Olympic Collision - by Kyle Keiderling (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Dual biography of Mary Decker and Zola Budd and the infamous Olympic incident that binds them together"--

Book Synopsis

It remains one of the most memorable moments in modern Olympic history. At the 1984 summer games in Los Angeles, a raucous crowd of ninety thousand saw their favorite in the women's 3,000-meter race, Mary Decker, go down. An audience of two billion around the world witnessed the mishap and listened to the instantaneous accusations against the suspected culprit, Zola Budd.

Just seventeen, the South African Budd had already been the target of a vicious and vocal campaign by the antiapartheid lobby after she transferred to the British team in order to compete at the games. Decker, at twenty-six, was America's golden girl, ready to overcome years of bad luck and injuries to rightfully take the Olympic gold for which she had waited so long. With three laps to go, Decker and Budd's feet became tangled. Decker went down and didn't get up, wailing in primal agony as her gold medal hopes vanished. Decker's stumbles continued in the race's aftermath when she refused Budd's apology and race officials found her, not Budd, at fault for the collision. Although both women found success after the Olympics, neither could escape the long shadow of the infamous event that forever changed both of their lives and defines them in popular culture to this day.

Olympic Collision follows Decker and Budd through their lives and careers, telling the story behind the controversy; the account that emerges is certain to revise the view Americans, in particular, have held since that fateful day in Los Angeles more than thirty years ago. Olympic Collision relives one of the most famous incidents in Olympic history, its legacy, and what has happened to both athletes since.

Review Quotes

"The stories of these two female runners and the one moment that will link the two of them together forever make for a great read."--Guy Who Reviews Sports Books-- (8/4/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"Olympic Collision is absolutely a perfect book that I am going to rave and recommend to one and all."--Underrated Reads-- (1/15/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"A fascinating look behind-the-scenes at one of sport's most shocking incidents. A tale of greed, human nature, and how it affected two amazingly talented runners."--Marty Liquori, ABC analyst for the 1984 Olympics and former number one in the world in mile and five-thousand-meter races
-- (2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"A fascinating story . . . . Skillfully written with much truth and compassion."--Julian Richfield, Cape Times-- (11/25/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"A highly entertaining page-turner and a must read."--Christopher Kelsall, Athletics Illustrated-- (7/20/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"Keiderling does a magnificent job of building up the tension as Decker and Budd's stories move toward their eventual literal collision at the 1984 Olympics."--Pam R. Sailors, Aethlon-- (1/19/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"Keiderling provides insight into how the sports machine works and particularly into how athletes remember long-ago events on the field--for they remain fresh to both Decker and Budd, each of whom went on to endure other travails off the track. A sprint down Memory Lane for fans of sports history, particularly sports controversies."--Kirkus

"This book is a fascinating insight into the lives of two exceptional runners and will interest both people who remember the event in 1984 when their lives collided, as well as anyone interested in competitive running."--Danielle Sellwood, Sport Sister-- (11/8/2016 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Kyle Keiderling is the author of five books, including Heart of a Lion: The Life, Death, and Legacy of Hank Gathers.