On August 25, 1984, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson set a new world record in the 100-meter dash at the Los Angeles Olympics. Johnson, who was born in Jamaica but competed for Canada, ran the distance in an astonishing 9.83 seconds, beating the previous record by 0.10 seconds. The race was highly anticipated, as Johnson was up against American Carl Lewis, who was also a top contender for the gold medal.
The race started with a bang, and Johnson got off to a blistering start. He was ahead of Lewis by the 50-meter mark and continued to pull away as the race progressed. By the time he crossed the finish line, Johnson had left the rest of the field in his wake, with Lewis finishing second in 9.99 seconds.
The crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum erupted in cheers as Johnson's time was announced, and the Canadian sprinter celebrated his victory with his trademark raised-arm salute. The gold medal cemented Johnson's status as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, and his world record would stand for nearly 12 years.
However, the glory was short-lived. Just three days after his record-breaking run, it was announced that Johnson had tested positive for stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid. He was stripped of his gold medal and world record, and the title was awarded to Lewis instead.
The scandal rocked the sports world and raised questions about the prevalence of doping in athletics. Johnson initially denied any wrongdoing but later admitted to using steroids. He was banned from competition for two years and his reputation was forever tarnished.
Despite the controversy, Johnson's performance on August 25, 1984, remains one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history. His blazing speed and dominant victory will always be remembered, even if the record books no longer reflect his achievement.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
