With the 1984 edition of the ”DN Galan” coming up Henry Rono’s 10000m world record of 27:22.5 had stood for over six years. But there had been some serious challenges with the Portuguese runners Fernando Mamede and Carlos Lopes both coming frustratingly close:
Mamede missing by less than half a second in 1982 and Lopes with less than one second in 1983. Now they would both be going for another record attempt at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium and the premises could hardly have been better:
A typical Scandinavian wind-less summer evening made the weather ideal for long distance running, two strong pacemakers taking care of the front job the first half and some 17.000 spectators in the stands providing enthusiastic support. And most importantly:
With just a month to go before the Olympic Games in Los Angeles both Mamede and Lopes were in proven top form. Because just four days earlier at the ”Bislett Games” in Oslo they had finished 1st and 3rd in a highly competetive 5000m, with Lopes who was training for the Olympic marathon even setting a new personal best of 13:16.
So the stage was set and the only question remaining was ”Mamede or Lopes?”.
The task for the pacemakers was to keep world record pace up to 5000m and that pace meant averaging laps of 65.6 and kilometres of 2:44. Unfortuantely it turned out that they had initial problems finding the target speed – no wavelights as guidance back then … – and with a second lap of 70.0 the first kilometer turned out five seconds too slow.
But things got better and when the last pacemaker stepped off at 5000m the clock showed a ”sufficient” 13:45. However, that still meant that the second half had to be at least eight seconds faster. Was really anyone in the leading quartet – Mamede, Lopes and US runners Mark Nenow and Garry Bjorklund – prepared to step up and take on the pacing responsibility with half the race still remaining?
Lopes didn’t hesitate although he didn’t increase the 2:45/km-pace but he kept it going. However, when he after three laps indicated he wanted someone else to take over the lead role the pace slowed. So after another lap or so Lopes stepped up once again to make certain that a record could still be possible with a fast closure.
With just three kilometres to go Lopes realised that a change of gear was necessary as they were still seven seconds behind the even pace 27:22-schedule. That faster pace was not matched even by Mamede who seemed to struggle to keep the gap from growing beyond 20-25 meters.
After two kilometres of 2:41 and 2:42 Lopes was back so close to the record schedule that just another 2:41 would be sufficient for success. And when Lopes speeded up one more notch on the second to last lap (62.7!) the record looked like a done deal.
But what was that?
Just before the bell – seemingly out of nowhere – Mamede came flying by Lopes and went on to sprint the last lap hitting the finish line in 27:13.81. The world record had in one go been lowered by almost nine seconds! Mamede had obviously found ”The mother of all second winds” to finish in truly spectacular fashion with a last kilometre of 2:30 and a last lap of 57.43!
For Lopes it must have felt as if lightning had struck from a cloudless sky! He had perfectly executed a textbook record attempt finishing off with a 61 last lap and a 2:36 last kilometre to successfully surpass Rono’s record by a healthy five seconds.
However, now all the records – World, European, Portuguese and Club – belonged to fellow Sporting Club runner Fernando Mamede. He who apparently had been dropped with three kilometres to go but who this memorable July evening in 1984 still had managed to find that absolutely scintillating ”Turbo gear” finish.
Mamede’s record time of 27:13.81 would for five more years remain the fastest ever 10000m run.
