Atlanta 1996 - Feat

If Carl Lewis, previously indisputable as king of track and field, was left to pick up only one medal in Atlanta, then a significant consolation was that his ninth Olympic gold assured him of a permanent place in the history of the Olympic Games. But it was his compatriot Michael Johnson who would become the main attraction in Atlanta, with a double gold victory in the 200m (and new world record of 19:32sec) and 400m. Johnson had been present in Barcelona four years earlier and was the favourite to win the 200m, having won 29 straight finals until Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks finally pipped him to the finish line in a lesser meet. However on July 13, Johnson fell victim to a bout of food poisoning after eating at a restaurant. He failed to recover fully and was eliminated in the semi-finals. Five weeks prior to the Atlanta Games, the Texan athlete displayed his intention to dominate the 200m by beating a long-held record set in Mexico by the Italian Pietro Mennea in 1979 of 19.72. Johnson duly obliged his fans with a time of 19.66. Johnson did not need the benefit of runner-friendly air, as had Mennea, to give him the edge over his adversaries. However, the presence of athletes who were capable of pushing him to the limit was a relevant factor in his record-breaking achievement. He was joined on the start line by Fredericks, and Ato Boldon from Trinidad and Tobago. Fredericks' run bettered Mennea's time by only four hundredths of a second (19.68). But Johnson found himself alone coming out of the bend following a perfect start. All that remained for him to do was to focus on the finish line and keep his short, sharp, strides powering home. After crossing the finish line, the man best known for this particular running style was overjoyed at learning that he had again bettered the world record - this time by a more significant margin. He found it difficult to express his joy at this achievement, the noise from the stadium being so overwhelming. "I have never heard such an explosion at the finish line. It's the greatest thing I have achieved in my life," Johnson said following his victory lap, whilst an ecstatic public joined in the celebration shouting "USA, USA". Johnson had to top off his win by running his victory lap with a strapped leg due to a muscle strain that, unfortunately, would keep him out of the 4x400m relay. Undoubtedly, this prevented him winning a potentially easy third gold medal. Michael Johnson from the US takes off in the men's Olympic 400m competition at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, 29 July. Johnson blitzed to the 400m title with a time of 43.49sec, missing Butch Reynolds' eight-year world record by two tenths of a second. -Electronic Image- (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) AFP-IOPP/Don EMMERT Michael Johnson of the US (L) shouts out after the men's Olympic 400m race at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, 01 Aug. Johnson hurtled into history books in world record time as he completed an unprecedented Olympic double with the 400m and the 200m. Johnson clocked 19.32 sec to destroy Frankie Fredericks of Namibia (19.68) and Ato Boldon of Trinidad (19.80). (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) AFP-IOPP/ Eric FEFERBERG Michael Johnson of the US displays the gold medal he received for winning the men's 400m late 29 July 1996 on the podium at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta. Michael Johnson won gold in 43.49 sec, an Olympic record, but missed the world mark by two tenths of a second. (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) AFP-IOPP/Don EMMERT Michael Johnson of the US wins the qualifying round 2 in the men's 400m Olympic athletics event at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, 27 July. Johnson finished with a time of 44.62. (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) AFP-IOPP/Eric FEFERBERG