British dash hurdler seems again on the 1984 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles when she gained silver in 12.88 behind Benita Fitzgerald-Brown
I used to be so targeted on what I used to be doing and what I needed to do, it didn’t actually come into my thoughts that folks from the Japanese Bloc weren’t going to be in Los Angeles as a result of boycotts. Clearly, we had been disillusioned that not all the perfect individuals had been going to be there, nevertheless it didn’t cease our preparation. The purpose was to compete on the Olympic Video games and get a medal, no matter who was there.
The earlier Video games in Moscow was very subdued. We may exit, however we needed to be supervised and really cautious if we went out with none individuals with us. However LA was simply free. You can do what you needed. It was completely wonderful and it was very glamorous.
We went to homes in Hollywood for dinner and cocktails and issues like that and we had been simply excited in regards to the Video games being in LA as a result of it’s consistently in sunshine. It’s simply stunning over there and we had been welcomed with open arms. It was simply beautiful.
We had been within the solar all day, day by day. We did our coaching classes after which, within the evenings, we had so many issues on. There was a sort of intranet that was accessible in LA, which was the most recent factor then. You can contact anyone on campus, virtually like emails.
I moved home this yr and located one of many messages within the attic that stated I couldn’t meet up as a result of I used to be assembly the Prime Minister of Australia for dinner. I’ve no recollection of that in any respect, however we did so many issues. I keep in mind going to Disney World at some point and I met Lionel Richie (I used to be such a fan of his) however I don’t keep in mind lots of the social facet of it. I keep in mind the competitors.
Shirley Sturdy, Benita Fitzgerald-Brown, Kim Turner (Mark Shearman)
When you have got the primary stroll out into the stadium, it simply takes your breath away. However it’s a must to simply lean on all of your coaching and also you turn out to be so targeted. As quickly as you’re preparing, attempting the blocks and simply attempting out the primary few hurdles, you don’t actually discover the massive crowds or the ambiance through the race. That got here afterwards after I went to go and watch different individuals compete. Once you’re truly competing, it’s as when you block it out.
There was lots of strain on me to win it. I nonetheless imagine to this present day that if my coach, Jim Harris, had been there after I had a foul semi-final, I’d have carried out higher within the remaining.
We’d labored on the primary hurdle. On the World Championships in Helsinki the yr earlier than, one other coach tried to attempt to get me to vary my steps to the primary hurdle and that actually threw me out for some time. Jim went completely ballistic – he was livid {that a} nationwide coach may try to do this with me in such an vital yr. However we acquired it sorted ultimately. Jim was a superb coach. He knew how you can deal with me and what to say to me and I wanted he’d been on the Video games.
Nowadays, athletes all have their very own coaches with them however again then solely the crew coaches acquired accreditation, no one else may. Jim may nonetheless have been in LA, however wouldn’t have been within the village with me, or there in between the semi and the ultimate.
I hit a hurdle within the semi-final. It fully knocked me and I certified second. Within the remaining, they stated I used to be within the lead till the previous couple of hurdles. It was so minute that it was troublesome to see mid-race. Myself and Benita Fitzgerald-Brown [of the USA] had been elevating our lead legs on the identical time however she did come off the final hurdle faster and that’s what did it.
I hadn’t truly anticipated her to problem as a result of she had completed nothing earlier than and did nothing after, so it was a bit out of the blue. I used to be anticipating Michèle Chardonnet, the French woman, to be my major competitor. Possibly Kim Turner, the opposite American, however actually not Benita. It was an actual shock that she got here by means of that day.
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I knew immediately she’d gained, though we had been 5 lanes aside. I simply felt disappointment at coming second. I had a number of tears straight after the race. On the podium, apparently I used to be booed, solely as a result of I used to be British and it got here after the Mary Decker Slaney/Zola Budd fiasco and the gang had been booing all of the Brits. However I didn’t actually discover. I used to be simply so disillusioned that I wasn’t one step increased, I didn’t actually take the gang in that a lot.
I’ve by no means celebrated since and I can’t watch the race anymore. I’ve most likely solely watched it twice. I’ve by no means been glad with it. And other people say you have to be happy with the silver medal. However I by no means will probably be as a result of I needed the gold. That’s simply the way in which it’s. I’m nonetheless not proud of the silver.
As instructed to Mark Woods
» This text first appeared within the July subject of AW journal. Subscribe right here