - Alan Parry and Steve Ovett.
ITV Coverage.

[@kopilutta1778]

Zolla Bud is the athlete of my fav ever ❤💚💛

[@peters6119]

The race was 4650m and not 5000m but it is still pretty dominant to run that fast and win by 18 seconds. She won by even more than this the year before (23 seconds). The greatest of her era. She was also the WR holder in the 5000 at this time having run 14:48. You just can't believe that someone could be that much better than everyone else in the world even though they she was still only 19.

[@markparfett5380]

Bloemfontein winters are harsh. She ran those farm roads barefoot. The most unbelievable grit!

[@user-ez9xi7rr4q]

The best ever!

[@stephanfourie6879]

The commentators always mentioned puica and weitz, but in 1985 and here budd would have beaten them both by a mile. Why was puica not there then? I always would have liked to see them on the xcountry course! She would have kicked puicas ass like she did with wendy sly on the track!!

[@john.f8726]

Unbelievable!!!!

[@jasonbutz6593]

finished up!! superb yea

[@jimmymack1973]

Incidentally, did someone put a gag on Peter Matthews for this race? He barely got a word in.

[@floodatube1]

Steve Ovett commented that he didn’t see anybody beating Zola Budd in XC for years to come. In fact, the very next week, silver medalist Lynn Jennings beat Zola Budd at the Cinque Mulini XC in Italy. Zola Budd would never win another World XC championship, and Lynn would win it 3 times in a row (‘90-‘92).

[@500yamahaxt]

Go on South Africa

[@jimmymack1973]

Truly devastating performance from Zola there. Foolish decision to run barefoot (which she freely admits in her autobiography) but still no one got near her. Interesting aside is that about two weeks later, Jennings beat her in an Italian cross country by three seconds.

[@simonedwards5564]

MMMMMMMMM THE BEGINNINGS OF ZOLA'S INJURIES AND ILLNESSES AFTER THIS......ITS NO WONDER!!!!!!!!!

[@randyevermore9323]

Wow. What in incredible time (14:49 for 5,000m) on an extremely tough course. She was probably in shape to run sub 14:20 on the track. And barefoot yet (although based on my recent experiments with barefoot running, that may actually have been a great advantage for her).

[@jimmymack1973]

Not quite 5k. 4.8k this race was, I believe. But, yes. I agree. I suspect she had a 14:20 in her in 86 had she not got injured soon after this race. Am not sure bare feet was an advantage for her here ... she probably lost about ten seconds with all of that slipping, stride chopping, and having to run corners wide.

[@keirbateman267]

I'm not convinced that running barefoot on any surface is advantageous. Especially x country. I think Bikila and Budd would have been faster with shoes. I do not represent any footwear company but am open to offers

[@simonedwards5564]

@@jimmymack1973 LOST TEN SECONDS????? AND THE REST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ZOLA LOST AT LEAST 20 SECONDS THIS DAY!!!!!!!!!!

[@simonedwards5564]

9:34 at 3000m on this treacherous cold windy muddy VERY VERY SLIPPERY HILLY COURSE,,,,,,,,,,, AFTER FANTASTIC PERFORMANCES IN 1985 AGAINST MARY DECKER AND MARICA PUICA ,,,,THIS IS A BACK BREAKING COURSE and if Zola had been big breasted big thighs or slightly overweight downstairs LIKE most of these talented ladys she would have got DESTROYED!!!!!!!!!!ZOLA WAS PERFECTLY BUILT WITH WORLD CLASS STAMINA!!!!!!!!!! MAAAAAAAAAAAAN I WONDER...I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN WHAT HER VO2 MAX WAS HERE YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I BET IT WAS THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO THIS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STILL AMONGST THE HIGHEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tommytempo1]

Sorry, I don't have either of these races.

[@ivansanders8459]

Zola and Paula Radcliffe are the U.K's. two best ever female distance runners. Indeed in a league of their own. It is to (not so) Gt. Britain's shame that Zola had to compete overseas in order to be able to fully relax and run free.

[@tommytempo1]

I disagree. UK Best - Yvonne Murray 3K/5K, Liz McColgan 10K, Paula Radcliffe Marathon, based on medals at major championships. Zola is South African and was shamefully used as a pawn by GB.

[@cheetahcheetah3756]

zola. a very humble women.

[@500yamahaxt]

@@cheetahcheetah3756 Is Zola not from south africa ?

[@martinbirmingham4450]

Qualified for Great Britain by having British Grandparents on her father's side.

[@sanderslongdrive]

I did not include the words 'not so' within this post. After such a crafty third party re-write / censorship, the possibility of me deleting this post has now time expired.

[@simonedwards5564]

LYN Jennings had just smashed the WORLD RECORD for 2MILES!!!!!!!!!!!THAT SAYS IT ALL ..LOOK HOW FAR AHEAD SHE IS AFTER 3K.9:34 ON THIS HORRIBLE HORRIBLE COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS GONE/GONE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!