Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics

Date: 10 Aug 1984
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Zola Budd and Mary Decker are athletes who took part in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Budd, a South African, was competing under British citizenship due to apartheid laws in South Africa, and Decker,was representing the US. Both athletes were to compete in the 3000m race, with Decker being the favorite to win. During the race, Budd accidently tripped Decker and the American fell off the tracks. She injured her hip and was unable to continue with the race. The crowd expressed their anger by booing Budd, who continued on to finish seventh. Budd later claimed to have thrown the race in order to avoid further booing from the crowd had she won. The incident is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in Olympics history.

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01Trackandfield Did Zola Budd Trip Mary Decker? Olympic Distance Running Controversy[online] Available at: https://trackandfield.about.com[Accessed on 16 July 2012]
02ESPN Budd & Decker clash in explosive final[online] Available at: www.espn.co.uk[Accessed on 16 July 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, August 2). Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics . South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089632

South African History Online (2012) 'Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics ', South African History Online, 2 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089632 (Accessed: 23 August 2026).

South African History Online, Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089632, (accessed 23 August 2026).

"Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics ." South African History Online, 2 Aug. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089632. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Zola Budd of SA and Mary Decker of the USA collide accidentally during the 3000m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics ." South African History Online. August 2, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089632.