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Zola Budd: Collision and Controversy
It was not medal-winning heroics that made Zola Budd a household name at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Rather, the 18-year-old Budd found herself in the unflattering glare of the spotlight after a collision with her idol—and rival—American Mary Decker (later Mary Decker Slaney). Earlier that year Budd had broken Decker’s world record in the 5,000 metres, setting up a much-anticipated showdown in the 3,000-metre race at the Olympics. Budd’s image, however, was tarnished before she ever stepped onto the track in Los Angeles. A native of South Africa, Budd circumvented the ban on South African athletes by taking ...(100 of 340 words)