A man’s desperation for success can be dangerous and when it reaches a crescendo, actions unethical begin to unfold and a terrible crash inevitably follows the short-lived highs. This is exactly what happened to a talented athlete who migrated from Jamaica to Canada to pursue a career in athletics, with his dream of becoming the best strongly entrenched in his heart. His upbringing was difficult and he wanted the world. As the young man took shape, his talent chiselled by coaches, he was all set for success.
Carl Lewis-Ben Johnson: A Simmering Rivalry
The late eighties saw a rivalry brewing between the great Carl Lewis of the USA, already an Olympic Champion and the challenger Ben Johnson of Canada. Ben had reversed his losing streak against Carl Lewis and the rivalry had reached simmering heights. The 100m World Championship Final in 1987, in Rome was the event which Ben was waiting for and he did not disappoint. He ran an amazing race clocking 9.83 seconds, smashing the existing World record and beating Carl Lewis on the big stage. The challenger had upstaged the Champion. The next race was going to be even bigger. The Olympics were coming up in Seoul.
The Seoul Showdown & Glory For Ben
All eyes were set on the Carl Lewis- Ben Johnson showdown in the 100 m at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. I was very excited too and personally wanted Ben Johnson, the underdog to win. The day arrived and Ben Johnson unleashed himself on the field to win in 9.79 sec, a new World Record. Ben had flamed the track and left Carl Lewis way behind. I was overjoyed. Ben Johnson was a global headline. His picture crossing the finish line with his hand raised flashed across all major newspapers. He had become a national hero for Canada and was showered praise in abundance from all quarters. A great Sporting Star was born. I had a great day at school just being happy at the outcome. I too was basking in Ben Johnson’s glory. Unfortunately, it was all too short-lived.
A Quick Fall
After a couple of days post the race, a bolt came from the blue. As I picked up the newspaper in the morning before leaving for school, the headline shocked me. Ben Johnson had failed a Dope Test. He had tested positive for stanozolol, a banned performance-enhancing drug. The International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) had stripped Ben of his gold medal and his World Record was scrapped too. All the euphoria around Ben Johnson’s victory had vaporised. The Global Headlines had turned upside down. It was very upsetting. I had lost a spring in my step as I slowly trudged to school. I felt sad and wished it to be untrue.
A Non-Epic
With further investigations, Ben Johnson was banned and stripped of all what he had achieved. A bitter story indeed. I had backed Ben Johnson to the hilt though all my close friends were Carl Lewis’ supporters. It took me a few days to recover. The 100m epic at the Seoul Olympics had turned into an unsavoury non-epic.
‘Hero to Zero in 9.79’ aptly summarised Ben Johnson’s meteoric rise and a quick cascading fall.
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Featured Image: Courtesy Onmanorama.com