A trip that's frozen in time
Documentary recalls career of American middle-distance runner Mary Slaney, who will always be associated with a fall at the 1984 Olympics
The kid wearing pigtails racing against women twice her size. The rising star dominating middle-distance running thanks to a powerful kick to the finish that no one could match.
And finally, the heartbroken athlete laying on the track in Los Angeles at the 1984 Summer Olympics, sobbing in pain, disbelief and dejection, her gold-medal attempt denied when she was tripped by a barefooted runner.
Mary Slaney almost stoically watched all those scenes unfold in a documentary by Shola Lynch called Runner, part of the ESPN Films Nine for IX documentary series. "It's almost like looking at someone else's life," Slaney said from her home in Eugene, Oregon.
The film chronicles Slaney's career from when she burst on the scene, going from this fresh-faced kid with all the promise in the world to that infamous day in Los Angeles, where Zola Budd accidentally tripped her late in the race.
I’m part of Olympic history – more notorious than great
Back then, Slaney (known as Decker) was incensed at Budd for cutting her off. Over the years, their relationship has improved. "We've always been friendly to each other, possibly maybe we haven't been friendlier because of the whole situation," Slaney said. "It's really not what it was made out to be way back then."