Mary Decker

Mary Decker was a very fast runner.

She ran long races on a track.

She won many gold medals. She also set many world records. Some of her records lasted a long time.

One time, she fell during a big race.

This happened when she ran near other people. She was hurt and could not finish.

Later, she had a hard time with rules. She was banned from racing for two years.

Mary worked hard to be a great athlete. She is in a special hall of fame.

Mary Decker was a famous American runner.

She ran long races on a track. She was very fast. She set 17 world records. She was the first woman to run a mile in under 4 minutes and 20 seconds. In 1983, she won two gold medals at the World Championships. This was called the "Double Decker" because she won two races.

During the 1984 Olympics, a sad thing happened.

Mary was running a big race. She bumped into another runner named Zola Budd. Mary fell and hurt her hip. She could not finish the race. Later, Mary said she fell because she was new to running in a large group.

Mary also faced rules about medicine. In 1996, a test showed she had too much of a certain hormone. This led to a two-year ban from racing. She fought this in court. She said the test was not right for women. Mary later had many surgeries on her legs. She is now in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Mary Decker is a famous American runner who specialized in middle-distance and long-distance races.

She was incredibly fast on the track. Throughout her career, she set 17 official and unofficial world records. She was the first woman to break the 4:20 barrier for the mile. Decker also set 36 U.S. national records for many different distances. These records covered everything from 800 meters to 10,000 meters. Her speed was so great that some of her records lasted for decades. Her mile record stood for 38 years. Her 1500 meters record lasted for 32 years. Because of her amazing skill, she was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2003.

Running at a high level requires great skill and strength. Decker often competed in large groups of athletes. In 1983, she achieved something called the "Double Decker" in Helsinki, Finland. This means she won gold medals in both the 1500 meters and the 3000 meters at the World Championships. During these races, she had to use smart tactics to win. She had to decide when to run fast and when to stay close to others. Her wins against world record holders from the USSR showed her great competitive spirit. She even won the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. She also received the Jesse Owens Award for her hard work.

Decker's journey had many ups and downs. In 1974, she dealt with a muscle condition called compartment syndrome. This led to injuries and stress fractures in her leg. These injuries kept her from competing in the 1976 Summer Olympics. She had to recover with surgery and then went to the University of Colorado at Boulder. In 1980, she was unable to compete in the Moscow Summer Olympics because of an American boycott. However, she still received a Congressional Gold Medal for her efforts. Later, she married runner Ron Tabb in 1981, but they divorced in 1983. She also took time away from racing in 1986 to have her child.

A very famous and difficult moment happened during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Decker was a favorite to win the 3000 meters gold medal. During the race, she was running near a runner named Zola Budd. Decker collided with Budd and fell to the curb. This fall injured her hip, and she could not finish the race. Maricica Puică of Romania won the gold medal instead. At first, there was much debate about what caused the fall. Many people thought it was a mistake in how the runners moved in a pack. Many years later, Decker said she fell because she was inexperienced at running in a large group. She and Budd eventually shook hands and reconciled.

Later in her career, Decker faced serious rules about medicine. In 1996, a urine test showed a high ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone. This is a way scientists check for certain substances in the body. Because of this result, she was banned from competition for two years. Decker and her lawyers argued that the test was not reliable for women. They believed the test could not tell the difference between medicine and natural hormones. She fought this in court for several years. Even after her racing days ended, she faced many health challenges. She had more than 30 surgeries on her legs and feet to help her run. Today, she lives in Eugene, Oregon, and enjoys jogging.

Mary Teresa Decker is a retired American middle-distance and long-distance runner. She is recognized as one of the most successful athletes in track and field history. Throughout her career, Decker set 17 official and unofficial world records. She was the first woman to run a mile in under 4:20. Additionally, she established 36 U.S. national records across various distances. These distances ranged from the 800 meters to the 10,000 meters. Her incredible speed left a lasting mark on the sport. In 2003, she was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Decker's career required immense physical strength and tactical intelligence. In 1983, she achieved a feat known as the "Double Decker" at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. She won gold medals in both the 1500 meters and the 3000 meters. During these races, she had to manage her positioning carefully. In Helsinki, she chose not to run in close order with other athletes. This was because very few runners could keep up with her pace. However, Soviet runners used this to their advantage. Ultimately, Decker's wins against Soviet world record holders proved her competitive skill.

Success in distance running often involves overcoming physical setbacks. In 1974, Decker developed a muscle condition called compartment syndrome. This condition led to a series of injuries. These included stress fractures in her lower leg. These injuries prevented her from competing in the 1976 Summer Olympics. After undergoing surgery, she competed for the University of Colorado at Boulder on a track scholarship. In 1980, she was unable to compete in the Moscow Summer Olympics due to an American boycott. Despite this, she received one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created for American athletes.

A defining moment of her career occurred during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Decker was a favorite to win gold in the 3000 meters. During the final, she was running near Zola Budd, a barefoot runner from Great Britain. As Decker attempted to apply pressure, she collided with Budd. Decker fell to the curb and injured her hip. She was unable to finish the race. Maricica Puică of Romania won the gold medal instead. Decker was carried from the track by her boyfriend, Richard Slaney. While officials initially investigated the collision, they did not disqualify Budd. Years later, Decker explained that the fall happened because she was inexperienced at running in a pack.

Decker's career also faced challenges regarding athletic regulations and testing. In 1996, a urine test taken during the Olympic trials showed a high testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio. The ratio was greater than the allowable maximum of 6:1. At that time, Decker was being coached by Alberto Salazar. Decker and her legal team argued that the T/E ratio test was unreliable for women. They claimed it could not distinguish between banned substances and natural hormones or birth-control pills. In 1997, the IAAF banned her from competition. Although a USATF panel reinstated her in 1999, an arbitration panel issued a retroactive two-year ban. This ban stripped her of a silver medal from the 1997 World Indoor Championships.

Even after her competitive years, Decker dealt with the physical toll of her career. She suffered from many stress-induced fractures over time. Following her legal battles, she underwent more than 30 orthopedic procedures. These surgeries were performed mainly on her legs and feet. She hoped these procedures would allow her to compete in marathons. However, she continued to experience injuries despite the surgeries. She eventually retired and moved to Eugene, Oregon, with her husband. Today, she maintains her connection to running by jogging every other day.

Decker's impact on athletics is measured by the longevity of her achievements. Her 1500 meters record stood for 32 years. It was finally broken by Shannon Rowbury in 2015. Her mile record stood for 38 years. Her performance in the 1985 season was also notable. In Zurich, she set a new official world record for the mile at 4:16.71. Since that 1985 race, her time has only been beaten four times. Her career remains a significant part of track and field history, illustrating both the heights of human performance and the complexities of professional sports regulations.